86  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

of  the  mill  in  Lane  Village,  now  of  Packard  Brothers,  for- 
merly of  C,  &  G.  C.  Winchester.  Traces  of  the  dam,  in 
the  present  mill-pond,  still  remain. 

Referring  the  action  of  the  proprietors  in  regard  to  roads 
and  to  ecclesiastical  affairs  to  chapters  devoted  to  those  sub- 
jects, there  are  found  remaining  many  items  of  interest  and 
information  which  relate  to  the  progress  of  the  settlement. 
In  the  proceedings  of  a  meeting  convened  in  March,  1751, 
and  between  the  record  of  two  other  votes  on  disconnected 
subjects  is  found  the  following  assertion  :  "Voted  that  thirty 
men  or  upwards  residing  in  the  township."  This  is  startling 
information.  Turning  to  the  warrant  for  an  article  intro- 
ducing this  vote  there  is  found,  "To  agree  upon  a  speedy 
and  full  compliance  with  the  conditions  of  the  General 
Courts  Grant."  The  conditions  of  the  charter  requiring  the 
settlement  of  a  certain  number  of  families  within  a  limited 
time  had  been  unfulfilled  several  years.  On  account  of  the 
troublous  times  which  had  retarded  the  progress  of  all  the 
younger  settlements,  the  General  Court,  by  tacit  consent  and 
sometimes  by  enactment,  had  extended  in  an  indefinite  man- 
ner the  time  stipulated  for  the  fulfilment  of  the  conditions  of 
the  grants.  Yet  the  policy  of  reminding  the  settlements  of 
their  delinquency  was  being  pursued.  The  solemn  declara- 
tion of  the  proprietors  that  there  were  thirty  men  residing 
in  the  township  at  this  time  should  be  qualified.  It  was  not 
recorded  for  their  own  information  but  was  rather  addressed 
to  the  General  Court.  If  the  vote  had  a  desired  effect  in 
the  quarter  to  which  it  was  directed,  it  did  not  increase  the 
number  of  settlers.  The  population  of  their  plantation  could 
not  be  inflated  at  will  by  resolving  that  the  men  were 
there.  Only  a  few  families  were  residing  in  the  township 
when  this  startling  vote  was  passed,  and  any  mention  of 
thirty  men,  if  correct,  must  have  included  any  who  were 


A    HECOKD   OF    SETT1.EMP:NTS.  87 

repairing  roads  for  the  proprietors  or  clearing  lots  prepara- 
tory to  a  removal  of  their  families ;  but  their  existing  legal 
residence  and  the  home  of  their  families  were  not  as  yet  in 
Dorchester  Canada. 

About  the  time  the  town  was  incorporated,  and  perhaps 
an  incident  of  that  event,  there  are  found  renewed  evidences 
of  discord  between  the  resident  and  non-resident  propri- 
etors. For  several  years  the  meetings  of  the  propriety  had 
been  held  in  Dorchester  Canada  and  in  them  all  there  had 
been  opportunity  for  differences  of  opinion  in  the  policy 
which  should  be  pursued  in  the  general  management  of 
affairs.  The  non-resident  proprietors  in  forwarding  the  set- 
tlement were  increasing  the  value  of  their  lands,  while  the 
resident  proprietors,  having  a  twofold  interest  in  appropri- 
ations for  roads  and  other  public  concerns,  would  favor 
larger  appropriations  and  the  pursuit  of  a  more  liberal 
policy  in  the  general  management  of  the  corporation.  By 
conciliation  and  sometimes  by  the  postponement  of  con- 
tested measures  an  open  issue  was  avoided,  leaving  the  pro- 
prietors at  greater  liberty  for  a  contest  over  the  place  of 
holding  their  meetings.  The  resident  proprietors  constantly 
increasing  in  number  had  now  maintained  the  meetings  in 
Dorchester  Canada  without  much  interruption  for  several 
years.  There  was  no  injustice  in  their  claim  that  the  minor- 
ity and  wealthier  part  of  the  propriety  could  come  to  the 
plantation  to  attend  meetings  with  less  sacrifice  than  would 
attend  them  in  a  journey  to  Boston.  At  a  meeting  con- 
vened in  Dorchester  Canada  in  April,  17()5,  an  unusual 
amount  of  business  was  transacted,  including  a  vote  that 
nothing  be  done  about  holding  future  meetings  in  some  other 
place.  The  defeated  party  on  the  pretence,  real  or  imagi- 
nary, that  "they  were  hindered  from  giving  their  attend- 
ance   by  reason  of  the   extraordinary  freshets  at  that  time 


HISTORY 

OF 

ASHBURNHAM 

MASSACHUSETTS 

FROM 

THE  GRANT  OF  DORCHESTER  CANADA 

TO 

THE  PRESENT  TIME,  1734-1886 

WITH     A 

GENEALOGICAL  REGISTER 

OF 

ASHBURNHAM   FAMILIES 


By  EZRA  S.  STEARNS, 

Author  of  the  History  of  Kindge,  N.  H. 


"  Whatever  strengthens  our  local  attachments  is  favorable  both 
to  individual  and  national  character.  Show  me  a  man  who  cares 
no  more  for  one  place  than  another,  and  I  will  show  you  in  that 
same  person  one  who  loves  nothing  but  himself." 


ASHBURNHAM,    MASS.: 
PUBLISHED    BY    THE    TOWN. 

18  8  7. 


PRESS     OF 

J.     E.     FARWKLL    &     CO. 

B  O  S  T  O  K. 


PREFATORY    NOTE! 

BY     THK 

COMMITTEE    OF    PUBLICATION 


This  volume  is  presented  iu  response  to  ii  popular  demand. 
The  enterprise  was  instituted  and  sustained  by  a  generous  desire 
of  the  citizens  of  Ashburnham  to  secure  the  publication  of  the 
history  of  the  town.  The  initial  action  to  this  end  is  found  in  a 
vote  of  the  town  in  1880,  making  choice  of  Wilbur  F.  Whitney, 
Rev.  Josiah  D.  Crosby,  Simeon  Merritt  and  William  P.  P^llis  to 
make  preliminar}'  arrangements  for  the  compilation  and  publi- 
cation of  a  volume.  By  subsequent  votes  of  the  town  the 
committee  has  been  directed  to  consummate  the  work. 

In  1882  Mr.  Merritt  died,  and  George  F.  Stevens  was  elected 
by  the  town  to  complete  the  original  number  of  the  committee. 
Subsequently,  on  account  of  age  and  feeble  health,  Mr.  Crosby 
resigned,  and  Charles  Winchester  was  designated  to  fill  the 
vacancy.  Mr.  Ellis  was  appointed  by  the  committee  to  gather 
material  and  family  registers,  and  from  this  point  the  work  has 
been  prosecuted  without  interruption. 

Early  in  the  spring  of  1884  the  committee  contracted  with 
Hon.  Ezra  S.  Stearns,  of  Rindge,  New  Hampshire,  to  write  a 
History  of  Ashburnham,  following  a  general  plan  which  he  sub- 
mitted for  our  consideration,  and  which  met  our  approbation. 

Mr.  Stearns  has  faithfully  and  ably  fulfilled  the  obligation  he 
assumed,  and  has  produced  a  work  which  meets  our  warmest 
approval  and  unqualified  endorsement.  Yielding  to  the  express 
desii-e  of  the  author,  we  reluctantly  refrain  from  a  more  particular 
expression  of  our  estimate  of  the  sterling  character  of  the  volume 
and  of  oiu-  ready  appreciation  of  the  vigor  of  thought  and  felicity 
of  expression  which  will  not  escape  the  attention  of  the  reader. 

Wilbur  F.  Whitney, 
William  P.  Ellis, 
George  F.  Stevens, 
Chakles  Winchester. 


PREFACE. 


A  New  England  town  can  allege  no  antiquity.  Only 
in  a  comparative  sense  can  one  assume  the  dignity  of  age. 
The  municipal  history  of  Ashburnham  is  compressed  within 
the  l)rief  span  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  years,  and  of  this 
period  the  first  two  decades  are  isolated  from  the  connected 
narrative  of  the  remainder.  The  drama  is  limited  in 
duration,  yet  the  scenes  are  crowded  with  events.  At  the 
threshold  stands  the  surveyor  with  his  compass  and  chain, 
the  emblems  of  approaching  civilization,  ready  to  sever  from 
the  wilderness  a  defined  area  and  limit  the  stage  on  which 
will  appear  the  shifting  scenes  of  succeeding  years.  The 
early  settler,  struggling  with  the  subjugation  of  the  forest, 
and,  in  the  dying  flame  and  fading  smoke  of  the  clearing, 
rearing  a  cabin  and  garnering  the  product  of  a  virgin  soil, 
the*  mechanic  in  daily  toil  dreaming  not  that  he  is  founding- 
industries  that  will  become  swelling  tributaries  to  the  com- 
merce of  the  world,  the  Revolutionary  soldier  breathing  into 
life  his  aspirations  of  liberty,  and  in  the  fruits  of  war 
revealing  the  possibility  of  a  republican  form  of  government, 
the  meeting-house  on  the  hill,  the  settlement  and  labor  of 
^'the  learned  orthodox  minister,"  the  early  schools,  the 
primitive  roads  broadening  by  use  into  thoroughfares,  the 
rude  mills  exhibiting  only  the  elements  of  mechanical  skill. 


C  PHEFACE. 

are  a  part  of  the  history  of  every  New  England  town,  and 
each  occupies  a  phice  in  the  following  chapters.  And  yet 
throughout  the  work,  in  early  and  in  later  affairs,  it  has  been 
my  constant  aim  to  present,  in  a  proper  light,  the  forms  of 
procedure  and  the  phases  of  character  peculiar  to  this  town. 
The  stereotyped  features,  which  in  the  force  and  sequence 
of  events  are  connnon  to  the  history  of  all  New  England 
towns,  have  l)een  mainly  employed  as  connecting  links  in 
the  succession  of  events  or  as  mirrors  to  the  individuality  of 
Ashl)urnham.  The  glory  of  any  town  is  reflected  in  the 
lives  of  sterling  men  whose  deeds  are  the  soul  of  its  annals. 
In  the  following  chapters,  generation  has  succeeded  genera- 
tion, and  each  has  left  to  })osterity  the  strengthening 
influence  of  an  inspiring  example.  In  local  histor}''  is  found 
the  most  potent  incentive  to  activity  of  life  and  an 
honorable  conduct.  The  nearness  and  familiarity  of  the 
exemplars  animate  the  example. 

During  a  review  of  these  many  years  I  have  found  enter- 
tainment, which  can  he  renewed  by  the  reader,  in  silently 
noting  the  types  of  mind  and  character  developed  by  the 
several  families  which  have  constituted  the  population  of 
the  town.  —  each  generation  exhibiting  the  balances  between 
extremes  of  character  and  ability  that  incite  comparisons  and 
suggest  conclusions.  The  smnmary  record  of  achievement 
and  conduct  demonstrates  that  the  genius  of  Ashburnhani 
has  been  persevering,  that  the  average  ability  of  the  citizen 
has  been  conspicuous,  and  the  general  character  of  the 
masses  has  been  well  sustained. 

Without  an  interruption  of  the  narrative  in  an  exhibition 
of  the  fact,  it  has  been  my  purpose  to  supplement  the  deeds 
of  men  with  an  effort  to  also  portray  the  habit  and  thought, 
the  manners   and  customs,   the   aspirations  and  passions  of 


PREFACE.  7 

each  genenitiou,  and  to  state  facts  in  such  a  maimer  that 
the  reader  be  left  at  full  liberty  to  draw  suggested 
conclusions.  Leaving  the  discussion  of  philosophies  to 
more  pretentious  volumes,  it  has  remained  our  pleasurable 
labor  to  revive  fading  memories,  to  give  form  and  substance 
to  the  shadows  of  the  past,  to  clothe  in  the  habiliments  of 
truth  the  fugitive  forms  of>  tradition,  to  assign  to  deeds  of 
men  the  inspiration  of  a  good  or  an  unworthy  motive,  to 
present  a  picture  of  the  past  in  which  can  be  seen  in  clearer 
light  the  outlines  of  the  present,  and  to  combine  the  past 
Avith  the  present  in  a  connected  narrative  of  sequence  and 
fact.  Not  to  the  manner  born  nor  at  any  time  a  resident  of 
Ashburnham,  I  have  often  gleaned  in  the  Held  at  a  disad- 
vantage, but  I  have  Ijeen  fi-ee  from  the  prejudices  of 
familiarity,  and  in  this  effort  have  not  been  misguided  by 
the  vivid  impressions  and  false  estimates  of  childhood  and 
youth. 

The  tields,  from  which  the  material  of  the  following- 
chapters  has  been  garnered,  are  the  town  and  church 
records,  the  manuscript  volumes  in  the  State  archives, 
manuscripts  and  printed  volumes  wherever  found,  and 
registry  and  probate  records  of  several  counties.  Ceme- 
teries with  their  rigid  inscriptions  and  family  records, 
preserved  by  pious  care,  have  supplied  many  dates  that 
could  not  be  secured  from  other  sources.  To  the  custodians 
of  the  numerous  records  that  have  been  laid  under  tribute, 
and  to  a  multitude  of  friends  who  have  rendered  cheerful 
and  valued  assistance,  my  weighty  obligations  are  revived  in 
the  memory  of  polite  attention  and  spontaneous  kindness. 
A  orenerous  measure  of  oenealooical  information  has  been 
obtained  at  the  library  of  the  New  England  Historic- 
Genealogical  Society,  and  to  John  Ward  Dean,  A.  M.,  and 


8  PREFACE. 

his  obliging  assistants,  I  am  indebted  beyond  the  conven- 
tional forms  of  acknowledgment.  And  duty  joins  with 
pleasure  in  an  unreserved  expression  of  my  gratitude  to 
Harriet  Proctor  Poore,  whose  familiarity  with  the  reposi- 
tories of  historic  and  genealogical  lore  has  aided  successful 
research  for  many  dates  and  facts  not  easily  accessible.  To 
Wilbur  F.  Whitney,  William  P.  Ellis,  George  F.  Stevens 
and  Charles  Winchester,  who  have  faithfully  represented  the 
town  in  the  preparation  and  publication  of  this  volume,  I 
am  pleased  to  express  personal  obligations  for  courteous 
treatment  and  polite  attention.  Their  zeal  and  interest  in 
the  prosecution  of  the  work  have  been  a  constant  incentive, 
and  their  prompt  attention  in  the  proffer  of  facilities  has 
anticipated  every  reasonable  requirement.  The  committee 
has  relieved  me  from  the  embarrassment  of  censorship  and 
the  restraint  of  dictation,  and,  in  a  proper  recognition  of 
the  fact,  I  assume  responsibility  for  errors,  for  failure  of 
judgment  and  for  all  imperfections  which  appear  in  the 
following  pages. 

It  should  be  borne  in  mind  that  many  of  the  following 
chapters  were  written  two  years  ago,  and  that  mention  of 
present  time  has  reference  to  the  beginning  of  the  year 
1886.  The  mention  of  a  subsequent  event  and  the  em})loy- 
ment  of  a  later  date  are  gratuitous  amendments  to  the  plan 

originally  adojited. 

Ezi;a  8.  Stkakns. 
RiNDfJE,  N.  H.,  May  1,  1SS7. 


CONTENTS. 


INTRODUCTION. 


Location. — Boundaries  — Area. — Surface. — Soil. — Course  of  the  Streams. — 
Connecticut  and  Merrimack  Drainage. — Ponds. — Arboral  Products. 
— Wild    Animals. — Native   Birds. — Fish. — Elevations. — Scenery. 

17-26 
CHAPTEPv    I. 

THE    EARLY    GRANTS. 

Seven  Grants  of  Land. — The  Policy  of  the  General  Court. — An  Era  of 
Grants. — The  Starr  Grant. — Owned  by  Green,  Wilder  and  Joslin. — 
The  Cambridge  Grant. — The  First  Survey. — The  Lexington  Grant. — 
Sale  of  same  to  the  Germans. — The  Bluefield  Grant. — The  Early 
Koad  to  Northfleld — The  Grant  Sold  to  William  Jones  and  Ephraim 
Wetherbee. — The  Converse  Grant. — Sale  to  Joseph  Wilder. — The 
Rolfe  Grant.  —Sale  to  John  Greenwood. — The  Dorchester  Canada  or 
Township  Grant. — The  Canada  Soldiers. — Four  Towns  Chartered  in 
One  Enactment. — The  Township  Surveyed. — Area. — Personal  Notices. 

27-51 
CHAPTER   II. 

PROPRIETARY     HISTORY. 

The  Township  Awarded  to  Sixty  Persons. — Their  Influence  over  the  Settle- 
ment.— Proceedings  of  the  First  Meeting.  — Changes  in  Membership  of 
the  Proprietors. — House  Lots  Surveyed. — Site  for  Meeting-house 
Selected. — Saw-mill  Proposed  —Second  Distribution  of  Land. — A 
Fulling-mill  Suggested. — The  First  Meeting-house. — War  with  Heze- 
kiah  Gates. — The  Province  Line. — Mossman's  Inn. — Fear  of  Indians. 
— Block  House  Built.— The  Settlement  Temporarily  Abandoned. — 
The  Situation. — Changes  in  Membership  of  the  Proprietors. — Personal 
Notices. — Mossman's  Petition 52-79 

CHAPTER   III. 

A    RECORD    OF    SETTLEMENTS. 

Renewed  Activity  of  the  Proprietors. — Moses  Foster. — The  Second  Saw- 
mill.— Grain-mill. — Settlement. — Disagreement  between  Resident  and 
Non-resident  Proprietors. — Names  of  Early  Settlers.— The  German 
Settlement. — The  Province  Line.  — Manufacture  of  Potash. — Distri- 
bution of  Undivided  Lands. — Farewell  to  the  Proprietors. — Personal 
Notices 80-107 


10  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER   IV. 

FROM    THK    INCOKPORATION    TO    THE    REVOLUTION. 

Incorporation. — The  Petitions  of  the  Inhabitants  and  of  tlie  Proprietors. — 
The  name  of  Ashfield  Proposed. — The  Charter. — Early  Town  Meetings. 
— Ashby  Incorporated. — Contribution  to  Ashby. — New  Arrivals. — 
Salary  of  the  Minister. — Schools.  —  Abatement  of  the  Province  Tax  — 
Revolutionary  Flashes. — Death  of  First  Minister. — The  Common.— 
Tax  List,  1770.— Price  of  Commodities. — A  Pound  and  Field  Drivers. 
— Gardner  First  Suggested. — Warning  Out 108-130 

CHAPTER   V. 

REVOLUTIONARY    HISTORY. 

Situation  of  the  Town. — The  Covenant. — Worcester  Convention.. — The 
Juror  List. — Represented  in  Provincial  Congress. — Powder  and  Lead. 
— The  Militia  Organized. —Prominent  Citizens  Interviewed. — The 
Salt  Problem. — Alarm  at  Lexington. — Captain  Gates'  Company. — 
Captain  Davis'  Company. — The  Siege  of  Boston  and  Battle  of  Bunker 
Hill. — Captain  Wilder's  Company. — The  Declaration  of  Independence. 
— Enlistments  in  1776. — An  Hour  of  Gloom. — Town  Proceedings. — 
Soldiers  in  1777. — Alarm  and  Call  for  Troops. — The  Response  of 
Ashburnham. — Continental  and  Other  Soldiers. — Public  Aid. — Assent 
to  the  Articles  of  Confederation. — Depreciation  of  the  Currency. — 
The  Soldiers  in  the  Field. — New  Recruits. — Clothing  for  the  Army. — 
Alas!  One  Deserter.— Soldiers  in  1779. — Representative  to  General 
Court.— Price  of  Commodities. — Constitution  Proposed. — Thanksgiv- 
ing.— Soldiers  in  1780. — Town  Meetings. — Observance  of  the  Sabbath. 
— Soldiers  in  1781. — Bounty  Proposed.— A  Fine  Remitted. — Requisi- 
tions for  Beef.— Home  Trials 131-176 

CHAPTER  VI. 

REVOLUTIONARY'    HISTORY. CONTINUED. 

Personal  Notices. — Ebenezer  Munroe. — Abraham  Lowe. — Joseph  Jewett. — 
Samuel  Kelton. — Reuben  Townsend. — Isaac  Stearns. — William 
Stearns. — Isaac  Whitmore. — Charles  Hastings. — David  Wallis. — 
Cyrus  Fairbanks. — Ebenezer  AVallis. — Thomas  Gibson. — Jonas  Rice. 
Reuben  Rice. — Eliakim  Rice. — Jabez  Marble. — Lemuel  Stimson. — 
Abraham  Townsend. — John  Bowman. — Joshua  Fletcher. — Joseph 
Merriam. — Asa  Brocklebank. — Jonathan  Gates. — Jonathan  Samson. 
— Ezekiel  S.  Metcalf.— David  Clark.— David  Chaffln.— Ebenezer  B. 
Davis. — Isaac  Merriam. — David  Merriam. — John  AVinter. — William 
Ward. — Edward  Whitmore. — Reuben  Rice. — Abraham  Lowe. — Joseph 
Jewett. — Reuben  Townsend. — Lemuel  Stimson. —Jonas  Rice. — Jabez 
and  Oliver  Marble. — Thomas  Gibson. — Charles  Hastings. — Joseph 
Gibbs.  — David  Wallis. — Cyrus  Fairbanks.— Joshua  Fletcher — Joseph 
Merriam. — Names  of  Pensioners  Residing  in  Ashburnham  in  1840. 

177-210 


CONTENTS.  11 

CHAPTER  VII. 

STATK    IJKI.ATIONS,    POLITICS,    TOWN    OFFICERS. 

.4.  Season  of  Disquietude. — Shay's  Revolt. — The  Loyal  Sentiment  of  Ash- 
burnham. — Volunteers  to  Suppress  the  Revolt. — Isaac  Stearns'  Diary. 
— A  Bloodless  Campaign.— Constitutional  Conventions. — Representa- 
tion in  the  Legislature. — Vote  of  the  Town  for  Governor. — Proposed 
Divisions  of  the  County.— A  List  of  Town  Officers.     ....  211-242 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

KCCLEASISTICAL    HISTOUY. 

Early  Measures  to  Secure  Preaching. — Rev.  Elisha  Harding. — Call  and 
Ordination  of  Rev.  Jonathan  Winchester. — A  Church  Embodied. — 
The  Covenant. — Original  Membership. — Additions. — The  First  Dea- 
cons.— Death  of  Mr.  Winchester. — His  Character.— Call  and  Ordina- 
tion of  Rev.  John  Cushing. — A  Long  and  Successful  Ministry. — An 
Era  of  Concord.— Discipline  without  Asperity.— Half  Way  Covenant. 
—Death  of  Mr.  Cushing.— His  Character.— Call  and  Ordination  of 
Rev.  George  Perkins. — Installation  of  Rev.  George  Goodyear. — Rev. 
Edwin  Jennison.— Rev.  Elnathan  Davis.— Rev.  Frederick  A.  Fiske. — 
Rev.  Elbridge  G.  Little.— Rev.  Thomas  Boutelle.— Rev  George  E. 
Fisher. — Rev.  Moody  *A.  Stevens.— Rev.  Leonard  S.  Parker.— Rev. 
Daniel  E.  Adams.— Rev.  Josiah  D.  Crosby.— A  Vacancy.— The 
Deacons 243-2S:i 

CHAPTER  IX. 

ECCLESIASTICAL    HISTORY.  CONTINUED. 

The  First  Meeting-house. — Votes  Concerning  the  Edifice. — Pews  Con- 
structed.—The  Town  as  a  Parish.— The  Salary  of  Mr.  Cushing.— 
The  Hurricane.- The  Site  of  the  First  Meeting-house.— The  Second 
Meeting-house. — Proceedings  1791. — Painting  of  the  Meeting-house. — 
Toleration. — Dissolution  of  the  Relations  between  the  Town  and  the 
Church.- First  Parish  Organized.— Contention  over  the  Ministerial 
Fund. — The  Third  Meeting-house. — Location.— Continued  History. — 
—The  Edifice  Remodelled.- The  Parsonage 284-308 

CHAPTER  X. 

ECCLESIASTICAL    HISTORY.  CONTINUED. 

The  Methodists.— The  Field  and  the  Situation. — The  Early  Preachers. — 

The  First  Meeting-house.  — Second  Meeting-house.— The  Ministers. 
The   Union   Church.— The  Elements  Collected. — The   Meeting-house. — A 

Church  Embodied.— The  Early  Preachers. — Elder  Edward  A.  Rollins. 

—Rev.  A.  A.  Whitmore. — Temporary  Supplies.— Rev.  Daniel  Wight. 

— The  Parish. — Personal  Notices.— The  Deacons. 
The  Baptists. — Preachers  without  Pay. — Stephen  Gibson. — Disintegration. 
Adventists. — Their  Belief. — No  Church  Organization. 
The  Catholics. — First  Services  in  this  Town. — Purchase  a  Meeting-house. 

—Rev.  John  Conway 309-323 


12  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  XL 

SACRED    MUSIC. 

A  Truthful  Remark  of  No  Great  Account. — Early  Action  in  Relation  to 
Sacred  Music. — Ye  Pitch-pipe. — Early  Hymn-books. — New  Tunes. — 
First  Choristers. — Deaconing  the  Hymn. — Bass  "Viol. — Musical 
Families. — Later  Members  of  the  Congregational  Choir. — The  Meth- 
odist Choir 324-330 

CHAPTER  XII. 

PUBLIC    SCHOOLS. 

Home  Education. — First  Appropriation  for  Schools. — First  School-houses. 
— Districts.— Eight  Districts  Defined. — A  New  District.— The  Tenth 
District. — New  Boundaries. — The  Eleventh  District.— The  District 
System  Abolished. —  School-houses. —  Text-books. —  Teachers. —  Ap- 
propriations—School Legislation.— High  Schools.— Prudential  Affairs. 
—  Supervision 831-349 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

THE    GUSHING    ACADEJtY. 

Incidental  Features  of  the  Endowment. — The  Will  of  Thomas  Parkman 
Cashing. — The  Trustees. — Progress  of  Events. — Winchester  Square. — 
The  Edifice.— Dedication.— The  School  Fund.— Jewett  Hall.— The 
Crosby  Scholarship. — Library  and  Apparatus.— Professor  Pierce. — 
Professor  Vose. — Board  of  Trustees,  Past  and  Present.     .     350-359 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

BOUNDARIES. 

Donations  of  Land  to  Other  Towns. — Original  Area. — Province  Line. — 
Incorporation  of  Ashby. — Gardner. — Area  Severed  from  Ashburnham. 
— The  Families. — Land  Annexed  to  Ashby. —The  Petitioners. — Ash- 
burnham Resists. — New  Boundaries. — The  Families. — A  New  Town 
Proposed. — Meeting-house  Built. — Renewed  Effort  and  Opposition. — 
John  Ward  and  William  Barrell  Annexed.— Petition  of  George  Wilker 
and  others .  • 360-371 

CHAPTER  XV. 

ROADS    AND    HAILliOADS. 

The  Primitive  Roads.— The  Northfield  Road.— Early  Roads  in  Ashburnham. 
— The  Great  Road  to  Ipswich  Canada. — A  County  Road. — Road  to 
Ashby  Line. — New  Roads. — The  Town  Indicted. — Other  County  Roads. 
—South  Turnpike.— Tlie  Winchendon  Road  Amended.— Turnpikes.— 
Teaming.— Expenditure. — Road  Commissioners. — Railroads.     372-388 


CONTENTS.  13 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

HOTELS    AND    STORKS. 

The  First  Inn. — Several  Early  Innholders. — Uncle  Tim's. — The  Cockerel 
Tavern. — Two  Hotels  on  Main  Street. — Children  of  the  Woods. — A 
New  Tavern.— The  Central  House.— The  Frye  Tavern— The  Tavern 
at  Factory  Village. 

The  Stores. — The  First  Store. — The  Jewetts  and  their  Successors. — 
Madame  Gushing  a  Merchant. — Several  Small  Stores. — The  Winches- 
ters.— Adams  and  Greenwood. — Ellis  and  Lane. — Newton  Hayden. — 
Parker  Brothers. — Marble  and  Gilson. — George  Rockwood. — Elliot 
Moore. — Mirick  Stimson. — Store  in  South  A  shburnham.     .     .    389-400 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

MECHANICAL  INDUSTRIES. 

Prominent  Position  of  Ashburnham. — Three  Early  Mills. — A  Multitude  of 
Grain-mills  and  Saw-mills. — The  Manufacture  of  Chairs. — The  Great 
Number  Engaged. — John  Ealon. — The  Pioneers. — Philip  R.  Merriam. 
— Charles  and  George  C.  Winchester. — The  Boston  Chair  Manufact- 
uring Company. — W.  F.  Whitney.— The  Manufacture  of  Chairs  in 
South  Ashburnham. — Burrageville. — Tubs  and  Pails.— Thread  Spools. 
— Friction  Matches. — Baskets. — Miscellaneous  Wood-ware. — Wool 
Carding  and  Cloth  Dressing. — Cotton  Factories. — Tanning. — Morocco 
Business.— John  and  S.  W.  Putnam 401-423 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 

THE  ASHBURNHAM  LIGHT  INFANTRY. 

Zeal  in  Military  Pursuits. — Early  Officers. — The  Light  Infantry  Organized. — 
First  Commanders. — A  Few  Veterans. — Service  in  War  of  1812. — 
The  Roll.— Years  of  Prosperity.— List  of  Officers  1791  to  1847.— 
Promotions.- The  Militia  Company. — Militia  Officers. — The  Draft 
1814.— History  from  1855  to  18G2.— Brief  Record  from  186G  to 
Present  Time.— List   of  Officers 424-439 

CHAPTER  XIX. 


WAR  OF  THE  REBELLION. 

Prepared  For  War.— Mission  of  the  Ashburnham  Light  Infantry.— Early 
Enlistments. — Second  Regiment. — The  Home  Company.— The  Uni- 
form.— Liberality  of  George  C.  Winchester. — State  Aid. — Twenty- 
first  Regiment. — Its  Record. — Names  of  Men  in  this  Service. — 
Colonel  Joseph  P.  Rice.— Captain  Walker  and  the  Slavery  Problem. — 
Other  Enlistments  in  1861.— Record  of  1862.— Fifty-third  Regiment. 
—Resolutions.— Record  of  1863.— The  Draft.— Enlistments.— The 
Second  Draft.— Conclusion 440-463 


14  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  XX. 

PHYSICIANS. LAWYERS. PERSONAL  NOTICES. COLLEGE  GRADUATES. OTHER 

SONS.  OF  ASHBURNHAM. 

Doctors  Brooks,  Senter,  Abraham  Lowe,  Abraham  T.  Lowe,  Nathaniel 
Peirce,  Abercrombie,  Cutler,  Stone,  Miller,  Wallace,  Whitmore, 
Mattoon,  Temple,  Jillson,  Charles  L.  Pierce,  Stickney,  Amory  Jewett, 
Nathaniel  Jewett. — Lawyers  Cunningham,  Adams,  Parker  and 
Andrews. — Samuel  Wilder. — Joseph  Jewett. — Ivers  Jewett. — Jacob 
Willard. — Silas  Willard. — John  Adams. — Enoch  Whitmore. — Jerome 
W.  Foster. — Ohio  Whitney. — Isaac  Hill. — Thomas  Parkman  Cushing. 
— Milton  Whitney. — A  List  of  College  Graduates. — Other  Sons  of 
Ashburnham 4G4-ol7. 

CHAPTER  XXI. 

MISCELLANEOUS. 

Pauperism. — Tithingmen. — Town  House. — Union  Hall.—  Post  Offices. — 
Libraries. — First  National  Bank. — Savings  Bank. — Farmers'  Club. — 
Pounds. — Bounties  on  Wild  Animals. — Thief  Detecting  Society. — 
Brass   Band. — Powder  House. — Population 518-540 

CHAPTER  XXII. 

MORTUARY'  RECORDS. 

The  Early  Burials. — Death  of  Mr.  Haskell — Germans  Buried  Elsewhere. — 
The  Old  and  the  New  Cemeteries. — Suicides.— Accidental  Deaths. — 
Record  of  Deaths  of  Aged  Persons. — List  of  Aged  Persons  now 
Living  in  Ashburnham 541-555 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 

GLEANINGS. 

A  Present  to  Rev.  John  Cushing. — Seating  the  Meeting-house. — Minor 
Topics. — A  New  Town  Proposed. — A  New  Name  Suggested  for 
Ashburnham. — A  War  Cloud. — Sickness. — A  Severe  Winter. — A 
Variety. — The  Great  Gale. — The  First  Fire  Engine. — Temperance. — 
Millerites. — The  Great  Freshet. — Miscellaneous  Topics     .     .     556-573 

Genealogical    Register 575-1007 

Index  of  Names 1000-1022 


ILLUSTRATIONS, 


PORTRAITS. 

PAGK 

EZRA  S.  STEARNS Frontis. 

JOSIAH  D.  CROSBY 281 

A.  T.  LOWE 466 

WILLIAM  H.  CUTLER 469 

JEROME  W.  FOSTER 485 

OHIO  WHITNEY,  Jb 486 

H.  C.  HOBART • 502 

IVERS  W.  ADAMS 592 

JOSEPH  GUSHING , 666 

RODNEY  HUNT 762 

SIMEON  MERRITT 825 

LORING  MUNROE 839 

IVERS  PHILLIPS 848 

OHIO  WHITNEY 962 

WILBUR  F.  WHITNEY 968 

ENGRAVINGS. 

SECOND  MEETING  HOUSE 295 

CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCH 306 

CUSHING  ACADEMY 356 

THE  BRICK  STORE 396 

FACTORIES:  BOSTON  CHAIR  MANUFACTURING  CO 413 

AVILBUR  F.  WHITNEY 414 

POWDER  HOUSE 539 

ADAMS  HOMESTEAD            586 

PETER  HUNT  HOMESTEAD 761 

RESIDENCE:  Dr.  N.  JEWETT 765 

THE  WILDER  HOMESTEAD 849 

RESIDENCE:  Dr.  A.  L.  STICKNEY 909 

THE  OHIO  AVHITNEY  HOMESTEAD 962 

RESIDENCE:  CHARLES  WINCHESTER 996 


INTRODUCTION. 


LOCATION.   BOUNDARIES.  AREA.  SURFACE.   SOIL.  COURSE    OF      THE 

STREAMS. CONNECTICUT  AND  MERRIMACK  DRAINAGE. PONDS. ARBORAL 

PRODUCTS.  WILD   ANIMALS.  NATIVE    BIRDS.  FISH.  ELEVATIONS.  

SCENERY. 

AsHBURNHAM  is  the  most  eastern  of  the  three  towns  in 
Worcester  county  in  Massachusetts  bordering  upon  New 
Hampshire  and  is  bounded  on  the  north  l)y  Eindge  and  New 
Ipswich  ;  on  the  east  by  Ashby  and  Fitchljurg  ;  on  the  south 
by  Westminster  and  Gardner  and  on  the  west  by  Winchen- 
don.  The  old  common  on  Meeting-house  hill  is  fifty-five 
miles  in  right  line  northwest  from  Boston,  and  thirty-one  miles 
north  from  Worcester,  and  is  in  latitude  42°  38'  north,  and 
longitude  4°  10',  very  nearly,  east  from  Washington.  The 
area  of  the  town  is  about  twenty-four  thousand  five  hundred 
acres  including  about  one  thousand  five  hundred  acres  of  water. 
The  surface  is  hilly  and  diversified.  Without  ranges  or  sys- 
tems of  hills  the  outlines  of  the  landscape  are  bold  and  majes- 
tic, and  promontories  are  frequent,  yet  isolated.  Many  of  the 
elevations  are  bold  and  rugged,  while  others  are  rounded  and 
elevated  swells  of  land  fertile  to  the  summit.  There  is  very 
little  plain  and  intervale.  The  streams  are  gathered  in  broken 
and  narrow  valleys. 

2  17 


18  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

The  soil  of  Ashburnham  is  that  common  to  the  hill  towns 
in  this  vicinity.  When  placed  in  comparison  it  is  even  stub- 
born and  rocky,  yet  in  most  parts  arable  and  productive. 
The  surface  is  well  watered.  The  subsoil  is  clay  retaining 
moisture  and  springs  of  the  purest  water  are  abundant. 

The  altitude  of  this  town  is  greater  than  that  of  the  sur- 
rounding country  on  the  east,  south  and  west.  The  courses 
of  the  streams  are  outward  except  in  the  north.  The  line  of 
water-shed  between  the  Connecticut  and  Merrimack  valleys 
extends  diagonally  through  the  town.  The  line  of  division 
is  irregular  but  is  easily  traced  from  Great  Watatic  to  Little 
Watatic,  thence  southerly  and  over  the  low  ridges  between 
Upper  Naukeag  and  Rice  pond  to  the  old  common.  Diverg- 
ing to  the  north  and  west  the  line  extends  near  the  ancient 
Winchendon  road  past  the  residence  of  Edwin  Hayward  to 
near  the  John  "Woods  farm,  thence  southerly  into  the  forest 
about  one  mile  and  thence  westerly  and  southwesterly  about 
two  miles  to  the  southeast  corner  of  Winchendon. 

The  northwestern  or  Connecticut  slope  is  drained  into  Mil- 
ler's river.  The  Upper  Naukeag  lake  which  flows  into  Lower 
Naukeag  is  the  source  of  the  south  branch  of  that  river.  At 
the  Lower  Naukeag  it  receives  a  copious  afiluent  from  the  north- 
east. This  stream  rises  in  Binney  pond  in  New  Ipswich  and 
receives  the  drainage  of  a  considerable  portion  of  the  eastern 
slope  of  New  Ipswich  mountains.  It  enters  this  town  through 
the  farm  of  Edwin  J.  Stearns  and  flows  thence  through  the 
village  of  North  Ashburnham  into  the  Lower  Naukeag.  In 
its  onward  course  from  this  lake  the  next  considerable  tribu- 
tary to  the  south  branch  of  Miller's  river  is  the  modest  con- 
tribution of  Rindge  which  flows  past  the  mills  of  Robert  W. 
Mclntire  and  joins  the  stream  north  of  Burrageville.  The 
river  thus  reinforced  abruptly  leaves  the  town  but  repenting 
before  a  mile  is  traversed,  it  returns  and  patienth^  drives  the 


INTRODUCTION.  19 

mills  at  Burrageville.  In  compensation  for  exhausted  energy 
it  soon  receives  a  tributary  from  the  south  and  rushes  on  to 
its  many  tasks  below  until  it  foils  into  the  Connecticut  near 
Greenfield.  By  this  river  a  half  of  the  town  is  drained.  The 
source  of  the  brook  rising  in  New  Ipswich  and  flowing  through 
this  town  is  the  extreme  eastern  point  of  the  Connecticut 
valley. 

The  southeastern  or  Merrimack  slope  is  divided  into  four 
sections  and  is  drained  by  as  many  streams  flowing  outward. 
The  first  drainage  is  in  the  northeast  part  of  the  town  and 
embraces  the  basin  defined  by  Great  Watatic,  Little  Watatic 
and  Blood  hill.  Here  the  overflow  of  Stoger  meadow  and  a 
few  smaller  streams  falling  into  Ward  pond  and  thence  into 
Watatic  pond  give  rise  to  a  branch  of  the  Souhegan  river. 
Its  course  is  through  the  north  part  of  Ashby  and  New  Ips- 
wich and  onward  to  the  Merrimack  river  at  the  town  of  Mer- 
rimack, New  Hampshire. 

The  second  drainage  is  of  small  area  lying  between  Blood 
and  Russell  hills  and  embraces  portions  of  the  Dutch  and 
Cambridge  farms.  The  streams  leave  this  town  near  the 
residence  of  Joseph  W.  Wilker  and  fall  into  the  Ashby  res- 
ervoir. Here  the  collected  water  assumes  the  name  of 
Willard's  brook  and  is  tributary  to  the  Squanicook  river  in 
Townsend. 

The  third  drainage  is  bounded  on  the  north  and  east  by  the 
Connecticut  slope  and  the  first  and  second  sections  of  the 
Merrimack  slope .  The  western  boundary  is  the  height  of  land 
from  Meeting-house  hill,  thence  south  across  the  farm  of 
Joseph  Harris  to  the  line  of  Westminster.  The  water  collected 
at  Rice  or  Reservoir  pond  is  drained  by  Phill  ips'  brook  flowing 
through  the  centre  village  and  onward  through  the  northeast 
part  of  Westminster  into  Fitchburg. 

The  fourth  drainage  of  the  Merrimack  slope  embraces  the 


20  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

southwest  and  remaining  area  of  the  town.  Here  are  several 
artificial  ponds  but  no  natural  body  of  water.  The  drainage 
is  collected  in  the  stream  rising  in  the  Nashua  reservoir  and 
flowing  through  the  village  of  South  Ashburnham  and  thence 
through  Westminster  in  a  course  nearly  parallel  with  Phillips' 
brook  to  the  line  of  Fitchl)urg.  At  this  point  it  abruptly 
turns  to  the  north  and  unites  with  Phillips'  brook  at  West 
Fitchburg.  Dashing  on  in  a  first  embrace  through  the  rocky 
valley  of  Fitchburg  it  more  leisurely  pursues  its  way  through 
Leominster  and  Lancaster  to  a  point  between  Groton  and 
Shirley  where  it  receives  the  Squanicook,  bearing  the  waters 
of  the  second  drainage.  Together  the  triune  river  engulfed 
in  stronger  currents  falls  into  the  Merrimack  river  at  Nashua. 
Perhaps  somewhere  in  the  river-bed  they  recognize  and 
mingle  with  the  clear  waters  from  Watatic  pond  which  in  its 
onward  course  to  the  ocean  has  wandered  through  the  valley 
of  the  Souhegan.  Fallulah  or  Baker's  brook  flowing  into 
Fitchburg  and  a  small  stream  flowing  into  Westminster  are 
tributary  in  a  short  distance  to  the  larger  streams  and  are  not 
considered  separately. 

Tliere  are  eight  natural  ponds  in  this  town  ;  four  are  trib- 
utary to  the  Connecticut  and  four  to  the  Merrimack  river. 

The  Upper  Naukeag  or  Meeting-house  pond,  beneath 
the  towering  summits  of  the  surrounding  hills  and  dotted 
with  rugged  islands,  is  a  lake  of  peculiar  beauty  and  attrac- 
tion. The  water  is  clear  and  cool  and  the  basin  unusually 
free  from  sediment.  The  shores  are  mainly  rocky,  some- 
times bold  and  rugged,  in  other  places  pure  sand  of  spark- 
ling whiteness  forms  the  encircling  barrier  and  extends 
beneath  the  surface  of  the  crystal  water,  but  nowhere  is  the 
lake  approached  by  low  and  marshy  ground.  This  lake  and 
the  Watatic  mountains  were  known  to  the  explorers  l)efore 
the   settlement  of  the   town.      The  names   undoul)tedly  are 


INTRODUCTION.  21 

of  Indian  origin,  but  the  original  sound  has  been  so  imper- 
fectly preserved  and  the  names  have  experienced  so  many 
changes  in  English  orthography  that  students  of  the  Indian 
dialects  fail  to  discover  the  original  signification  of  the  terms. 
Professor  Truml)ull,  a  recognized  authority,  has  examined 
these  names  in  every  form  of  orthography  and  fails  to  find  in 
them  any  element  that  designates  either  pond  or  mountain. 

The  Lower  Naukeag  Lake  is  less  rugged  in  outline. 
At  the  eastern  extremity  the  accumulating  deposit  of  cen- 
turies has  appeared  above  the  surface  of  the  water  and  many 
acres  of  low  land  are  included  within  the  original  basin  of  the 
lake.     The  drainage  is  controlled  by  artificial  obstruction. 

A  Nameless  Poxd  of  small  area  is  found  in  the  forest  and 
surrounded  by  marsh.  It  is  situated  a  short  distance  west 
of  Little  Watatic  and  is  tributary  to  the  stream  which  flows 
through  North  Ashburnham. 

Another  Nameless  Pond,  a  lonely  sheet  of  water,  is 
found  in  the  marsh  in  the  southwest  part  of  the  town.  It 
is  near  the  line  of  the  Cheshire  railroad  and  midway  l>etween 
the  depots  at  North  and  South  Ashburnham.  It  is  tributary 
to  the  south  branch  of  Miller's  river  at  Burrageville.  The 
course  of  the  stream  is  northwest  and  near  the  line  of  the 
Cheshire  railroad. 

Rice  Poxd  is  the  most  important  body  of  water  in  the 
Merrimack  drainage.  The  dam  at  the  outlet  controls  the 
natural  current  and  overflows  the  original  l)oundaries.  The 
declivity  of  the  shores  is  generally  uniform  and  the  natural 
features  and  contoiu'  of  the  pond  are  generally  preserved. 
At  the  present  time  it  is  frequently  called  Reservoir  pond, 
and  in  173o  it  was  known  as  Wenecheag  pond. 

Mud  Poxd  of  small  area  is  tributary  to  Rice  pond  and  is 
situated  about  one-half  mile  northwest  of  it. 


22  HISTORY   OF    ASHBUKNIIAM. 

Ward  Poxd,  formerly  known  sis  Whiteman  pond,  is  a  gem 
among  the  lakes  guarded  and  nurtured  by  the  ench-cling  hills. 
Its  pebbly  shores  are  familiar  to  the  angler  while  its  placid 
surface  and  picturesque  surroundings  are  suggestive  of  rest 
and  tranquillity. 

Watatic  Poxd  on  the  stream  ])elow  Ward  pond  is  similar 
in  outline  but  smaller  in  area.  It  lies  partly  in  Ashby,  but 
the  greater  portion  is  in  this  town.  Near  these  two  ponds 
were  the  homes  of  several  of  the  earliest  settlers  of  Dorches- 
ter Canada. 

In  addition  to  these  natural  Ijodies  of  water,  wdiich  for  cen- 
turies have  enlivened  the  landscape  and  mirrored  in  their 
crystal  waters  each  passing  l)ird  and  the  overhanging  hills, 
there  are  many  reservoirs  or  artificial  ponds  in  this  town. 
Maintained  by  the  work  and  for  the  convenience  of  man  they 
are  perishable  and  unless  the  barriers  are  constantly  renewed 
the  waters  will  again  flow  within  the  banks  of  the  natural 
cuiTents.  They  form  no  part  of  the  natural  features  of  the 
town. 

The  prevailing  arboral  products  are  white  pine,  spruce, 
hemlock,  maple,  birch  and  beech.  These  are  found  in  all 
parts  of  the  town.  In  the  original  forests  the  heaviest  growth 
of  the  deciduous  varieties  Avas  found  in  the  southeast  part  of 
the  town,  while  the  soft  woods  were  in  greater  abundance  in 
the  northern  and  western  portions  of  the  town.  The  red  oak, 
chestnut,  white  and  black  ash,  hard  pine,  juniper  or  tamarack, 
fir  balsam,  basswood,  leverwood  and  hornbeam  are  native 
here.  The  elm,  black  cherry  and  wdiite  oak  are  found  in 
small  quantity.  The  white  wallow,  poplar  and  gray  birch 
are  possibly  of  secondary  growth  and  are  constantly  increas- 
ing in  quantity.  The  moosewood,  with  its  large ,  broad  leaves, 
flourishes  beneath  the  shade  of  the  forests.  Black  alder, 
bearing  red  berries,  is  seen  upon  the  roadside,  and  tag  alder 


INTRODUCTION.  23 

lines  the  shore  of  the  brooks  and  the  margin  of  low  lands. 
Red  and  poison  sumac,  or  dogwood,  are  rare.  Clusters  of 
withe,  whitewood,  witch  and  nut  hazel,  and  laurel  are  found 
in  many  places.  A  few  locust  —  two  varieties  —  butternut  or 
white  walnut,  and  Lombardy  poplar  have  flourished  as  shade- 
trees,  but  are  not  natives  here. 

The  town  originally  was  heavily  wooded.  The  denizens 
of  the  dense  forests  included  a  variety  of  animals  common  to 
the  locality.  In  the  early  progress  of  the  settlement  the  black 
bear  forsook  his  favorite  haunts  without  thought  of  contest  or 
show  of  resistance.  A  coward  both  by  instinct  and  habit  he 
fled  at  the  approach  of  man.  But  every  solitary  bear  that 
since  has  made  a  hasty  circuit  of  the  town  has  lived  in  peren- 
nial tradition  and  has  immortalized  every  man  or  woman  who 
chanced  to  behold  the  fugitive  presence.  Very  few  of  the 
early  settlers  ever  beheld  the  countenance  of  a  living  bear. 
Habitually  his  face  was  directed  the  other  way  and  his  eye 
was  ever  resting  on  some  distant  point  he  desired  to  visit. 
The  wolf  in  early  times  was  more  numerous  and  troublesome. 
Fifty  years  ago  they  had  not  entirely  disappeared. 

Traces  of  beaver  dams  are  not  yet  wholly  obliterated  but 
the  builders  abruptly  refused  to  labor  in  competition  with 
man.  The  track  of  the  otter  is  yet  seen  occasionally  in  the 
new  fallen  snow  and  the  mink  still  inhabits  along  the  courses  of 
the  sti'eams.  Muskrats  with  little  fear  of  man  continue  to 
build  their  round  moundlike  houses  iii  the  shallow  water  of 
the  ponds.  Foxes,  fed  by  the  garbage  of  civilization,  and  the 
woodchuck,  partial  to  the  succulent  vegetation  of  cultivated 
fields,  are  probal)ly  as  numerous  as  at  any  former  period. 
The  several  varieties  of  squirrels,  the  hare  and  the  coney 
rabbit,  while  limited  in  the  area  of  their  possessions,  are  rel- 
atively numerous.  Occasionally  the  sleepy  porcupine  is 
found  in  his  (juiet  home  in  a  hollow  tree  and  the  raccoon  visits 


24  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

the  fields  of  ripening  corn  from  year  to  year  in  unequal 
numbers. 

The  birds  found  here  are  such  as  are  common  to  the  latitude, 
and  other  conditions  of  the  town.  The  melodies  that  greeted 
the  morning  light  in  the  solitudes  of  the  original  forests  are 
our  delight  at  the  present  time.  The  thrush  and  the  sparrow, 
first  to  confide  in  the  mercy  of  men  and  nest  near  the  hamlets 
of  the  clearing,  if  not  as  numerous  as  formerly,  are  still  the 
welcome  visitors  of  the  summer-time.  The  red-headed  wood- 
pecker, whose  animated  rappings  broke  the  stillness  of  the 
forest,  was  frequently  seen  in  former  years  but  is  now 
extinct,  while  the  imported  sparrow  has  found  its  way  hither 
from  the  seaboard.  The  wild  goose,  the  black  and  gray  duck, 
of  migratory  habits,  visit  the  ponds  in  their  spring  and  autumn 
transits.  The  wood  and  dipper  duck  not  unfrequently  nest 
here,  and  can  be  found  in  their  retreats  during  the  summer 
and  autumn.  The  loon  or  northern  diver  (Coli/mbus  gla- 
cialis)  during  the  summer  months  and  early  autumn  is  daily 
seen  floating  upon  the  lakes  or  is  heard  calling  his  mate  during 
a  flight  between  the  ponds.  They  frequently  nest  upon  the 
islands  in  Upper  Naukeag.  The  wild  pigeon  is  less  abundant 
than  formerly,  while  the  sonorous  whistle  of  the  quail  (  Ortyx 
virginianus)  is  sometimes  heard,  but  this  bird  seldom  nests 
in  this  latitude.  Partridges  (Tetrasumbellus,  or  the  Bonasa 
umbellus  of  Linnaeus)  are  al)undant,  and  the  loud  whirring 
sound  of  their  wings,  as  they  burst  away  at  the  approach  of 
visitors  to  their  haunts,  and  their  animated  drumming  in  the 
forest  continue  to  attest  their  familiar  presence. 

The  lakes,  reservoirs  and  rivulets  of  this  town  abound  in 
fish  peculiar  to  the  waters  of  this  vicinity.  So  far  as  known, 
none  of  the  natives  of  these  waters  have  become  extinct. 
The  l)lack  bass,  land-locked  salmon  and  lake  trout  are  of 
recent  and  artificial  introduction.     The  brook,   or  spotted 


INTRODUCTION.  25 

trout,  fond  of  shade  and  cool  water,  have  been  disturbed  in 
their  favorite  haunts  by  the  removal  of  the  forests,  and  are 
less  numerous  than  formerly.  The  name  and  the  charac- 
teristics of  the  haliitants  of  the  lakes  and  brooks  of  this  town 
are  familiar  to  all,  yet  the  following  list  may  be  of  interest  at 
some  future  time  : 

The  pickerel  {Esox  reticulatus)  ;  brook  trout  (Sahno 
fontinalis)  ;  perch  {Perca  flavescens)  ;  shiner  (/Siilbe  chry- 
solencas)  ;  l)ream  or  sunfish  {Pomotis  vulgaris)  ;  chub  or 
cheven  (Leuciscus  chephalus)  ;  black  sucker  (Catostojnus)  ; 
chub  sucker,  another  of  the  same  genus  ;  the  minnow,  or 
minum,  a  very  small  fish,  and  a  specie  of  Leuciscus ;  cat  fish 
or  horned  pout  (Pimelodus  catus).  The  common  eel  (An- 
guilla  tenuirostris) ,  and  the  lamprey  eel,  a  specie  of  the 
Petromyzon,  although  rare,  are  sometimes  taken  from  the 
ponds. 

The  most  prominent  elevation  is  Great  Watatic.  Its 
rounded  summit  is  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  forty- 
seven  feet  above  tide  water.  This  grand  and  lofty  tower  on 
the  line  of  the  water-shed,  is  symmetrical  in  its  form  and 
imposing  in  its  presence,  and  with  grim  visage  it  overlooks 
the  hamlets  in  the  northeast  part  of  the  town.  In  a  right 
line  and  a  mile  nearer  the  old  common,  is  Little  Watatic,  of 
similar  form  and  softened  outlines.  An  earlier  orthography 
of  these  mountains,  was  Wautatuck.  Blood  hill,  south  of 
Great  Watatic,  and  on  the  line  of  Ashby,  in  the  morning 
light,  casts  its  fretted  shadow  over  the  lakes  at  its  base  and 
around  its  crest  the  rainbow  appears  in  the  lingering  rain  of 
an  evening  shower.  Across  the  intervening  valley  at  the 
south,  is  the  plateau  of  Russell  hill,  once  heavily  wooded, 
and  now  the  seat  of  productive  farms.  Jewell  hill,  near  at 
hand,  is  a  sturdy  watch-tower  on  the  limits  of  the  town. 

East  of  Eice  pond,  suddenly  rises  the  bristling  form  of 


26  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

Mount  Hunger.  If  its  name  and  sterility  are  suggestive  of 
famine,  its  situation  near  the  lake  is  a  safeguard  against 
thirst.  And  on  the  line  of  the  water-shed,  is  Meeting-house 
hill,  which  commands  an  extensive  view  of  the  surrounding 
country.  Here  our  ftithers  literally  went  up  to  worship,  and 
early  called  it  "a  hill  with  a  very  fair  prospect."  Brown 
hill,  and  the  ridges  in  the  northwest  part  of  the  town,  and 
other  elevations,  on  which  are  houses  and  cultivated  fields, 
would  l)e  styled  mountains  amid  surroundings  less  grand  and 
lofty. 

The  altitude  of  the  town,  and  the  bold  and  rugged  outlines 
of  the  landscape,  are  the  elements  of  scenery  unsurpassed  in 
beauty  and  grandeur.  These  features  of  nature  are  a  living 
inspiration  and  enjoyment  to  all  who  inhabit  here,  and 
treasured  among  golden  memories  are  the  visions  of  matchless 
sublimity  which  delighted  the  childhood  and  youth  of  every 
absent  son  and  daughter  of  Ashburnham. 

"From  such  a  scene,  how  many  feelings  spring! 
How  many  thoughts  flash  through  the  i<indling  mind ! 
Delightful  dreams  have  birth ;  —  we  almost  seem 
Pass'd  to  another  sphere,  —  and  the  glad  heart 
Forgets  that  earth  is  still  its  transient  home. 
This  is  a  vision  for  the  rest  of  life. 
An  amaranthine  tenant  for  the  breast, 
A  morning  star  for  niem'ry,  which,  amid 
Life's  fitful  clouds,  shall  radiantly  shine  forth. 
When  scenes  less  beautiful  attract  my  gaze, 
I  shall  recall  thy  quiet  loveliness." 


chaptp:r  t. 

THE    EAIJLY    GRAXT8. 

SEVEN  GRANTS  OF  LAND. THE  POLICY  OF  THE  GEXERAr,  COURT.  —AN  ERA 

OF  GRANTS.  THE  STARR  (iRANT.  OWNED  BY  GREEN,  AVILDER  AND- 

JOSLIN.  THE   CAMBRIDGE   GRANT. THE  FIRST  SURVEY.  THE  LEX- 
INGTON GRANT.  SALE  OF  SAME  TO  THE  GERMANS.  THE  BLUEFIELD 

GRANT.  THE  EARLY  ROAD   TO  NORTHFIELD.  THE  GRANT  SOLD  TO 

WILLIAM  JONES  AND  EPHR.VIM  WETHERBEE.  THE  CONVERSE  GRANT.  

SALE  TO  JOSEPH  WILDER. THE  ROLFE  GRANT.  — SALE  TO  JOHN  GREEN- 
WOOD.   THE  DORCHESTER  CANADA  OR  TOWNSHIP  GRANT.  THE  CANADA 

SOLDIERS.  FOUR  TOWNS  CHARTERED  IN  ONE  ENACTMENT.  THE  TOWN- 
SHIP SURVEYED.  AREA.  PERSONAL  NOTICES. 

Rome  was  founded  on  seven  hills.  Ashburnliam  was 
founded  on  seven  grants  of  land.  To  give  some  account  of 
these  several  grants  will  be  the  province  of  this  chapter. 
One  hundred  and  fifty  years  ago,  Massachusetts  was  rich  in 
lands,  but  poor  in  treasure.  The  public  treasury  was  con- 
tinually overdrawn,  and  in  place  of  money,  the  unappro- 
priated lands  became  the  currency  of  the  province.  Upon 
the  wilderness,  the  Government  made  frequent  and  generous 
drafts  in  the  payment  of  a  great  variety  of  claims  and  demands 
against  the  colony.  At  the  time  these  seven  grants  of  land 
were  made,  the  prolonged  controversy  concerning  the  loca- 
tion of  the  province  line  between  Massachusetts  and  New 
Hampshire  was  being  vigorously  prosecuted.  It  was  clearly 
the  accepted  policy  of  Massachusetts  to  fortify  her  claim  to  a 


28  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

large  tract  of  the  controverted  territory  by  possession  and 
occupancy,  in  the  liope  thereby  of  maintaining  a  claim  to  the 
domain  after  all  diplomacy  had  failed.  Thus  stimulated, 
l)oth  by  necessity  and  policy,  the  General  Court  made 
numerous  grants  of  land  in  this  immediate  vicinity,  with 
unmistakable  alacrity.  It  was  an  era  of  benevolence.  Per- 
ceiving the  disposition  of  the  Government,  many,  who  could 
only  make  the  smallest  pretext  of  service  rendered  the  colony 
by  themselves  or  their  ancestors,  were  found  among  the 
petitioners  for  land.  Seldom  were  their  requests  denied, 
and  even  old  claims,  which  had  remained  unanswered  many 
years,  were  suddenly  revived  and  rewarded  with  generous 
parcels  of  the  public  domain.  While  this  spirit  of  liberality 
was  rife  and  condescending,  the  territory  within  the  ancient 
boundaries  of  this  township  was  severed  from  the  wilderness 
•and  bestowed  in  recognition  of  service  rendered  the  colony. 
Included  within  the  limits  of  Dorchester  Canada,  were 
six  earlier  grants,  which  were  located  and  surveyed  before 
the  bounds  of  the  township  had  been  established.  They  fell 
within,  yet  were  independent  of,  the  main  grant,  as  will 
appear  in  the  progress  of  our  narrative.  In  regard  to  the 
relative  dates  of  these  grants,  the  traditions  of  the  town  are 
not  in  harnn)ny  with  the  facts,  and  Whitney's  History  of 
Worcester  County,  1793,  incorrectly  asserts:  "To  the 
original  grant  were  afterwards  added  Lexington  farm  of  one 
thousand  acres,  Cambridge  farm  of  one  thousand  acres  more, 
and  Eolfe's  farm  of  six  hundred  acres,  and  another  of  about 
a  thousand  acres."  Rev.  Dr.  Cushing,  in  his  Half  Century 
Sermon,  1818,  repeats  the  error  in  nearly  the  same  words: 
^'To  the  original  grant,  four  farms  were  annexed:  Lexing- 
ton  Farm,  Cambridge  Farm  each  of  1000  acres,  Eolfs 
Farm  of  7  or  800  acres,  and  another  of  1000."  But  he 
nearly  corrects   the    statement  when   he    adds,  that  "these 


THE    EARLY    GRANTS.  29 

farms  were  located  west  of  Lunenburg  and  Townsend,  and 
north  of  Westminster,  before  this  town  was  o-ranted."  It 
will  appear  that  there  were  six  farms,  or  grants  of  land,  and 
that  all  of  them  were  conveyed  and  located  })revioiis  to  the 
gi-ant  of  Dorchester  Canada.  In  the  survey  and  location  of 
the  township,  these  farms  were  included  within  its  boundaries, 
but  were  not  computed  as  a  part  of  the  thirty-six  square 
miles  that  were  conveyed  in  the  grant  of  the  township. 

About  1650,  Dr.  Thomas  Starr  accompanied,  as  surgeon, 
one  of  the  expeditions  against  the  Pequots.  This  service  is 
the  earliest  event  of  which  we  have  any  knowledge,  that  is 
immediately  associated  with  the  history  of  Ashburnham,  and 
leads  directly  to  the  narrative  of  the  first  grant  of  land  within 
this  town. 

I.  The  Starr  Grant. — On  account  of  this  service  of 
Dr.  Thomas  Starr,  who  died  in  Charlestown,  1654,  his  widow, 
four  years  later,  petitioned  for  a  grant  of  land,  as  appears  in 
Court  Records,  1658  : 

Whereas  Mr  Thomas  Starve  deceased  having  left  a  desolat 
widdow  and  eight  smale  children  was  y'^  chirurgeon  of  one  of  y*^ 
companys  }'  went  against  }^  Pequotts  in  Ans""  to  the  Request  of 
Severall  Gentl"  on  y'  behalf e. 

The  Court  judgeth  it  meete  to  graunt  fower  hundred  acres  of 
Land  to  y*"  sayd  widow  &  children  &  doe  impower  y**  Tresurer 
and  Capt.  Norton  to  make  sale  or  otherwise  to  dispose  of  the 
sayd  as  may  best  conduce  to  y''  benefit  of  the  widdow  &  children 
as  they  shall  see  meete. 

It  is  certain  that  this  grant  was  never  located  and  that 
the  desolate  widow  and  eight  small  children  did  not 
receive  any  benefit  from  the  kind  intentions  of  the  General 
Court.  Seventy-five  years  later,  the  descendants  of  Dr. 
Starr  revived  the  claim  as  set  forth  in  (^ouncil  Records, 
October  19,  1733  : 


;^0  HISTORY   OF   ASHBUENHAM. 

A  Petition  of  Benjamiu  Starr  for  himself  and  the  rest  of  the 
heirs  t*c  Descendants  of  the  Widow  of  Thomas  Starr  late  of 
Charlestown  dec'^  showing  that  the  General  Court  of  the  late 
Colony  of  the  Massachusetts  Bay  in  the  year  1658  for  Service  done 
by  the  said  Thomas  Starr  made  a  Grant  of  four  hundred  Acres  of 
Land  to  his  said  widow  &  Children  which  has  not  yet  been  laid  out 
and  therefore  praying  that  they  may  now  be  allowed  to  la}'  out 
four  hundred  Acres  of  the  unappropriated  Land  of  the  province  to 
satisfy  the  said  Grant. 

In  the  House  of  Representatives  Read  &  Ordered  that  the 
prayer  of  the  petition  be  granted  and  the  petitioners  are  allowed 
and  impowered  by  a  Surveyor  &  Chainmen  on  Oath  to  Survey 
and  lay  out  four  hundred  Acres  of  the  unappropriated  Lands  of 
the  province  so  as  not  to  prejudice  the  Settlement  of  a  Township 
<&;  that  they  return  a  Plat  thereof  to  this  Court  within  twelve 
Months  for  confirmation. 

In  Council  Read  &  Concurred, 

Consented  to 

J.  BELCHER. 

Again  the  petitioners  suffered  their  grant  to  lapse,  and,  in 
November,  1734,  the  General  Court  with  expansive  consid- 
eration "  ordered  that  twelve  months  more  be  allowed  to 
Benjamin  Star  of  New  London  and  other  heirs  to  take  and 
return  a  plat  of  land." 

Under  the  provisions  of  this  vote  the  grant  was  consum- 
mated and  the  service  of  Dr.  Starr,  after  the  lapse  of  nearly 
a  century,  was  rewarded.  The  survey  was  made  by  Joseph 
Wilder  and  returned  under  date  of  May  30,  1735. 

The  chainmen  in  this  survey  were  John  Bennett  and  Joseph 
Wheelock.  In  the  mean  time  the  Cambridge  farm  and  the 
Lexington  farm,  which  were  granted  in  1734,  had  been  sur- 
veyed and  confirmed,  and  the  Starr  ftirm,  although  first 
granted,  l)ecame  the  third  in  the  order  of  survey.  The  con- 
firmation or  approval  by  the  General  Court  is  under  date  of 
June  10,  1735  : 


THE   EARLY   GRANTS.  31 

A  Plat  of  four  hundred  Acres  of  Land  Granted  to  the  heirs  of 
tlie  widow  Starr  laid  out  by  Joseph  Wilder  Esq"",  Surveyor  and 
Chainmen  on  oath,  lying  on  the  north  side  of  Narragansett  Town 
number  two  and  bounded  ever}-  other  way  by  Province  Lands 
beginning  at  a  stake  &  stones  on  the  aforesaid  Narragansett 
Line,  Eighty  rods  west  of  where  the  said  Line  crosses  a  Branch  of 
Lancaster  North  River  that  comes  out  of  Wenecheag  pond  ;  thence 
running  north  18  deg"""  west  thi-ee  hundred  &  thirty  rods  to  a  stake 
and  stones  ;  thence  Running  west  18  deg""*  South  two  hundred  & 
Eight  rods  to  a  stake  &  stones  ;  thence  Running  South  18  deg" 
East  three  hundred  &  thirty  rods  to  the  aforesaid  Narragansett 
Line  to  a  stake  &  stones  ;  thence  with  said  line  East  18  deg" 
north  two  hundred  &  eight  Rods  to  where  it  first  began. 

In  the  House  of  Representatives  :  Read  &  Ordered  that  the 
Plat  be  accepted  and  the  Lands  therein  delineated  &  described 
be  and  hereby  are  confirmed  to  the  said  Benjamin  Star  and  the 
other  heirs  and  descendants  of  the  widow  of  Dr.  Thomas  Star 
deceased  their  heirs  and  assigns  Respectivelj'  provided  the  plat 
exceed  not  the  quantity  of  four  hundred  Acres  of  Land  and  does  not 
Interfere  with  any  former  Grant. 

Consented  to 

J.  BELCHER. 

This  tract  of  land  can  be  easily  traced  at  the  present  time. 
It  lies  on  the  line  between  Ashburnham  and  Westminster, 
its  southeast  corner  being  on  the  town  line  four  hundred  and 
fourteen  rods  westerly  from  the  common  corner  of  Ashburn- 
ham, Fitchburg  and  Westminster.  It  is  a  rectangle  extend- 
ing three  hundred  and  thirty  rods  nortlierl}^  and  two  hundred 
and  eight  rods  westerly  fi'om  the  point  named.  Ten  rods 
were  added  to  the  length  and  eight  rods  to  the  width  on 
account  of  "  uneven  ground  and  swag  of  chain."  The  home- 
stead  of  John  G.  Woodward  lies  within  the  grant. 

Before  the  close  of  the  year  the  heirs  sold  the  grant  to 
Thomas    Green,    a   merchant  of  Boston,  for   two    hundred 


32  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

pounds,  which  then  was  about  two  hundred  dollars  in  silver. 
Six  years  later  Mr.  Green  sold  the  whole  four  hundred  acres 
to  Joseph  Wilder,  Jr.,  who  continued  the  owner  alone  and  in 
company  with  John  Joslin  until  the  time  it  was  sold  in  small 
lots  a  nuraljer  of  years  later.  While  Mr.  Wilder  had  posses- 
sion of  this  land  he  also  owned  the  Converse  grant  which 
lies  next  west,  and  together  they  were  known  as  the  Wilder 
fiirm. 

n.  The  Cambridge  Grant. — For  many  years  the  Gen- 
eral Court  of  the  colony  made  it  obligatory  upon  Cambridge, 
Newton  and  Lexington  to  maintain  the  bridge  spanning 
Charles  river  between  Brighton  and  Cambridge.  This  struct- 
ure, called  the  "Great  Bridge,"  was  built  in  1G62  and  was 
justly  considered  an  achievement  of  considerable  magnitude. 
These  towns  made  frequent  requests  to  be  relieved,  wholly 
or  in  part,  from  the  burden  of  its  support,  and  hnally  the 
three  towns  joined  in  a  petition  to  the  General  Court  pray- 
ing that  "they  may  be  in  some  measure  eased  of  it  or  that 
the  Court  would  make  them  a  Grant  of  Land  the  l)etter  to 
enal:»le  them  to  support  said  charge."  The  Court,  appar- 
ently, was  more  inclined  to  give  them  land,  than  to  offer  or 
suggest  any  other  relief,  and  with  commendable  promptness 
voted  to  each  of  the  three  towns  one  thousand  acres  of  land. 
These  grants  were  made  June  22,  1734.  Newton  located 
hve  hundred  and  sixty-six  acres  adjoining  Athol  and  Peters- 
ham and  the  remaining  four  hundred  and  thirty-four  acres  at 
Berwick,  Maine.  Cambridge  and  Lexington  located  their 
grants  within  the  limits  of  this  town,  which  for  many  years 
were  familiarly  known  as  Canil)ridge  and  Lexington  farms. 
The  Cambridge  grant  was  surveyed  previous  to  September 
(),  of  the  same  year,  for  at  that  date  Nathan  Hey  wood  made 
oath  that  in  surveying  this  grant  he  had  employed  his  best 
skill  and  understanding.     The   location  and  survey  of  the 


THE   EARLY  GRANTS.  33 

grant  were  confirmed  Septeiiiber  13,  1734.  This  grant  was 
the  first  tract  of  land  severed  from  the  wilderness  within 
the  township  of  Ashburnham  and  was  described  in  the 
records  : 

A  Plat  Containing  one  thousand  acres  of  the  unappropriated 
Land  of  the  Province  of  the  massachusetts  Bay  Laid  out  to  sat- 
isfy a  Grant  made  by  the  great  and  general  court  in  their  last 
sessions  to  the  Town  of  Cambridge  to  enable  them  the  better  to 
keep  in  Repair  their  great  Bridge  over  Charles  River.  Beginning 
at  a  certain  Pillar  of  Stones  erected  for  the  North  east  Corner  in 
the  line  of  Lunenburg  [  now  Fitchburg  ]  about  three  or  four 
score  rods  South  from  Northfield  Road  and  running  South  12  deg 
West  on  said  line  of  Lunenburg  one  mile  and  a  half  and  twenty 
pole  with  17  pole  allowance  for  swag  of  chain  and  uneven  Land 
to  a  red  oak  tree  marked.  Then  running  West  12  deg  North 
on  unappropriated  Land  one  mile  with  eleven  pole  allowance  to  a 
pillar  of  stones  and  a  Little  beech  tree ;  the  other  two  lines  being 
paralel  with  the  same  allowance  and  bounding  on  Common  land. 

Let  it  be  remembered  that  in  the  survey  of  this  grant,  in 
the  summer  of  1734,  Nathan  Hey  wood  of  Lunenburg  per- 
formed the  first  act  within  the  township  that  is  a  part  of  the 
continuous  history  of  this  town.  Previous  events,  more  im- 
portant in  their  results,  occurred  remote  from  the  theatre  of 
action.  There  are  records  of  exploring  parties  through  this 
town,  and  Great  Watatic,  Little  Watatic,the  Naukeag  lakes, 
Stoger  meadow  and  Souhegan  river  were  associated  names 
at  an  earlier  date.  This  grant  was  the  first  tract  of  land 
severed  from  the  unbounded  wilderness.  There  is  no  record 
of  any  previous  act  performed  on  the  soil  that  influenced 
succeeding  events.  The  town  of  Cambridge  owned  this  tract 
of  one  thousand  acres  about  thirty  years  and  during  this  time 
the  records  of  that  town  contain  frequent  reference  to  "  the 
Brid<?e  farm  in  Dorchester  Canada."     In  1751  the  bounds  were 


34  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

renewed  by  direction  of  the  town^  and  in  the  succeeding  years 
several  committees  were  chosen  with  instruction  to  sell  the 
land,  provided  reasonable  terms  could  be  secured.  These 
measures  for  several  years  were  void  of  any  result.  In 
November,  1764,  "the  town  chose  Deacon  Samuel  Whitte- 
more,  Thomas  Sparhawk,  Esq.,  Joseph  Lee,  Esq.,  Captain 
Ebenezer  Stedman  and  Captain  Thomas  Adams  to  effect  a 
sale  "  and  gave  them  more  peremptory  instructions  in  regard 
to  the  business.  No  record  of  a  sale  has  been  found.  There 
is,  however,  ample  evidence  that  the  town  of  Cambridge 
sold  the  land  in  several  lots  previous  to  1770.  In  1768, 
Captain  Thomas  Adams  owned  a  portion  of  the  farm  and 
sold  to  his  son  John  Adams  one  hundred  acres  of  land  "  being 
a  part  of  Cambridge  Grant,"  and  later  he  sold  to  Joshua 
Billings  eighty  acres  adjoining.  In  1772,  the  town  of  Cam- 
bridge enter  on  record  an  inventory  of  notes  and  money 
"being  the  proceeds  of  the  sale  of  Cambridge  farm."  This 
record  includes  a  note  given  by  Isaac  Stearns  of  Billerica  for 
two  hundred  pounds,  dated  June  3,  1765  ;  a  note  given  by 
Samuel  Eussell  of  Cambridge  for  ninety-four  pounds,  six 
shillings  and  eight  pence,  dated  August  4,  1769  ;  and  a  note 
given  by  Antil  Gallop  of  Cambridge  for  one  hundred  and 
thirty-three  pounds,  six  shillings  and  eight  pence,  dated 
August  5,  1771. 

No  conveyance  from  the  town  of  Cambridge  or  its  com- 
mittee is  found  on  record,  nor  is  it  easy  to  discover  in  what 
manner  Gallop  and  Russell  disposed  of  their  land.  In  regard 
to  the  land  owned  by  Isaac  Stearns  the  records  in  a  more 
accommodating  spirit  announce  that  he  sold  seventy-five 
acres  to  Samuel  Adams  in  1769,  and  one  hundred  and  forty 
acres  in  1772  to  Simeon  Proctor  and  the  same  year  two 
hundred  and  fifty  acres  to  Ebenezer  Fletcher.  In  all  of 
these  deeds  the  premises  are  described  "as  a  part  of  the 
Bridge  farm  or  Cambridge  grant."     It  has  been  frequently 


THE   EARLY  GRANTS.  35 

asserted  and  quite  generally  believed  that  this  land  was  once 
the  cherished  property  of  Harvard  University.  An  exhaus- 
tive search  of  the  records  of  that  institution  not  only  fails  to 
discover  any  proof  of  the  allegation  but  finds  ample  evidence 
that  the  favorite  tradition  is  unsupported  and  erroneous. 
In  the  succeeding  chapters  the  families  bearing  the  name  of 
Adams,  Russell,  Billings  and  Fletcher,  which  have  been  intro- 
duced in  these  proceedings,  will  be  found  in  continued  occu- 
pancy of  the  premises. 

III.  The  Lexingtox  Grant.  — It  already  appears  that 
this  grant  was  simultaneous  with  the  Cambridge  grant,  and 
for  the  same  consideration.  The  survey  was  returned  under 
date  of  September  18,  and  the  gi-ant  was  confirmed  November 
21,  1734.  Ebenezer  Prescott  was  surveyor  and  Ephraim 
"Wetherbee  and  Isaac  Townsend  were  chainmen.  The  report 
of  the  survey  is  here  given  : 

At.  the  Request  of  Capt.  Boman  and  other  Gentlemen  of 
Lexington  I  have  laid  out  pursuant  unto  a  grant  of  1000  acres 
for  the  support  of  Cambridge  Bridge,  at  Stogers  west  of  Little 
Wetatuck  beginning  46  perches  S  12  d.  west  from  Lunenburg  [now 
Fitchburg]  Corner  on  South  west  side  of  Little  Wetatuck  to  a 
heap  of  stones  then  running  N.  W.  29  d.  N  320  perches  as  the 
shanmen  [chainmen]  say  to  a  Hemlock  with  stones  marked  with 
L  about  16  p  *  *  off.  then  turning  S.  W.  29  W  500  perches  to  a 
Hemlock  then  turning  S  E  29  d  S  320  perches  to  a  rock  with  stones 
laid  on  it.  Then  Turning  N.  E.  29^  d.  E  175  perches  to  the  line 
of  Cambridge's  1000  acres.  Then  turning  North  10  perches  by 
the  line  of  said  Cambrid  ge  corner  and  then  turning  by  Cambridge 
Line  40  perches  and  then  to  the  bounds  fir^t  mentioned  N  E  29*^ 
E.     One  perch  allowance  in  50  for  swag  of  chain. 

It  will  be  seen  that  the  northwest  corner  of  Cambridge 
farm  enters  one  side  of  this  grant,  cutting  from  it  one  and 
one-fourth  acres.  Accompanying  the  survey  is  a  map  defin- 
ing the  location  of  the  brooks  and  of  two  meadows.     Within 


36  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

the  outlines  of  the  larger  of  these  is  written  "  Stogers  medow," 
which  clothes  this  name  with  considerable  antiquity.  On 
this  map,  Ward  pond  is  represented  a  short  distance  north 
of  the  grant,  but  no  name  is  applied  to  it.  The  brook  flow- 
ing from  it  is  styled  Souhegen  in  one  place  and  Sougan  in 
another.  The  town  of  Lexington  received  no  benefit  from 
the  grant  for  more  than  twenty  years,  when  the  town  voted 
"to  sell  the  Bridge  farm,  so  called,  that  lies  in  Dorchester 
Canada,  and  choose  William  Reed,  Ebenezer  Fiske  and  John 
Stone  to  conduct  the  sale."  In  a  deed  dated  December  31, 
1757,  the  whole  tract  was  sold  to  seven  German  emigrants 
for  two  hundred  and  eight}^  pounds,  who,  with  others  of  the 
same  nationality,  immediately  settled  upon  their  new  posses- 
sions. The  origin  of  the  name  of  Dutch  farms  is  here  easily 
discovered. 

lY.  The  Bluefield  Grant.  —  This  grant  of  four 
hundred  and  fifty  acres  was  made  to  secure  the  maintenance 
of  a  house  of  entertainment  upon  the  line  of  the  Northfield 
road,  which  was  laid  out  through  this  town  previous  to  the 
charter  of  Dorchester  Canada.  This  grant  was  located  in 
the  northwest  part  of  the  town,  and  upon  both  sides  of  that 
ancient  road.  In  what  manner  the  name  of  Bluefield  became 
associated  with  this  grant,  is  uncertain.  The  earliest  records 
refer  to  the  Bluefield  fiirm  and  to  the  Bluefield  road,  but 
attentive  research  finds  no  explanation  of  this  use  of  the  word. 
Tradition,  ever  ready  with  suggestions,  asserts,  but  without 
proof,  that  Mr.  Bluefield  lived  here  once  upon  a  time, 
but  the  only  indisputable  thing  that  we  can  assert  about 
Bluefield,  is  our  complete  ignorance  concerning  its  origin. 
Happily,  the  history  of  the  grant  is  less  obscure  than  its 
name.  To  several  prominent  citizens  of  Lunenburg  had 
been  granted  large  tracts  of  land  in  the  southwest  part  of 
New  Hampshire,  above  Northfield.     These  gentlemen  mani- 


THE   EARLY  GRANTS.  37 

fested  a  lively  interest  in  the  construction  and  maintenance 
of  the  "  great  road  from  Lunenburg  to  Northfield  and  the 
new  towns  at  Ashuelot."  In  the  autumn  of  1734,  Benjamin 
Bellows,  Hilkiah  Boynton  and  Moses  Willard  joined  in  a 
petition  for  a  grant  of  land  to  be  located  at  some  convenient 
point  on  the  line  of  the  road.  The  petition  sets  forth  that 
the  entire  length  of  the  road  is  forty-two  miles,  and  that 
about  twenty-four  miles  from  Lunenburg  there  is  a  "  house 
of  entertainment  set  up  to  the  great  ease  and  comfort  of 
jjersons  travelling  that  road,"  and  continues :  "  and  your 
Petitioners  apprehending  it  would  greatly  accomodate  Travel- 
lers more  especially  in  Winter  seasons  to  have  another  House 
of  Entertainment  between  Lunenburg  and  that  already  set 
up  Humbly  petition  your  Excellency  and  this  Hon"''"  Court 
to  make  them  a  Grant  of  Land,  in  some  suitable  place  if  it 
be  found  on  said  Road,  of  four  hundred  and  fifty  acres  of 
land."  In  answer  to  this  petition,  the  General  Court,  Novem- 
ber 28,  1734,  granted  four  hundred  and  fifty  acres  on  the 
line  of  the  road  and  "near  to  Lexington  Farm."  It  was 
stipulated  in  the  grant  that  the  survey  should  be  made  and 
returned  within  six  months.  The  survey  was  not  made  until 
July  2,  1735,  for  the  reasons  set  forth  in  another  petition 
from  the  same  gentlemen  : 

The  Petition  of  Benjamin  Bellows  for  himself  Hilkiah  Boyn- 
ton and  Moses  Willard  :  — 

Humbly  Sheweth, 

That  on  the  28th  Day  of  November  1734  your  Exelency  and 
Honours  were  pleased  to  Grant  j'our  Petitioners  four  Hundred  and 
fifty  Acres  of  Land  To  be  Layed  out  in  a  reguler  form  on  the  new 
Road  from  Lunenburg  to  Northfield  within  six  months  from  y^ 
grant  aforcs'^  On  the  Conditions  mentioned  and  Expressed  in  the 
Grant  and  order  of  Court. 

That  your  Petitioners  Soon  after  the  making  of  said  Grant  were 
about  to  Lay  out  the  Land  granted  Accordingly  ;  And  upon  the 


38  HISTORY    OF    ASHI3UKNHAM. 

said  Road  as  then  marked  out  viewed  a  Tract  for  that  purpose 
but  weretohl  by  Coll.  Willard  and  others  Concerued  iu  Said  Road 
That  it  would  be  necessary  to  alter  the  Same  and  if  we  Should  Lay 
out  the  Land  before  the  Road  was  Altered  it  might  not  answer  the 
end  proposed  viz.  the  entertainment  of  Travaillers  &;c.  which 
occassioned  Your  Petitioners  to  Delay  Laying  out  and  Building  on 
said  Land  Till  the  Time  Given  your  Petitioners  was  Elapsed. 
Since  Which  Your  Petitioners  by  the  Advice  and  the  Desire  of 
Col'  Willard  and  Others  Chiefly  concerned  in  said  Road  have 
Layed  Out  the  Said  Tract  as  Discribed  in  the  plat  herewith  pre- 
sented and  built  thereon  a  Good  Dwelling  House  And  furnished 
the  Same  for  y*"  Entertainment  of  Travailers,  Cleared  a  consider- 
able Quantity  of  Land  and  Got  Hay  Sufficient  for  the  Accomoda- 
tion of  all  Travailers  using  Said  Road  and  have  Inhabited  for 
more  Than  Six  months  Last  past. 

And  Inasmuch  as  the  only  Reason  of  your  Petitioners  neglect- 
ing to  Lay  out  and  comply  with  the  Conditions  of  said  Grant  was 
That  the  Good  Ends  proposed  thereby  might  not  be  frustrated 
and  Travaillers  y''  better  accomodated. 

Therefore  Your  Petitioners  Most  Humbly  pray  your  Exelency 
&  Honours  would  be  pleased  to  accept  the  said  plat  and  Confirm 
the  Land  therein  discribed  To  your  petitioners  their  heirs  &  assigns 
forever.  On  Condition  they  perform  upon  the  Same  within  Twelve 
months  next  coming  All  Things  enjoj-ned  them  in  the  Conditions 
of  y^  Grant  afores''  they  have  omitted  ;  The  Time  being  Elapsed 
as  afores*'  notwithstanding. 

And  Your  Petitioners  as  bound  in  Duty  shall  ever  pray. 

BENJAMIN  BELLOWS. 

Tis  hereby  certifyed  that  what  is  Above  Suggested  Respecting 

the  Turning  the  Road  and  the  Petitioners  building  and  Improving 

upon  the  Land  is  true. 

JOSIAH  WILLARD. 

The  date  of  this  petition  does  not  appear  but  it  was  written 
between  July  2,  1735,  the  date  of  the  survey,  and  January 
17,   1736-7,  when  the  General  Court  confirmed  the  o-rant. 


THE    EARLY  GRANTS.  39 

With  the  original  papers  in  the  State  archives  on  this  subject 
is  the  report  of  David  Farrar,  the  surveyor,  in  which  it  is 
stated  that  the  grant  is  located  on  the  Northfield  road,  partly 
on  the  fifteenth  and  partly  on  the  sixteenth  miles  from  Lunen- 
burg, that  it  was  laid  out  in  the  form  of  a  rectangle  two  hun- 
dred and  eighty-four  by  two  hundred  and  seventy  rods,  with 
about  one  rod  in  thirty  allowance  for  uneven  gi'ound ;  that 
the  direction  of  the  southern  l)oundary  is  north  70°  east,  two 
hundred  and  eighty-four  rods  ;  and  is  bounded  on  all  sides  by 
unappropriated  land.  It  is  also  stated  that  the  southwest 
corner  is  forty  or  fifty  rods  south  of  a  brook  and  meadow. 
On  the  plan  is  represented  the  Northfield  road  entering  the 
grant  ten  rods  north  of  the  southeast  corner  and  extending 
north  47°  west,  until  it  leaves  it  near  the  centre  of  the  north- 
ern side.  In  the  easterly  part  of  this  grant  is  the  farm  of  the 
late  Deacon  Daniel  Jones  and  in  the  western  part  is  the  jSTo. 
7  school-house.  In  1737,  the  grantees  sold  the  whole  tract  to 
William  Jones  and  Ephraim  Wetherbee,  both  of  Lunenburg, 
for  ninety  pounds.  The  same  year  Mr.  Wetherbee  sold  his 
interest  to  Ephraim  Wheeler  of  Lancaster.  In  these  ancient 
deeds  it  is  called  the  Bellows  fiirm  and  the  name  of  Bluefield 
does  not  appear.  William  Jones  died  in  1761.  In  his  will 
his  interest  in  this  land  is  devised  to  two  of  his  sons,  Enos 
and  Isaac.  The  latter  son  died  soon  after  the  death  of  his 
honored  father  and  the  heirs,  in  1773,  joined  in  a  deed  con- 
veying their  interest  to  Enos  who  was  then  residing  on  the 
premises. 

V.  The  Converse  Grant.  —  Several  grants  of  land 
were  bestowed  upon  the  heirs  of  Major  James  Converse  of 
Woburn  in  recognition  of  distinguished  service  rendered  the 
colony,  among  them  was  a  grant  of  four  hundred  acres  of  land 
located  in  this  town.  In  the  House  of  Representatives, 
December  9,  1734,  it  was  ordered  that  the  petition  of  Robert 


40  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

and  Josiah  Converse,  sons  of  Major  James  Converse,  be 
revived  and  that  they  be  granted  four  hundred  acres  on  the 
-condition  that  "within  live  years  the  petitioners  settle  two 
families  on  the  granted  premises,  each  of  which  to  have  an 
house  of  eighteen  feet  square  and  seven  feet  stud  at  the  least 
and  four  acres  each  brought  to  and  plowed  or  stocked  with 
English  grass  and  fitted  for  mowing."  The  land  was  surveyed 
t>y  Joseph  Wilder  in  May  and  the  title  confirmed  by  the  Gen- 
eral Court  June  10,  1735.  The  descriptive  portion  of  these 
papers  is  as  follows  : 

Said  land  lieth  on  the  northerly  side  of  one  of  the  towns  called 
Narragansett  viz  :  No.  2  and  bounds  Southerly  thereon.  Easterly 
it  bounds  on  a  farm  of  four  hundred  acres  laid  out  to  the  heirs  of 
Thomas  Starr,  Northerly  and  Westerly  by  common  or  province 
lands.  It  began  at  stake  and  stones  the  South  Corner  of  the 
aforesaid  farm  and  from  thence  it  ran  with  it  North  18  degrees 
West  three  hundred  and  thirty  Rods  to  a  stake  and  stones  ;  from 
thence  it  ran  west  18  degrees  South  Two  hundred  and  Eight  rods 
to  a  stake  and  stones ;  and  from  thence  it  ran  South  Eighteen 
degrees  East  three  hundred  and  thirty  Rods  to  the  aforesaid  Nar- 
ragansett line  to  a  stake  and  stones  and  then  with  said  line  East 
18  degrees  North  two  hundred  and  eight  rods  to  where  it  began. 

In  other  terms  this  grant  was  located  on  the  Westminster 
line  extending  west  from  the  Starr  grant  nearly  to  South 
Ashburnliam  village.  Robert  Converse  immediately  sold  his 
interest  to  his  brother  Josiah,  who  sold  it  to  Gershom  Keyes 
of  Boston,  October  10,  1735,  for  one  hundred  and  fifty 
pounds.  It  passes  through  several  hands  and  is  soon  sold  to 
Hezekiah  Gates,  who  in  174(i  sold  it  to  Joseph  Wilder,  Jr., 
and  as  stated  it  then  became  a  part  of  the  Wilder  farm. 

VI.  The  Rolfe  Graxt. — Rev.  Benjamin  Rolfe,  the 
second  minister  of  Haverhill,  was  slain  by  the  Indians  in 
their  attack  upon  that  town  August  29,  1708.     His  wife  and 


THE   EARLY  GRANTS.  41 

one  child  were  also  killed.  "Two  daughters  were  preserved 
by  Hagar,  the  maid  servant,  who  covered  them  with  tubs  in 
the  cellar. "  A  son  also  escaped  as  appears  in  the  records  of 
this  grant.  The  surviving  children  are  petitioners  in  1735 
for  a  tract  of  land  on  account  of  the  service  of  their  father 
and  were  gi-anted  six  hundred  acres  which  subsequently 
became  and  still  remains  an  important  part  of  this  town. 
The  records  of  the  General  Court  recites  the  petition  in  these 
words  : 

A  Petition  of  Benjamin  Rolfe  and  the  Rest  of  the  heirs  of  the 
Rev'^  M''  Benjamin  Rolfe,  late  of  Haverhill  deceased,  show- 
ing that  his  said  father  was  emplo3-ed  divers  times  as  Chap- 
lin to  the  Forces  in  the  late  wars  and  once  in  an  actual 
Engagement  with  the  Indian  Enemy  and  afterwards  settled  in 
the  work  of  the  Ministry  at  Haverhill  where  he  with  their 
mother  was  killed  by  the  Indians  and  therefore  praying  that  this 
Court  woukl  Grant  to  the  Pef  and  his  sisters  some  of  the 
waste  lands  of  the  Province. 

In  response  to  their  petition  the  General  Court  June  17, 
1735,  granted  six  hundred  acres.  The  land  was  surveyed 
by  Joseph  Wilder,  previous  to  November  7,  when  the  chain- 
men,  John  Bennett  and  Joseph  Wheelock,  made  oath  that 
they  had  performed  the  service  "without  favor  or  aifection 
and  according  to  their  best  judgment."  The  grant  was 
confirmed  December  23,  1735. 

This  tract  of  land,  known  many  years  as  the  Kolfe  farm, 
is  located  in  the  southeast  corner  of  this  town  between  the 
Starr  and  the  Cambridge  grants.  It  is  bounded  east  120 
rods  by  Fitchburg,  south  414  rods  by  Westminster,  west 
330  rods  by  the  Starr  grant,  and  northerly  320  rods  by 
Cambridge  grant  and  a  line  of  210  rods  joining  the  corners 
of  the  two  last  named  grants.  Phillips'  Brook  and  the  Fitch- 
burg road  divide   this  tract  into  two   unequal  portions,  the 


42  HISTORY    OF    ASHBURNHAM. 

greater  part  lying  east  of  them.  Northerly  it  extends  one 
mile  from  the  Westminster  line  or  to  the  farm  of  the  late 
Dr.  Merrick  Wallace.  The  Rolfe  heirs  retained  the  grant 
until  1750  when  it  was  sold  to  John  Greenwood  of  Boston 
for  two  hundred  and  thirty  pounds.  He  sold  it  out  in  the 
years  immediately  following  in  several  lots,  and  in  this  way 
it  came  into  the  possession  of  the  early  settlers. 

VII.  The  Dorchester  Canada  or  Township  Grant. 
— The  immediate  consideration  leading  to  the  grant  of  this 
township  and  others  in  the  vicinity,  is  found  in  connection 
with  the  expedition  to  Canada  in  1690.  The  story  of  this 
ill-fated  exploit  forms  an  interesting  chapter  in  the  early  his- 
tory, of  New  England.  The  hardships  and  misfortunes  of 
the  hazardous  enterprise  were  shared  by  companies  of  sol- 
diers from  Dorchester,  Ipswich,  Rowley  and  many  other 
towns  in  the  colony.  In  fitting  out  a  force  of  two  thousand 
soldiers  and  thirty-two  ships  the  treasury  of  the  colony  was 
so  greatly  depleted  that  nothing  was  left  for  the  payment  of 
the  soldiers  on  their  return.  In  this  emergency  the  colony 
resorted  to  the  issue  of  treasury  notes  to  the  amount  of  one 
hundred  and  thirty-three  thousand  pounds  which  was  the 
first  paper  money  ever  issued  in  New  England.  These  notes, 
founded  simply  on  the  good  intentions  of  an  impoverished 
colony,  SO'  rapidly  depreciated  in  value  that  the  soldiers,  to 
whom  they  had  been  paid,  sought  indemnity  from  the  Gen- 
eral Court.  For  a  long  time  their  solicitations  were  persis- 
tently pressed  and  renewed  without  avail  until  an  era  of 
grants  of  land  came  to  their  relief.  About  1735,  after  many 
of  the  petitioners  were  dead,  the  General  Court,  influenced, 
possibly,  as  miich  by  a  newly  formed  policy  of  encouraging 
settlements  along  the  line  of  the  disputed  boundaries  between 
New  Hampshire  and  Massachusetts,  as  by  any  other  consid- 
eration, granted  a  township  to  each  company  of  sixty  soldiers 


THE   EARLY  GRANTS.  43 

nnd  the  heirs  of  those  deceased.  On  account  of  the  service 
for  which  they  were  bestowed  these  grants  were  styled 
Canada  townships  and  they  generally  received  the  additional 
name  of  the  town  in  which  a  majority  of  the  petitioners 
resided.  To  the  soldiers  from  Dorchester  were  assigned 
this  town  which  bore  the  name  of  Dorchester  Canada  many 
years.  In  the  same  manner  and  at  the  same  time  was 
granted  Ipswich  Canada,  now  Winchendon,  and  immediately 
after  Rowley  Canada,  now  Rindge.  There  were  many  other 
Canada  townships  but  not  in  this  immediate  vicinity.  The 
adjustment  of  the  province  line  found  several  of  these  town- 
ships in  New  Hampshire  and  their  charters  were  annulled. 

In  January,  1735,  the  General  Court,  premonitory  to  some 
action  in  the  premises,  ordered  the  appointment  of  a  com- 
mittee to  take  into  consideration  these  petitions  of  the  soldiers 
and  "report  what  may  be  proper  for  the  Court  to  do."  The 
day  following,  the  committee  cleared  the  deck  for  action  in 
recommending  that  a  township  of  six  miles  square  be  granted 
to  every  collection  of  sixty  soldiers  or  the  heirs  of  those 
deceased  and  that  these  grants  be  located  between  the  Merri- 
mack and  Connecticut  rivers.  The  committee  further  recom- 
mended that  these  grants  be  given  under  certain  restrictions, 
which  need  not  be  stated  in  this  connection,  as  they  are 
repeated  in  the  charters  that  were  subsequently  enacted. 
Without  great  delay,  four  townships  were  granted  under  one 
charter  which  passed  the  House  June  10,  the  Council  June 
18,  and  was  approved  by  Governor  Belcher,  December  29, 
1735.  In  the  order  named  in  the  charter  these  towns  are 
now  known  as  Warwick,  Ashburnham,  Guilford,  Vermont, 
and  Winchendon,  and  all  of  them  are  of  equal  age.  Should 
the  neighboring  towns,  Ashburnham  and  Winchendon,  con- 
tend for  the  honors  of  antiquity,  we  can  enjoy  the  ample 
consolation  that  in  the  charter,  the  name  of  Tilestone  precedes 
that  of  Tilton. 


44  HISTORY    OF    ASHBURNHAM. 

It  would  be  easy  to  be  led  into  the  error  of  presuming  that 
each  of  these  towns  was  created  under  a  specific  grant,  for 
the  Deputy  Secretary  made  copies  for  the  grantees  of  each 
town.  In  some  of  them,  at  least,  is  omitted  all  reference  to 
the  three  remaining  towns.  These  copies  have  been  mis- 
taken for  independent  charters.  The  quadripartite  grant  or 
charter  is  here  given  : 

In  the  House  of  Representatives  June  10,  1735. 

In  Answer  to  the  four  Petitions  of  Samuel  Newel  and  others, 
Thomas  Tilestone  and  others,  Samuel  Gallop  and  others,  and 
Abraham  Tilton  and  others  : 

Voted,  That  four  Several  Tracts  of  Land  for  Townships  each  of 
the  Contents  of  Six  Miles  Square  be  Laid  out  in  Suitable  Places 
in  the  western  Parts  of  this  Province  and  that  the  whole  of  each 
Town  be  laid  out  into  Sixty  three  equal  Shares,  one  of  which  to 
be  for  the  first  Settled  minister,  one  to  be  for  the  use  of  the  Minis- 
try and  one  for  the  School ;  and  that  on  the  other  Sixty  Shares  in 
each  Town  there  be  Sixty  Settlers  admitted  and  in  the  admission 
thereof  Preference  to  be  given  to  the  Petitioners  and  such  as  are 
Deseendents  of  the  officers  and  soulders  who  Served  in  the  Expe- 
dition to  Canada  in  the  year  1690.  Viz  one  Tract  of  Land  for  a 
Township  to  the  said  Samuel  Newell  &  others,  one  other  Tract  of 
Land  to  the  said  Thomas  Tilestone  and  others,  one  other  Tract  of 
Land  to  the  said  Samuel  Gallop  and  others  and  the  other  Tract  of 
Land  to  the  said  Abraham  Tilton  and  others  and  in  Case  there  be 
not  a  suflficient  number  of  Persons  named  in  each  of  the  said  four 
Petitions  as  ware  eitlier  officers  or  Soulders  in  the  said  Expedition 
or  the  Descendants  of  Such  as  were  lost  or  are  since  Deceased  So 
as  to  make  Sixty  Settlers  for  each  Town.  That  then  Such  others 
as  ware  in  the  Expedition  or  their  Descendants  be  admitted  Set- 
tlers there  untell  Sixty  Persons  in  each  Town  be  admitted  and 
inasmuch  as  the  officers  and  Soulders  in  that  Expedition  ware  very 
great  Sufferers  and  underwent  uncommon  Hardships,  Voted  that 
this  Province  be  at  the  Sole  Charge  of  laying  out  the  said  four 


THE    EARLY  GRANTS.  45 

Townships  in  a  Regular  manner  and  of  admitting  the  Settlers.  — 
That  the  Settlers  or  Grantees  be  and  hereby  are  obliged  to  bring 
forward  the  Settlement  of  the  said  four  Townships  in  as  Regular  & 
defensible  a  manner  as  the  Situation  and  the  Circumstances  of  the 
Places  will  admit  of,  and  that  in  the  following  manner,  Viz.  That 
thej  be  on  the  Granted  Premises  Respectively  and  have  each  of 
them  an  House  of  eighteen  Feet  square  and  seven  Feet  stud  at  the 
least.  That  each  Right  or  Grant  have  six  Acres  of  Land  brought 
to  and  Plowed  or  brought  to  English  Grass  and  fitted  for  mowing. 
That  they  respectively  Settle  in  each  Plantation  or  Township  a 
Learned  and  Orthodox  minister  and  Bild  a  Convenient  Meeting 
House  for  the  Publick  Worship  of  God  in  each  Township.  The 
whole  of  these  Conditions  to  be  duly  complied  with  within  five 
years  from  the  Confirmation  of  the  Plats. 

And  that  John  Bowles  and  John  Metcalf  Esq''  with  such  as  the 
Honourable  Board  shall  appoint  be  the  Committee  for  laying  out 
the  Township  hereby  Granted  to  Samuel  Newell  and  others ; 
Thomas  Tilestone  Esq""  and  M""  William  Royall  with  such  as  the 
Honourable  Board  shall  appoint  shall  be  the  Committee  for 
laying  out  the  Township  hereby  granted  to  Thomas  Tilestone  & 
others ;  Charles  Church  and  Joseph  Mason  Esq""'  with  such  as  the 
Honourable  Board  shall  appoint  be  the  Committee  for  laying  out 
the  Township  hereby  granted  to  Samuel  Gallop  and  others  ;  and 
Cap'  John  Hobson  and  Cap'  John  Choate  with  such  as  the 
Honoura''^''  Board  shall  appoint  be  the  Committee  for  Laying  out 
the  Township  hereby  granted  to  Abraham  Til  ton  &  others,  for 
laying  out  the  Townships  Respectively  &  admitting  the  Settlers 
as  aforesaid  who  shall  take  Bond  of  each  Grantee  to  the  Value  of 
Twenty  Pounds  to  the  Province  Treasurer  for  the  Respective 
Grantees  FullfiUment  of  the  Conditions  of  their  Grants  each  lot  as 
aforesaid  to  be  entitled  to  and  draw  future  Divisions  in  equal 
Proportions  in  the  Townships  or  Plantations  Respectively  and  that 
the  Committee  return  the  Plats  of  the  said  Townships  to  this 
Court  within  twelve  months  for  Confirmation,  as  also  a  List  of  the 
Names  of  the  Respective  Grantees  and  their  Place  of  Residence 
into  the  Secretarys  Office  that  so  the  same  may  be  examined  and 


46  HISTORY    OF    ASHBURNHAM. 

Regulated  by  a  Committee  that  may  be  hereafter  for  that  Purpose 

appouited  by  the  Court  and  further  it  is  ordered  that  in  case  any 

of  the  Grantees  shall  neglect  or  delay  to  fullfill  the  Terms  of  this 

Grant  such  Person  or  Persons  shall  forfeit  to  the  Province  all  his 

or  their  Right  and  Interest  in  the  land  hereby  granted. 

Sent  up  for  Concurrence 

J.  QUINCY,  Spkr. 

In  Council  June  18  1735  :  — 

Read  &  Concurred,  and  ordered  that  William  Dudley  Esq""  be 
joyned  to  the  Committee  for  laying  out  the  first  Township,  Joseph 
Wilder  Esq''  for  the  second,  Edward  Goddard  Esq''  for  the  third 
and  Thomas  Berry  Esq'"  for  the  fourth  Township. 

J.    WILLARD    Sec^y 

December  29  Consented  to  J.    BELCHER. 

Immediately  following  the  grant  of  these  townships  the 
General  Court  instructed  the  several  committees  charged  with 
the  distribution  of  the  land  to  give  "preference  to  the  eldest 
male  heir  if  such  there  be  otherwise  to  the  eldest  female " 
and  that  the  heir  of  any  soldier  deceased  receiving  a  right  or 
one-sixtieth  part  of  a  township,  "shall  pay  the  other  descend- 
ants or  heirs  of  the  deceased  soldier  their  proportionable  part 
of  ten  pounds."  These  committees  were  further  instructed 
to  exercise  "the  Best  Care  they  Can  in  Examining  and  Eeg- 
ulating  the  Claims  of  all  Persons  that  shall  appear  as  Heirs, 
Descendants  or  Representatives  to  make  and  keepe  fair  Lists 
of  the  names  and  Places  of  Residence  of  the  Respective  Gran 
tees  or  Settlers  of  the  said  Towns  in  order  to  prevent  Mistakes 
in  settleing  and  Regulating  the  Claims  and  admission  of  the 
Grantees."  At  the  same  time  it  was  ordered  that  if  the 
expense  of  surveying  and  admitting  settlers  exceed  fifty 
pounds  the  excess  should  be  paid  by  the  grantees.  The  for- 
mer vote  to  pay  the  whole  expense  had  been  in  consideration 
that  "the  officers  and  soldiers  in  that  expedition  ware  ver}^ 


THE   EARLY  GRANTS.  47 

great  sufferers  and  underwent  uncommon  Hardships."  In 
the  amended  vote  it  is  made  reasonably  certain  that  their  esti- 
mate of  the  great  suffering  and  uncommon  hardship  of  every 
sixty  soldiers  and  the  heirs  of  those  deceased  did  not  exceed, 
when  expressed  in  financial  terms,  the  sum  of  fifty  pounds. 

Under  the  direction  of  the  committee  consisting  of  Joseph 
Wilder,  Thomas  Tilestone  and  William  Eoyal,  the  township 
of  Dorchester  Canada  was  promptly  surveyed  by  Jonas 
Houghton.  The  report  of  the  survey  dated  January,  1736, 
the  day  of  the  month  omitted,  is  substantially  repeated  in  the 
act  of  confirmation  which  was  passed  June  1,  1736, 

A  Plat  of  a  Tract  of  Six  miles  Square  Granted  to  Thomas 
Tilestone  Esq  &  others  for  a  Township  laid  out  by  Jonas  Hough- 
ton Survey'"  and  Chainmen  on  oath,  Bounding  Southerly  on  the 
Narragansett  Township  No  two  ;  Westerly  by  a  Township  laid 
out  for  Tilton  &  others  Northerly  by  a  Township  laid  out  for 
Ipswich  and  Easterly  part  on  Towushend  and  part  on  Lunenburg. 
It  begins  at  a  Hemlock  the  North  Easterly  Corner  of  the  said 
Narragansett  Town  &  Runs  West  18  deg.  South  seven  Miles 
wanting  twenty  Rods  from  thence  North  12  deg  East  Eight  miles 
&  two  hundred  Rods,  and  from  East  12  deg  South  Seven  miles 
and  100  perch  from  thence  Southerly  by  said  Townshend  line  One 
thousand  One  hundred  &  twenty  &  by  Lunenburg  line  Six  hun- 
dred &  twenty  Rods  to  where  it  first  began. 

In  the  House  of  Represent"  :  Read  and  Ordered  that  the 
within  plat  be  and  hereby  is  accepted  and  the  Lands  therein  Delin- 
eated &  Described  are  accordingly  Confirmed  to  the  Grantees 
Mentioned  in  the  Petition  of  Thomas  Tilestone  Esq""  and  others 
in  behalf  of  the  officers  and  Soldiers  in  the  Canada  Expedition 
Anno  1690  which  passed  this  Court  in  their  late  Sittings  and  to 
their  heirs  and  assigns  and  Lawful!  Represent"'  Respectively  for- 
ever :  they  Complying  with  the  Conditions  of  the  Grant.  Pro- 
vided the  Plat  exceeds  not  the  quantity  of  Six  Miles  Square  with 
an  addition  of   Three  Thousand  Eight  hundred  and  Fifty  Acre 


48  HISTORY    OF  ASHBURNHAM. 

formerly  Granted  and  contained  in  the  plat  and  three  hundred 
acres  allowed  for  Ponds  and  does  not  Interfere  with  any  former 
Grant. 

In  Council  Read  &  Concurred 

Consented  to  J.  BELCHER. 

Our  new  township  now  assumes  the  name  of  Dorchester 
Canada,  which  it  retains  until  the  incorporation  of  Ashburn- 
ham  in  1765.  As  yet  it  is  merely  a  defined  portion  of  the 
wilderness.  The  rudest  habitation  of  man  has  nowhere  a 
place  in  the  unbroken  forest.  The  echoes  from  the  bustle 
and  activity  of  civilization  have  never  answered  back  from 
the  surrounding  hills  nor  floated  over  the  lakes.  But  now 
the  compass  and  the  chain,  the  heralds  of  the  approach  of 
man,  hem  the  forests  within  the  pale  of  the  axe  and  the  torch 
and  the  greed  of  gain  fastens  its  despoiling  hands  upon  the 
hills  and  the  valleys  which  for  centuries  have  been  sleeping 
in  the  beauty  and  quietude  of  nature. 

The  influences  which  guided  the  committee  to  this  locality 
can  never  be  fiiUy  known.  The  assignment  of  any  reason, 
at  this  late  day,  is  speculative.  If  they  came  by  the  way  of 
Lunenburg  this  was  the  first  unappropriated  land  they  had 
found.  It  is  a  fact,  also,  that  one  of  the  committee  was  not 
a  stranger  to  the  place.  The  summer  preceding  Joseph 
Wilder  had  been  here  as  the  surveyor  of  the  Starr,  the 
Converse  and  the  Rolfe  grants. 

The  attentive  reader  has  observed  that  in  the  act  of  confir- 
mation, Dorchester  Canada  is  bounded  on  all  sides  by  town- 
ship lines.  A  literal  construction  of  the  terms  employed 
would  lead  to  the  conclusion  that  the  committee  here  found 
a  tract  of  unappropriated  land  entirely  surrounded  by  estab- 
lished towns,  with  an  area  so  accommodating  that  an  exact 
equivalent  to  six  miles  square  was  conveniently  left  for  their 


THE    EARLY  GRANTS.  49 

acceptance.  The  terms  detining  the  western  and  northern 
boundaries  need  exphmation.  At  this  time  Tilton's  town  or 
Ipswich  Canada  had  not  been  surveyed,  but  it  is  within  rea- 
son to  infer  there  was  an  understanding  between  the  two 
committees  that  Ipswich  Canada  w^as  to  be  located  next  west 
of  Dorchester  Canada.  In  fact,  Ipswich  Canada  was  not  laid 
out  until  the  summer  following.  New  Ipswich  bounding  on 
the  north  had  not  l)een  surveyed  at  this  time,  but  it  was 
located  before  Dorchester  Canada  was  confirmed.  The  south 
and  the  east  boundaries  were  already  established  and  now  the 
surve^'or  runs  the  west  line  parallel  to  the  old  Lunenburg 
line  and  the  north  line  at  a  right  angle  and  locates  them  so  as 
to  include  the  required  area. 

The  allowance  of  3850  acres  for  former  grants  and  300  acres 
for  ponds  required  the  surveyor  to  lay  out  27,190  acres  instead 
of  23,040  stipulated  in  the  charter.  The  survey  contained 
about  27,700  acres  which  was  not  an  unusual  allowance  for 
uneven  ground. 

In  this  account  of  the  several  grants  an  attempt  has  been 
made  to  discover  where  each  was  located  and  for  what  con- 
sideration it  was  bestowed.  An  outline  sketch,  at  the  close 
of  this  chapter,  presents  a  summary  view  of  the  form  and 
relative  position  of  the  township  and  the  six  smaller  and  earlier 
grants  which  were  included  within  its  boundaries.  The  lapse 
of  time  will  add  interest  to  these  initial  features  of  our  local 
histor}^  In  these  early  grants,  extending  wider  and  wider 
from  the  centres  of  population,  new  fields  were  dedicated  to 
the  occupancy  of  man.  To  this  portion  of  the  wilderness 
which  has  now  been  located  and  outlined  the  succeeding 
chapters  will  welcome  the  arrival  of  the  settlers,  and  attend 
them  while  they  fell  the  forest,  build  houses  for  their 
families,  esta1)lish  churches  and  schools  and  wisely  direct  the 
civil  afiairs  of  the  new  settlement. 

4 


50  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

Many  of  the  persons  named  in  this  chapter  will  appear 
again.  Unless  incidentally  mentioned  the  names  of  others 
associated  with  these  events  will  not  be  repeated  in  the  fol- 
lowing chapters.  Ebenezer  Prescott,  Jonas  Houghton  and 
David  Farrar,  the  surveyors,  were  residents  of  Lancaster. 
Jonas  Houghton  was  also  employed  in  the  original  survey  of 
New  Ipswich.  Ephraim  Wetherbee  and  Hilkiah  Boynton 
were  of  Lunenburg.  Ephraim  Wetherbee  was  nainman  for 
Nathan  Hey  wood  in  the  first  survey  of  Rindge.  Colonel 
Josiah  and  Moses  Willard  were  leading  men  in  Lunenburg 
at  the  date  of  their  mention  jn  this  chapter.  They  were 
among  the  grantees  of  Winchester,  New  Hampshire,  and 
became  prominent  in  the  annals  of  Cheshire  count}^.  Their 
only  interest  in  this  town  was  in  connection  with  the  North- 
field  road  which  extended  through  the  township  and  opened 
a  way  to  their  lands  in  New  Hampshire. 

Colonel  Benjamin  Bellows  was  also  of  Lunenburg  at  this 
date.  Subsequently  he  removed  to  Walpole,  New  Hamp- 
shire, which  for  a  time  was  called  Bellowstown.  Combined 
with  a  remarkable  business  capacity  were  energy  and  deci- 
sion of  character.  It  was  his  son  Benjamin  who  was  a 
general  in  the  Revolution  and  through  a  long  and  useful  life 
distinguished  in  civil  afiairs. 

Major  James  Converse  was  of  Woburn  where  he  closed  an 
active  and  eventful  life  July  8,  1706.  He  was  a  member  of 
the  General  Court  and  three  times  elected  speaker  of  the 
House.  In  military  afiairs  he  was  equally  distinguished  and 
his  gallant  defence  of  Storer's  garrison  in  1688  is  mentioned 
in  complimentary  terms  in  the  histories  of  the  time.  His 
sons,  Robert  and  Josiah,  to  whom  the  land  in  this  town  was 
granted  on  account  of  the  service  of  their  father,  were  influ- 
ential citizens  of  Woburn,  although  for  a  short  time  Josiah 
is  found  residing:  in  Leicester. 


THE   EARLY  GRANTS 


A  B  —  Ipswich  Canada  Line  —  South  part  now  in  Gardner. 
B  C  —  New  Ipswich  Line —  now  New  Ipswich  and  Rindge. 
CD  —  Old  Townsend  Line  —  now  in  Ashb3\ 
D  E  —  Old  Lunenburg  Line  —  now  Fitchburg. 
A  E  —  Westminster  Line  —  West  part  now  in  Gardner. 
I  —  Starr  Grant. 
II  —  Cambridge  Grant. 

III  —  Lexington  Grant. 

IV  — Bluefield  Grant. 
V  —  Converse  Grant. 

VI  —  Rolfe  Grant. 
VII —  Dorchester  Canada. 


CHAPTER   II. 

PROPRIETARY    HISTORY. 

THK    TOWNSHIP    AWARDED    TO    SIXTY  PERSONS. THEIR    INFLUENCE    OVER  THE 

SETTLEMENT.  PROCEEDINGS  OF  THE  FIRST  MEETING. CHANGES  IN  MEM- 
BERSHIP   OF     THE     PROPRIETORS. HOUSE     LOTS     SURVEYED.  SITE     FOR 

MEETING-HOUSE    SELECTED. SAW-MILL    PROPOSED.  SECOND  DISTRIBU- 
TION OF  LAND. A  FULLING-MILL  SUGGESTED. —  THE  FIRST  MEETING-HOUSE. 

WAR  WITHHEZEKIAH  GATES.  THE  PROVINCE  LINE.  MOSSMAN's  INN. 

FEAR    OF    INDIANS. BLOCK-HOUSE    BUILT.  THE    SETTLEMENT  TEMPO- 
RARILY  ABANDONED.  THE     SITUATION. CHANGES    IN    MEMBERSHIP     OF 

THE  PROPRIETORS.  PERSONAL  NOTICES. MOSSMAN's  PETITION. 

Dorchester  Canada  now  falls  into  the  possession  of  its 
new  proprietors.  Three  shares  or  rights  are  reserved  for 
public  uses,  and  sixty  are  bestowed  upon  the  persons  con- 
templated by  the  charter.  Thus  each  person  to  whom  is 
allotted  a  right  becomes  the  owner  of  one  sixty-third  part  of 
the  township.  The  committee  promptly  completed  the  ser- 
vice enjoined  in  the  charter  by  naming  the  persons  who  were 
entitled  to  a  share  in  the  grant.  Fifty-four  rights  were 
bestowed  on  account  of  service  under  Captain  John  Withing- 
ton  of  Dorchester,  and  six  to  the  soldiers,  or  their  legal  rep- 
resentatives, in  other  companies.  Fortunately  the  report  of 
this  committee  has  been  preserved.  It  presents  a  sad  record 
of  mortality.  Only  one  soldier,  Philip  Godding,  comes  for- 
ward and  receives  in  person  this  late  reward  for  service  to  the 
colony.     It  is  certain,  however,  that  a  few  others,   repre- 


PROPRIETARY     HISTORY.  53 

sented  on  tliis  occasion  by  their  relatives,  were  still  living. 
The  sixty  rights  in  the  township  were  assigned  as  follows  : 

1  — Thomas  Wilder  of  Lancaster  in  Right  of  His  wife  Susannah 

eldest  Daughter  to  John  Pope. 

2  — John  Swift  Jun""  of  Framingham  in  the  Right  of  His  Father 

M-^  John  Swift  eldest  Brother  to  William  Swift. 

3  —  Joseph  Warren  of  Roxbury  in  the  Right  of  Elias  Monk  of 

Stoughton. 

4  —  Benjamin  Cheney  of  Dorchester  in  the  Right  of  his  Brother 

William  Cheney. 

5  —  Joseph  Triscott  of  Dorchester  in  the  Right  of  His  Father 

Joseph  Triscott. 

6  —  Humphrey  Atherton  of  Stoughton  in  the  Right  of  His  Father 

Consider  Atherton. 

7  —  Jonathan  Chandler  of  Dorchester  in  the  Right  of  His  Brother 

Samuel  Chandler. 

8  —  Matathias  Evens  of  Dorchester  in  the  Right  of  His  Brother 

Richard  Evens  at  the  Desire  of  his  Eldest  Brother  Thomas 
Evens. 

9  —  John  Toalman  Jun'"  in  the  Right  of  His  Father  John  Toal- 

mau  of  Dorchester  and  at  His  Desire. 
10  —  Seth  Sumner  of  Milton  in  the  Right  of  His  Uncle  Josianiah 

Sumner  at  the  Desire  of  His  uncle  William  Sumner. 
11 — John  Robinson  Jun""  of  Dorchester  in  Behalf  of  his  Father 

John  Robinson  eldest  Brother  to  James  Robinson. 

12  —  Ebenezer   Crane   of   Braintree   in   the    Right   of  Ebenezer 

Crane. 

13  —  William  Blake  of  Milton  in  the  Right  of  James  Morey  in 

Behalf  of  his  Mother  Martha  Blake  eldest  Daughter  to 
said  James  Morey. 

14  —  John  Andrews  of  Dorchester  in  the  Right  of  His  Brother 

Thomas  Andrews. 

15  —  Joseph  Leads  of  Dorchester  in  Behalf  of  His  Wife  Mary 

eldest  Sister  to  Joseph  Weeks. 

16  — Thomas  Lyon  Juu''  of  Dorchester  in  Behalf  of  His  Father 

Thomas  Lyon  Eldest  Brother  to  Henry  Lyon. 


54  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

17  —  Richard    Withington   of  Dorchester   in   the   Right   of   His 

Father  Capt  John  Withington. 

18  —  Joseph  "Weeks  of  Dorchester  in  the  Right  of  His  Brother 

Thomas  Weeks. 
19 — M""  William   Cooper   of  Boston  in  the  Right  of   Benjamin 
Hewins,  at  the  Desire  of  Joseph  Hewins  eldest  Brother 
of  said  Benjamin  Hewins. 

20  —  Obadiah  Swift  of  Dorchester  in  the  Right  of   His  Brother 

James  Swift. 

21  —  Hezekiah  Barber  of  Dorchester  in  the   Right   of   Yonnite 

Modsley  at  the  Desire  of  His  Brother  Thomas  Modsley. 

22  —Ralph  Pope  of   Dorchester   in   the   Right    of   His  Brother 

Ebenezer  Pope. 

23  —  Samuel   Butt  of  Dorchester   in   the   Right    of    His  Uncle 

Richard  But. 
24 — David  Joans  of  Wrentham  in  the  Right  of  His  Uncle  John 
Joans. 

25  —  Samuel  Sumner   of   Taunton   in  the  Right  of  His  Father 

Samuel  Sumner. 

26  —  Josiah  Baker  of  Boston  in  the  Right  of  His  Uncle  William 

Baker. 

27  —  Mr.  William  Cooper  of  Boston  in  the  Right  of  His  Uncle 

George  Menott. 

28  —  Edward  Kelton  of  Dorchester  in  the  Right  of  His  Father 

Thomas  Kelton. 

29  —  Robert  Redman  of  Stoughton  in  the  Right  of  His  Father 

Charles  Redman. 

30  —  Samuel  Kneeland  of  Boston  in  the  Right  of  Ammiel  Weeks 

at  the  Desire  of  His  son  George  Weeks. 

31  —  Neamiah   Clap   of    Milton    in   the    Right  of    His     Brother 

Edward  Clap. 

32  — Timothy   Tilestone   of    Dorchester    in    the   Right   of    His 

Brother  Cornelius  Tilestone. 

33  —  Samuel  Hinshua  of  Milten  in  the  Right  of  Daniel  Hinshua 

His  Uncles  son. 


PROPRIETARY    HISTORY.  55 

34 — Edward    Sumnet-  of   Roxbury   in    the   Right  of   His  Uncle 
Samuel  Sumner. 

35  —  Benjamin  Sumner  of  Milten  in  the  Right  of  His  Brother 

William  Sumner. 

36  —  Robert    Cook   of    Needham    in    the  Right  of    His  Brother 

William  Cook. 

37  —  Bartholame   Gold   of    Boston    in   the   Right  of   His  Uncle 

Ebenezer  Sumner. 
38 — John  Charhore  of  Milten  in  the  Right  of  His  Uncle  John 
Charhore. 

39  —  Benjamin    Bird   Jun""  of    Dorchester    in   the  Right  of    His 

Uncle  Thomas  Bird. 

40  — Samuel  Blake  of  Taunton  in  the  Right  of  His  uncle  William 

Blake. 

41  — Thomas  Tilestono  Esqr  of  Dorchester  in  the  Right  of  Capt. 

John  Galliver  at  the  desire  of  Jonathan  Galliver  who  was 
admitted  a  Settler. 

42  —  Timothy  Mossman  of  Sudbury  in  the  Right  of  His  wive's 

Brother  Samuel  Hix. 

43  — Joshua  George  of  Attleborough  in  the  Right  of  His  Brother 

William  George. 

44  —  James    Atherton    of    Harvard   in   the    Right  of  His  Uncle 

Joseph  Atherton. 

45  —  William  Sumner  of  Milton  in  the  Right  of  William  Sumner 

His  Uncle  Increase  Sumners  Son. 
46— Elizabeth  Trescott  of  Milton  in  the  Right  of  Her  Brother 

Samuel  Trescott. 
47. —  Joseph   Chaplin  of    Roxbury  in  the  Right  of   His  Brother 

Moses  Chaplin. 

48  —  Hezekiah  Barber  of  Dorchester  in  the  Right  of  Eliab  Lyen 

at  the  Deseir  of  Zachariah  Lj'on  Son  of  Nathaniel  Lyon 
Eldest  Bi-other  to  said  Eliab  Lyon. 

49  —  Waitestill  Lyon  of  Dorchester  in  the  Right  of  Her   Uncle 

Edward  Wiat. 

50  —  Benjamin   Mansfield    of   Dorchester   in   the    Right   of   His 

Neffue  Peter  Kelley. 


56  HISTORY    OF    ASHBURNHAM. 

51  —  Samuel   Burch  of   Dorcbestei-  in   the  Right  of    His  Uucle 

Eliazer  Wales. 

52  —  Isaac  How  of  Dorchester  in  the  Right  of  His  Cusseu  Joseph 

Curtice. 

53  — Thomas  Tilestone  Esq''  of  Dorchester  iu  the  Right  of  Hope- 

still  Sanders  in  Behalf^of  John  Sanders. 

54  —  William  Royal  of  Stoughton  in  the  Right  of  Samuel  Sanders 

in  Behalf  of  John  Sanders. 

55  —  John  Sheperd  of  Stoughton  in  the  Right  of  His  Uncle  John 

Sheperd  —  Maj''  Wade. 

56  — Philip  Gooding  of  Stoughton  who  sarved  under  Maj''  Wade. 

57  —  Joseph  Wilder  Esq''  of  Lancaster  in  the  Right  of  His  Uncle 

Samuel  Wheeler  who  sarved  in  tiie  Expedition  to  Canada 
under  Maj'^  Nathanel  Wade. 
58 — Nathan  Hej'wood  of  Lunenburg  in  the  Right  of  John  Willis 
His  Wives  Father  who  sarved  under  Capt  Savage. 

59  —  Oliver  Wilder  of  Lancaster  in  the  Right  of  Jonathan  Fair- 

bank  who  sarved  under  Cap*  Champney. 

60  —  Joseph  Wheelock  of   Lancaster  in  the  Right  of  His  Uncle 

Timothy  Wheelock  who  sarved  under  Cap'  Anderson. 

Except  Timothy  jNIossman,  none  of  these  original  proprie- 
tors ever  resided  in  the  township,  yet  several  of  them,  or 
their  sons,  retained  their  interest  and  attended  the  meetings 
of  the  propriety  for  many  years.  The  Wilders,  the  Sumners, 
Joseph  Wheelock,  Nathan  Heywood  and  Hezekiah  Barber 
became  intimately  associated  with  the  fortnnes  of  the  settle- 
ment. The  descendants  of  several  of  these  proprietors  were 
subsequent!}^  among  the  most  useful  and  valued  citizens  of 
Ashburnham.  Here  is  found  the  prol^able  cause  which  led 
to  a  residence  here  of  the  Wilder,  Kelton  and  Crehore  fami- 
lies. And  in  the  succeeding  records,  as  the  change  of 
ownership  introduces  new  names,  will  appear  the  first  men- 
tion of  other  families  which  have  been  honorably  associated 
with  the  annals  of  the  town.     A  miniature  town  was  con- 


PROPRIETARY   HISTORY.  57 

cealed  in  this  report  of  1730.  To  sixty  men  and  their  suc- 
cessors was  committed  the  destiny  of  a  future  Ashburnham. 
Had  the  decision  of  the  committee  passed  by  these  names 
and  bestowed  the  grant  on  sixty  other  persons,  the  drama 
would  have  proceeded  with  the  scene  unchanged,  but  the 
actors  and  all  the  incidents  of  the  play  would  have  been 
changed.  A  town  with  a  parallel  history  would  have  suc- 
ceeded, but  the  name,  the  men,  the  order  and  color  of  the 
events  would  not  be  those  which  fill  the  pages  of  our  annals. 
While  these  proceedings  were  in  progress,  the  General 
Court  had  passed  an  order  empowering  Timothy  Tilestone 
to  call  the  first  meeting  of  the  proprietors.  This  warrant  is 
dated  September  8,  1736,  and  the  meeting  was  assembled  in 
Dorchester  fourteen  days  later.  The  proceedings  of  the  first 
meeting  outline  plans  and  projects  for  the  benefit  of  the 
proposed  settlement  which  are  not  consummated  for  many 
years.     The  record  of  the  meeting  is  as  follows  ; 

Alt  a  Meeting  of  the  Proprietors  of  a  Township  Granted  to  the 
Officers  and  Soldiers  in  the  Expedition  to  Canada  anno  1G90  in 
the  Company  under  the  Command  of  Capt  John  Withington  late 
Deceased  on  the  22  Day  of  Sept  173G  att  the  Turkshead  in  Dor- 
chester, Legally  warned. 

Voted  That  Thomas  Tilestone  Esqr  be  moderator. 

Voted  To  Lay  out  the  Land  as  Soon  as  may  be. 

Voted  the  first  Division  Lots  to  be  fifty  acres  and  the  Com- 
mittee to  ad  thereto  for  badness  of  Land. 

Voted  That  the  Committee  shall  Consist  of  Six  men  and  four 
of  them  to  be  a  quorum. 

Voted  That  Edward  Hartwell  Esq.  Benjamin  Bird  Mr  Samuel 
Sumner  Mr  Benjamin  Sumner  Mr  Isaac  Howe  &  Joseph  Wilder 
Esqr  be  a  Committee  to  Lay  out  the  first  Division  Lots. 

Voted  That  the  Committee  do  agree  with  the  Surveyors  and 
Chain  men. 


58  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

Voted  That  the  Surveyors  each  Shall  have  fifteen  shillings  per 
Day,  thej-  to  support  them  Selves. 

Voted  That  the  Chainmen  each  Shall  have  ten  Shillings  per 
Day  they  to  support  them  Selves. 

Voted  That  the  Committee  Shall  have  Twelve  Shillings  per 
Day  they  to  Support  them  Selves. 

Voted  That  when  an  so  often  as  anj'  five  or  more  of  the  Pro- 
prietors shall  judge  a  Proprietor's  Meeting  to  be  necessary  they 
may  make  Application  to  the  Proprietors  Clerk  for  the  Calling  of 
a  meeting  Expressing  the  time  and  the  place  and  the  Occasion 
thereof  and  the  said  Clerk  is  hereby  Impowered  to  Grant  the  same 
for  such  Meeting  accordingly  and  to  Notify  the  Proprietors  of 
the  Said  Meeting  and  the  time  and  place  for  the  same,  which 
Notification  Shall  be  given  in  Writing  Posted  up  in  Some  Public 
Place  or  Places  in  Dorchester,  Milton,  &  Stoughton  Fourteen 
Days  before  the  Day  appointed  for  the  Meeting  and  the  Notifica- 
tion to  be  put  to  the  Public  Prints. 

Voted  to  have  a  Clerks  Book. 

Voted  that  evry  Proprietor  to  have  a  Plan  of  his  first  Division 
Lot  he  Paying  for  the  same. 

Voted  That  evry  Proprietor  Come  att  the  Next  Meeting  to 
Draw  his  first  Division  Lot,  he  to  pay  for  the  Laying  of  said  Lot 
out  before  he  Draws  said  Lot. 

Voted  That  the  Committee  Vew  a  Convenant  Spot  for  the 
Meeting  House  and  that  the  said  Committee  leve  Convenant 
High  ways. 

Voted  to  leve  Convenant  Places  for  a  Mill  or  Mills  Common 
for  the  use  of  the  Proprietors. 

Voted  that  the  Committee  leve  out  thouse  peices  of  Medow  they 
think  Proper  to  be  left  out  for  the  use  of  the  Proprietors. 

Voted  that  Benjamin  Bird  be  the  Proprietor's  Clerk  and  the 
said  Bird  tuck  the  following  oath  : 

Whereas  you  Benjamin  Bird  are  Chosen  by  a  Majority  of  the 
Voters  to  be  Clerk  to  the  Proprietors  of  the  Township  Granted  by 


PROPRIETAUr    HISTORY.  59 

the  General  Court  to  the  Company  under  Capt.  Withuigton  in 
the  Plxpedition  to  Canada  You  do  Swear  b}'  the  true  and  ever- 
living  God  that  \  on  will  Duly  and  faithfully  Discharge  that  Trust 
according  to  your  best  Skill  and  Knowledge.     So  Help  you  God. 

Province  of  the  Massachusetts  Bay  S  S. 

Sept.  the  22"^  1736. 
Then   the  above  Named   Benjamin  Bird   Pursonally  appearing 
made  Oath  as  above.     Before  me 

JOSEPH  WILDER  Justice  of 
the  Peace  throiigli  the  Province. 

Thus  ends  the  record  of  the  first  meeting  of  the -propri- 
etors. An  organization  had  been  effected  and  the  clerk  had 
been  sworn  in  solemn  form.  It  is  worthy  of  note  that  after 
taking  the  oath  Mr.  Bird  seldom  again  spelled  at  with  two 
ts  while  he  held  the  office.  His  best  skill  and  judgment 
had  been  invoked.  At  this  meeting  appears  for  the  first 
time  Edward  Hartwell  of  Lunenburg.  He  was  not  an  orig- 
inal proprietor  but  had  purchased  a  right  of  Joseph  Leads 
and  became  an  active  and  leading  member  of  the  organiza- 
tion. Thomas  Tilestone,  to  whom  in  the  admission  of  pro- 
prietors was  assigned  two  rights,  now  owns  the  former  rights 
of  John  Chandler  and  Samuel  Burch ;  the  four  rights  were 
probably  acquired  by  purchase.  Although  the  figure  head 
of  the  petition  to  the  General  Court  it  does  not  appear  that 
Mr.  Tilestone  was  entitled  by  inheritance  to  any  interest  in 
the  grant  which  had  been  secured  mainly  through  his  influ- 
ence. •William  White  now  owns  the  right  of  David  Jones 
and  the  right  of  Waitstill  Lyon  is  held  by  Thomas  Stearns. 
Jonathan  Dwight  of  Boston  takes  the  place  of  Joseph  Chap- 
lin, and  Andrew  Wilder,  Jr.,  of  Lancaster,  is  the  owner  of 
one  of  the  rights  of  Hezekiah  Barber,  while  James  Mears 
and  Timothy  Green  represent  the  rights  formerly  of  Ben- 
jamin Cheney  and  Eliza])eth  Triscott. 


60  HISTORY   OF   ASHBUR>JHAM. 

A  spirit  of  activity  pervades  the  record  of  the  lirst  meet- 
ing. Hardly  had  a  moderator  been  chosei  l^efore  a  vote 
was  passed  to  lay  out  a  house  lot  for  each  proprietor  "as 
soon  as  may  be."  Five  days  after  the  meeting,  the  six 
members  of  the  committee,  in  full  sympathy  with  the  zeal- 
ous enthusiasm  of  their  associates,  attended  by  two  surveyors 
and  nine  chainmen  and  assistants,  are  upon  the  ground.  For 
fifteen  days  the  stillness  of  the  woods  is  broken  by  the  sound 
of  the  axe  and  the  strong  voices  of  sturdy  men.  In  their 
dying  echoes  is  heard  the  doom  of  the  primeval  forest.  The 
sleep  of  centuries  is  ended.  The  entire  expanse  of  foliage 
warmed  in  an  autumn  sun  will  never  again  present  its  varied 
hues  in  an  unbroken  picture  of  grandeur  and  beauty.  The 
despoiling  agency  of  man  has  been  invoked  and  soon  the 
flame  and  smoke  from  the  clearing  of  the  settler  will  announce 
the  preparation  for  his  habitation.  Under  the  direction  of 
the  committee  sixty-three  house  lots  are  laid  out  by  Andrew 
Wilder,  Jr.,  and  Joseph  Wilder,  Jr.  The  chainmen  and 
assistants  were  nearly  all  proprietors  who  had  come  hither  to 
view  their  new  possessions.  These  lots  were  located  on  the 
west,  south  and  east  shores  of  Upper  Naukeag  lake,  then 
extending  south  through  the  Centre  Village  and  east  to  Cam- 
bridge farm,  then  westerly  on  the  north  lines  of  the  Rolfe, 
Starr  and  Converse  fiirms  and  on  the  west  line  of  the  latter 
farm  to  the  line  of  Westminster,  covering  the  site  of  the 
South  Village,  but  not  so  far  west  as  the  line  of  the  Cheshire 
and  Vermont  and  Massachusetts  railroads.  Two  lots  were 
detached  and  located  in  the  present  limits  of  Ashby.  The 
remaining  lots  were  in  one  continuous  tract  of  irregular  form. 
In  these  lots  were  included  three  thousand  one  hundred  and 
fifty  acres,  exclusive  of  any  allowance  that  might  have  been 
made  for  inequality  of  land.  The  remainder  of  the  grant, 
or  above  three  hundred  acres  for  each  ri2;ht,  was  still  owned 


TROPRIETARY    HISTORY  61 

in  common  by  the  proprietors.  These  surveys  were  com- 
pleted October  11.  Meanwhile  the  committee  had  selected 
a  site  for  the  meeting-house  and  had  laid  out  roads  leading 
to  it.  For  this  service  the  committee  and  those  employed 
by  them  were  paid  £152-16-6.  The  sum  of  £2  was  "Paid 
Sundry  People  at  Sundry  times  for  Bringing  the  Horses  out 
of  the  woods,"  while  £2-19  was  paid  for  pasturing  horses, 
which  possibly  indicates  that  some  of  the  horses  were  past- 
ured at  expense  on  improved  lands  in  Lunenburg,  being 
more  highly  favored  than  those  let  loose  in  the  woods. 

The  second  meeting  of  the  proprietors  was  held  November 
10,  of  the  same  year.  While  it  was  assembled  under  a  new 
warrant,  or  notification,  as  our  worthies  styled  it,  it  was 
practically  a  continuation  of  the  former  meeting.  The 
account  of  the  committee  already  mentioned  was  allowed  and 
to  pay  the  same  an  assessment  was  ordered.  This  action 
called  for  a  new  class  of  officials.  Samuel  Sumner  and 
Edward  Hartwell  were  chosen  assessors,  Thomas  Lyon,  Jr., 
collector,  and  Benjamin  Bird,  treasurer.  The  following 
extract  from  the  records  outlines  the  most  important  of  the 
proceedings  : 

Voted  the  Confirmation  of  the  place  Marked  out  b}'  the  Com- 
mittee for  Building  the  Meeting  House  on,  and  the  Highway's  they 
have  Laid  out  thereunto  in  Said  Town.  The  Meeting  House  Lot 
Contains  10  acres  lying  squar  and  it  Lieth  on  a  Hill  18Q  Hods 
South  of  a  Greate  Pond  and  has  a  very  faire  Prospeck.  The 
North  East  Corner  is  a  young  Pitch  Pine  and  thence  it  Runs  west 
40  Rods  to  a  stake  and  Pillar  of  Stons  and  tlience  South  40  Rods 
to  a  stake  and  Heep  of  Stones  and  thence  it  Runs  East  40  Rods 
to  a  stake  and  Heepe  of  Stons  and  thence  it  Runs  North  40  Rods 
to  whare  it  began. 

Voted  to  Clear  the  Highway,  and  Edward  Hartwell  EsqS 
Capt.  Oliver   Wilder  and   M''  Joseph  Wheelock  were  Chosen  a 


62  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

Committee  for  that  Sarvice  and  also  to  Fire  the  Woods  the  first 
Convenant  time. 

Voted  that  Edward  Hartwell  Esq%  Capt  Oliver  Wilder  and 
M""  Joseph  Wheelock  be  a  Committee  to  a  Gree  with  a  Sutable 
Person  or  Persons  to  Build  a  Sawmill  in  said  Town  in  the 
most  Convenant  Place  that  they  Can  find  therefor,  and  That 
in  Giving  encurragement  to  any  Person  to  undertake  therein  they 
do  not  exceed  one  Hundred  acres  of  Land  and  that  they  oblige  the 
Person  so  undertaking  (by  Bond  or  other  ways)  to  have  the  Mill 
Going  within  the  space  of  five  months  and  to  Keep  the  same  in 
Repair  for  the  space  of  Ten  years  and  that  he  saw  Boards  for  the 
Proprietors  for  forty  shillings  a  Thousand  and  Saw  timber  Brought 
to  said  Mill  for  Twenty  shillings  a  Thousand  and  other  Timber 
Proportionable. 

The  same  month  the  committee  charge  the  proprietors  for 
four  days  each,  three  hired  laborers  four  days  each  and  one 
man  one  day  in  clearing  the  roads  leading  to  the  place  set 
apart  for  the  meeting-house  and  a  common,  which  we  are  here 
informed  and  fully  realize  "has  a  very  faire  Prospeck." 

At  this  meeting  the  house  or  first  division  lots  are  distrib- 
uted among  the  proprietors.  The  eighth  lot  is  reserved  for 
the  ministry,  the  ninth  for  schools  and  the  fifty-seventh  for 
the  first  settled  minister.  Here  ends  the  record  of  the  first 
year.  A  New  England  winter  regains  control  of  the  wilder- 
ness and  for  a  time  closes  the  door  against  the  progress  of  the 
settlement. 

1737.  With  the  arrival  of  spring,  the  committee  chosen 
for  that  purpose  enter  into  negotiations  with  Hezekiah  Gates 
of  Lancaster  to  build  a  saw-mill  within  the  township  for  the 
accommodation  of  the  settlement.  The  committee  grant  him 
ninety  acres  of  land,  lying  on  the  stream  between  the  Upper 
and  Lower  Naukeag  lakes  and  receive  from  him  a  bond  of 
five  hundred  pounds,  obliging  him  to  build  and  conduct  the 


PROPRIETARY   HISTORY.  63 

mill  on  the  terms  outlined  in  the  vote  of  the  proprietors.  The 
charges  of  the  committee  for  their  services  establish  the  date 
of  these  proceedings  : 

1737  May  17  the  Committee  four  days  each 

with  the  man  that  is  to  Build  the  saw  mill  fa)  W  £Q  —  0  —  0  — 
^  da}'^  each  to  signe  the  Righting  0  —  15  —  0  — 

the  writings  with  M""  Gates  0  —    3  —  0  — 

In  effecting  an  agreement  with  Mr.  Gates  the  committee 
consume  ample  time  in  its  consideration  and  apparently  con- 
duct the  business  to  the  present  satisfaction  of  the  proprietors, 
but  in  the  years  immediately  following  both  Mr.  Gates  and 
his  mill  were  an  endless  source  of  perplexity  and  litigation. 
The  proprietors  continually  complain  of  the  construction  and 
management,  while  he  successfully  resists  their  directions  to 
raise  the  dam  and  make  repairs,  until  the  fact  gradually 
develops  that  there  is  a  better  head  on  Gates  than  at  his 
mill,  and  more  revolving  power  in  his  mind  than  in  his 
wheel. 

Two  formal  meetings  of  the  proprietors  are  held  this  year 
at  the  "  Turks  Head  Tavern  in  Dorchester,"  and  Henry  AVood- 
man,  James  Bishop,  Joseph  Bent  and  Josej^h  Herbert  make 
their  first  appearance  as  proprietors  in  place  of  Matthias 
Evans,  John  Andrews,  Joseph  Weeks  and  Thomas  Lyon,  Jr. 
At  the  first  meeting,  August  25,  it  was  voted  "  to  lay  out  in  a 
second  Division,  Sixty  three  Lots  in  the  up  laud,  each  lot 
containing  eighty  Acres  at  the  least  and  in  case  so  many  Lotts 
cant  be  laid  out  in  the  very  best  of  said  land,  that  it  be  in 
the  Power  of  the  Committee  to  add  to  every  eighty  Acre  lot 
so  much  as  to  make  them  equal  to  the  very  best  Lot,  not 
exceeding  Forty  Acres  to  any  one  Lot." 

Andrew  Wilder  was  chosen  to  lay  out  the  lots  and  a  com- 
mittee of  ten  was  chosen  to  conduct  the  business.     At  the 


64  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

second  meeting,  December  14,  the  survey  of  the  second 
division  lots  was  approved,  and  a  lot  was  assigned  to  each 
owner  of  a  right.  ^  The  tenth  lot  was  reserved  for  the  first 
settled  minister,  the  eleventh  for  the  ministry  and  the  sixty- 
third  for  schools. 

The  price  of  labor  on  the  highways  was  rated  at  seven 
shillings  per  day,  and  Henry  "Woodman  was  added  to  the 
committee  on  highways  who  were  instructed  that  "  but  one 
of  said  Committee  work  on  that  Business  at  won  and  the 
same  time."  During  the  year  the  roads  receive  the  benefit 
of  twenty-three  days'  labor  at  a  cost  of  £9-2-0.  The  charges 
for  laying  out  the  second  division  lots  were  £224-9-6,  the 
clerk  and  treasurer  receives  £5-7-0,  for  his  services  to  the 
close  of  the  year  and  a  few  small  charges  are  allowed.  To 
meet  these  demands  an  assessment  of  £258  or  £4-6-0  on 
each  right  is  made.  Only  one  proceeding  of  interest  during 
this  year  remains  unnoticed  : 

Voted  That  M'  Joseph  Harbort  have  five  acres  of  Land  and 
the  Stream  by  it  for  to  Set  a  fulling  Mill  he  matainiug  said  mill 
ten  )-ears  for  the  Sarves  of  the  Proprietors,  the  said  Proprietors 
paying  him  for  what  work  they  have  dou  at  said  Mill.  And  the 
Committee  that  was  appointed  to  a  gree  with  a  man  for  to  Balding 
a  Saw  Mill  he  the  Committee  to  give  a  Deed  and  take  Bond  of 
said  Harbort  He  Paying  the  Committee  for  their  treble. 

This  solitary  mention  of  a  fulling-mill  is  all  that  is  heard 
of  it  for  many  years.  The  committee,  to  whom  the  project 
was  referred,  found  ample  employment  in  the  management 
of  Mr.  Gates  and  his  saw-mill.  This  addition  to  their  per- 
plexity was  an  act  of  great  unkindness  on  the  part  of  the 
proprietors.  It  is  reasonably  certain  that  the  grant  of  land 
was  never  consummated,  perhaps,  admonished  by  the  perilous 
adventure  of  Don  Quixote  and  the  fulling-mills,  the  subject 
is  not  revived. 


PROPRIETARY   HISTORY.  65 

1738.  Samuel  Hay  ward  has  become  a  proprietor  repre- 
senting the  right  formerly  of  Robert  Redman,  and  Hezekiah 
Gates  also  appears  at  the  meetings  of  the  board,  but  whose 
right  he  has  purchased  is  not  certain.  Other  changes  in  the 
membership  of  the  proprietors  occur  from  time  to  time,  but 
the  general  management  of  affairs  continues  to  be  referred  to 
those  whose  names  have  become  familiar.  Only  one  meeting 
is  held  this  year,  which  is  convened  Auss'ust  22,  "at  the 
house  of  Jonathan  D wight  of  Boston,  Innholder."  Timothy 
Green  is  elected  clerk  and  treasurer  in  the  place  of  Benjamin 
Bird.  The  saw-mill  has  been  built  but  the  contention  con- 
cerning its  efficiency  and  management  has  not  as  yet  suffi- 
ciently developed  to  prevent  the  proprietors  from  considering 
a  request  from  its  owner,  in  a  generous  and  good-natured 
manner : 

Voted  That  Mr.  Hezekiah  Gates  of  Lancaster  have  liberty  to 
lay  out  Thirty  Acres  of  Land  adjoining  to  the  land  he  has  already 
laid  out  at  the  Mill  between  the  Pond  and  the  lower  end  of  his 
Land  already  laid  out  in  part  of  his  Ninety'  Acres. 

Voted  that  M''  Hezekiah  Gates  have  liberty  to  build  his  House 
on  his  Land  near  the  Mill  and  clear  as  much  Land  there  as  any 
one  Proprietor  is  obliged  to  do  by  his  Grant. 

Also  at  this  meeting  Captain  Oliver  W^ilder  and  Mr.  Gates 
are  chosen  "  to  clear  a  good  cart  way  from  the  saw  mill  to  the 
place  w^here  the  meeting  house  is  to  stand  as  strait  as  the 
land  will  allow  of."  For  this  purpose  an  appropriation  not 
exceeding  eight  pounds  is  made.  The  sentiment  of  the  pro- 
prietors w^as  taken  in  regard  to  building  a  meeting-house  and 
"  it  passed  in  the  negative." 

1739.  A  note  of  preparation  for  some  weighty  under- 
taking is  heard  in  the  early  call  for  a  meeting  of  the 
proprietors.  Earlier  by  several  months  than  in  former  years 
are  assembled  the  controlling  spirits  of  the  township.     This 


66  HISTORY    OF  ASHBURNHAM. 

memorable  meeting  was  held  in  Boston  April  11,  at  the 
house  of  Mr.  Dwight.  Notices  had  been  published  in  the 
Boston  papers  and  })osted  at  Dorchester  and  probably  at 
Milton  and  Stoughton,  announcing  to  the  proprietors  that 
they  will  be  invited  at  this  meeting  "to  consider  what  is 
proper  to  be  done  about  building  a  meeting  house  for  the 
worship  of  God."  Of  the  time  for  building  a  meeting-house 
stipulated  in  the  charter  two  full  years  yet  remained,  and  in 
consideration  of  the  small  progress  made  in  the  settlement, 
and  that  so  far  the  plantation  had  been  a  continual  source 
of  expense  to  the  proprietors ,  an  excuse  for  delay  is  easily 
found.  The  record,  however,  presents  no  shadow  of  hesita- 
tion but  rather  the  cheerful  voice  of  a  united  purpose. 

Voted  That  a  Meeting  House  for  the  Publick  Worship  of 
God  be  Built  as  soon  as  conveniently  may  be,  on  the  Meeting 
House  place  in  the  said  Township  to  be  Forty  Five  Feet  Long, 
Thirty  Five  Feet  wide,  the  Corner  post  to  be  Twenty  one  Feet 
high. 

Voted  That  Thomas  Tilestone  &  Edward  Hartwell  Esq"  Major 
Oliver  Wilder,  Mr.  Andrew  Wilder  and  Mr.  Hezekiah  Barber  be 
the  Committee  for  Building  said  Meeting  House. 

Voted  That  a  Tax  of  Three  Hundred  Pounds  be  laid,  on  the 
Proprietors,  to  pay  Charges  past  and  towards  Building  said 
Meeting  House. 

An  omission  to  give  this  record  in  full  would  be  an  act  of 
injustice.  The  will  of  the  meeting  expressed  in  other  terms 
would  conceal,  in  a  great  measure,  the  resolute  purpose  and 
firm  determination  of  the  act.  On  the  strength  of  this  action 
alone  the  meeting-house  was  built.  No  postponement,  no 
amendment  nor  qualification  of  this  action  was  ever  tolerated. 
In  marked  contrast  with  the  early  history  of  other  towns  in 
this  vicinity  the  first  meeting-house  was  located  with  rare 
unanimity  and  built  without  contention.     The  picture  of  the 


PROPRIETARY   HISTORY.  67 

"  fhire  Prospeck  "  was  not  marred  with  an  exhibition  of  the 
passions  of  contending  men.  Under  the  direction  of  the 
committee,  the  meeting-house  was  built  by  Benjamin  BaUard, 
who  received  in  six  payments  £251-17-0.  In  his  Half 
Century  Sermon,  1818,  Rev.  Dr.  Gushing  says  :  "In  1739, 
the  proprietors  erected  a  meeting  house  50  by  40.  It  was 
the  first  frame  that  was  set  up  in  the  town  and  it  has  been 
considered,  and  was  at  the  time,  as  an  extraordinary  enter- 
prise that  it  was  raised  by  only  sixteen  men."  This  refer- 
ence to  the  year  in  which  it  was  built  is  of  interest,  since 
the  records  do  not  make  it  appear  whether  it  was  built  in 
1739  or  the  year  following.  November  19,  1740,  it  was 
voted  to  pay  Mr.  Ballard  one  hundred  and  fifty  pounds  in 
part  for  building  the  meeting-house,  and  at  the  same  time  the 
committee  was  requested  to  make  a  report.  AYhile  the 
records  admit  the  conjecture  that  it  might  have  lieen  built  in 
1740,  there  is  found  no  cause  to  qualify  the  assertion  of  Mr. 
Gushing  that  it  was  erected  in  1739.  In  regard  to  the  size 
of  the  edifice,  it  is  fair  to  presume,  that  referring  to  it  twenty- 
seven  years  after  it  was  removed,  it  would  have  been  easier 
for  Mr.  Gushing  to  overlook  the  exact  dimensions  than  for 
the  committee  to  exceed  their  instructions  so  far  as  to  erect  a 
meeting-house  longer  and  wider  by  five  feet  than  directed  by 
the  vote  of  their  associates.  On  one  point  all  the  authorities 
are  in  harmony.  At  this  time  the  roof  and  sides  were 
covered  with  boards  and  open  spaces  were  left  for  windows 
and  doors.  It  was  several  years  before  the  roof  was  im- 
proved and  doors  and  windows  procured. 

Two  other  meetings  were  held  at  Boston  this  year,  at 
which  considerable  business  was  transacted.  It  was  pro- 
posed to  clear  a  road  leading  from  Lunenburg;  to  Winchester, 
New  Hampshire,  but  the  ambition  of  the  proprietors  was 
satisfied  in  the  choice  of  a  committee  to  view  and  estimate 


68  HISTORY    OF    ASHBURNHAM. 

the  expense  of  a  road  from  the  common  to  the  west  line  of 
the  township.  A  gratuity  of  four  pounds  each  was  voted  to 
the  first  fifteen  settlers  who,  previous  to  May,  1740,  should 
build  a  house  and  comply  with  the  other  conditions  of  the 
grant ;  and  a  grant  of  sixty  acres  of  land  was  made  to 
"  Thomas  Gamble  who  lately  met  with  some  loss  by  fire  in 
said  township."  An  account  of  this  fire,  probably  the  first 
in  the  settlement,  would  be  of  interest,  but  no  additional 
information  has  been  found.  At  a  former  meeting  there  had 
been  a  decree  to  prosecute  all  persons  who  cut  any  white 
pine  trees  on  the  undivided  lands,  and  now  a  committee  is 
chosen  to  number  and  mark  all  the  white  pine  trees  fit  for 
clapboards  and  shingles  on  the  ten-acre  common  that  they 
may  be  reserved  for  future  use. 

1740.  The  chronicles  now  declare  the  war  of  1740.  The 
growing  discontent  over  the  continued  mismanagement  of 
the  saw-mill  culminated  in  acts  of  open  hostility  at  a  meeting, 
assembled  at  the  inn  of  Jonathan  D wight,  on  the  tenth  of 
April.  The  declaration  of  war  is  inscribed  in  a  bold,  finu 
hand  upon  the  records  : 

Voted  that  Edward  Hartwell  Esq.  of  Lunenburg,  Col.  Oliver 
"Wilder  and  Joseph  Wheelock  of  Lancaster  be  a  committee  to  put 
in  suit  and  pursue  to  final  judgment  and  execution  the  bond  of 
Mr.  Hezekiah  Gates  of  Lancaster. 

Forgetting  that  their  treasury  was  empty  and  that  Mr. 
Ballard  was  waiting  for  his  pay  for  building  the  meeting- 
house, the  proprietors  do  not  fail  to  vote  the  sinews  of  war : 

Voted  that  the  committee,  chosen  to  put  in  suit  and  pursue  to 
final  judgment  and  execution  the  bond  of  Hezekiah  Gates,  have 
liberty  to  draw  upon  the  proprietor's  treasurer  what  money  may 
be  thought  proper  and  necessary  to  carry  on  the  suit. 


PROPRIETARY   HISTORY.  69' 

Mr.  Gates  was  sued ;  probably  Daniel  Gookin,  the  first 
sheriff  in  Worcester  county,  served  the  writ.  The  discon- 
tent of  the  proprietors  had  become  chronic  and  relief  could 
not  be  found  in  treatment  less  heroic.  It  was  a  valorous 
attack,  but  the  enemy  was  not  wholly  routed,  as  appears  in 
a  call  for  a  meeting  to  be  assembled  at  the  inn  of  Captain 
Josiah  Shelden  in  Boston,  November  19,  "to  hear  what  Mr. 
Hezekiah  Gates  hath  to  offer  for  an  agreement  concerning 
the  saw  mill  and  damn."  The  records  of  Timothy  Green 
are  spelled  with  great  accuracy.  He  fails  now  in  the  orthog- 
raphy of  one  word.  Probably  he  did  not  use  that  word 
often,  but  we  are  sorry  to  find  him  using  it  in  this  form  when 
he  is  talking  about  Gates  and  the  saw-mill.  Mr.  Hart  well 
is  allowed  and  some  time  later  was  paid  £33-3-0  "  for  sueing 
Hezekiah  Gates  ;  for  charges  attending  Court  at  Worcester 
May  1740  and  for  officers  fees  and  witness  fees  and  for 
laying  out  ten  acres  of  pine  land  and  laying  out  Hezekiah 
Gates'  land."  In  1743,  after  many  votes  and  references  to 
the  aftair,  the  proprietors,  in  a  more  conciliatory  spirit,  pro- 
pose to  adjust  the  difficulty  on  receipt  of  £40  or  £10  new 
tenor.  The  proposition  was  accepted  and  payment  made  by 
Mr.  Gates  soon  after.  Complaint  however  was  renewed  in 
a  future  year,  1744,  in  a  call  for  a  meeting  "to  see  what 
the  proprietors  will  do  concerning  Hezekiah  Gates  ;  the  saw 
mill  being  out  of  repair  and  no  boards."  When  the  meeting 
was  convened  nothing  was  done  about  it  for  the  saw-mill  and 
all  minor  troubles  were  forgotten  in  the  sorrows  and  discour- 
agements of  the  French  and  Indian  War. 

1741.  Several  of  the  proprietors  of  Dorchester  Canada, 
compared  with  the  standard  of  their  time,  were  men  of 
wealth.  It  is  apparent  that  others  were  less  fortunate.  A 
considerable  portion  of  the  taxes  which  had  been  assessed 
from  time  to  time  on  the  rights  in  the  township  remained 


70  HISTORY   or   ASHBURNHAM. 

unpaid,  and  many  demands  against  the  propriety  were  unad- 
justed. The  embarrassment  occasioned  by  this  state  of 
affairs  finds  frequent  exjiression  in  the  records.  Early  this 
year  it  was  voted  to  sell  at  auction  the  land  of  the  delinquent 
owners,  but  before  the  day  appointed  for  the  sale  arrived,  the 
majority  took  a  more  conciliatory  course  in  referring  the 
subject  to  a  committee.  It  is  probable  that  no  sale  of  land 
for  the  pa^^ment  of  taxes  was  made  until  1754. 

In  the  annals  of  this  year  should  be  recorded  an  important 
event  over  which  the  proprietors  had  no  control.  The 
boundary  line,  having  been  adjusted  previously  by  the  con- 
tending provinces,  was  run  b}^  Richard  Hazen  in  February  of 
this  year.  A  belt  of  land  along  the  northern  boundary  of 
Dorchester  Canada,  containing  nearly  one  thousand  acres, 
was  ruthlessly  given  to  New  Hampshire.  Overcome  by  a 
grief  which  refused  utterance,  or  sustained  by  a  stoic  resig- 
nation which  commanded  silence,  the  proprietors  make  no 
reference  to  this  event  for  many  years. 

1742.  The  annals  of  this  year  are  somewhat  brief  and 
uneventful,  and  the  careless  reader  might  fail  to  discover  the 
feature  of  greatest  interest.  Here  is  found  the  first  trace  of 
faction  among  the  proprietors.  In  a  call  for  a  meeting  to  be 
held  at  the  meeting-house  in  Dorchester  Canada,  the  first 
attempt  to  hold  a  meeting  outside  of  Dorchester  or  Boston, 
appear  the  names  of  Caleb  Wilder,  Joseph  Wheelock,  Heze- 
kiah  Gates,  Benjamin  Harris,  Gardner  Wilder,  Edward 
Phelps  and  Nathaniel  Carter.  These  were  the  petitioners 
who  caused  the  meeting  to  be  called  and  designated  the 
place.  Former  meetings  had  generally  been  called  by 
Thomas  Tilestone,  Jonathan  Dwight,  Hezekiah  Barber, 
Samuel  Kneeland  and  others  living  in  Boston  or  immediate 
vicinity.  The  record  of  the  proceedings  of  the  meeting 
convened  in  Dorchester  Canada  is  brief :  "A  number  of  the 


rilOPRIETARY   HISTORY.  71 

pix)})netors  met  at  the  meeting  house  in  Dorchester  Canada 
and  there  was  objection  arose  al)out  the  calling  the  meeting 
and  so  nothing  was  done.'' 

Evidently,  without  consulting  the  Tilestone  party,  the 
same  gentleman  joined  by  a  few  others  get  a  meeting  called 
soon  after  to  be  convened  at  Leominster.  Again  "  there  was 
ol)jection  arose  "  on  account  of  the  absence  of  the  clerk  "  and 
so  nothing  was  done."  It  becomes  apparent  that  in  the 
fictitious  play  of  Mohammed  and  the  mountain,  the  Boston 
party  preferred  to  be  the  mountain.  A  meeting  was  then 
called  to  assemble  early  the  following  year  at  the  inn  of  Mr. 
Jonathan  Dwight  in  Boston  where  matters  of  grave  import 
were  considered. 

1743.  At  a  meeting  convened  March  31  at  the  house  of 
Jonathan  Dwight,  an  entertaining  proposition  was  considered 
and  decided  as  follows  : 

Voted  That  the  pvoprietors  give  encouragement  to  one  person 
that  will  settle  a  Farail}'  and  Keep  a  public  House  with  Suitable 
Entertainment. 

Voted  That  the  sum  of  £100.  O.  T.  be  paid  to  one  person  that 
shall  build  a  good  and  sufficient  House  —  three  Rooms  on  a  floor 
with  Chimneys  in  each  Room  of  it  for  a  House  of  Entertainment 
and  Barn  and  provision  suitable  for  to  entertain  men  and 
Horses. 

In  order  that  the  bount}'  proposed  might  be  ])aid  to  any 
person  complying  with  the  conditions  a  tax  was  assessed  at 
this  time,  but  the  money  was  not  promptly  collected. 
Timothy  Mossman  of  Sudbury  Iniilt  a  house  of  entertainment 
this  year,  and  received  eighty  pounds  of  the  one  hundred 
pounds  which  was  attempted  to  be  raised.  The  record  will 
establish  this  point  beyond  dispute.  Under  an  article  "To 
do  what  shall  be  thought  necessary  in  order  that  Mr.  Timothy 


72  HISTORY    OF    ASHBURNHAM. 

Mossnian  may  have  the  money  paid  him  which  is  justly  due 
and  owing  to  him  from  said  proprietors  "  it  was  ordered  "  That 
the  sum  of  eighty  pounds  okl  tenor  be  allowed  and  paid  to 
Mr.  Timothy  Mossman  for  his  service  in  building  a  house  of 
entertainment  and  if  there  should  be  peace  with  France 
within  twelve  months  that  the  aforesaid  Mossman  to  have  the 
sum  of  forty  pounds  old  tenor." 

In  recognition  of  faithful  service,  the  sum  of  twelve 
shillings  per  day  for  seven  and  one-half  days  was  voted  to 
Edward  Hartwell,  Joseph  Wheelock  and  Andrew  Wilder,  a 
committee  "  to  view  out  and  mark  out  a  road  from  the  meet- 
ing house  to  the  west  line  and  that  fifty  shillings  be  allowed 
to  each  of  them  for  their  extraordinary  hardship." 

1744.  At  the  threshold  of  a  new  year  stand  the  waiting- 
heralds  of  impending  war:  their  messages,  borne  on  the 
wings  of  alarm  along  the  unprotected  frontier,  are  answered 
in  hasty  preparations  for  defence.  The  settlers  from  the 
unprotected  borders  through  fear  of  attack  from  the  Indians 
are  hastening  to  the  older  and  fortified  towns.  The  proprie- 
tors of  Dorchester  Canada,  perceiving  that  the  existence  of 
the  settlement  was  involved,  adopted  early  measures  to 
create  a  feeling  of  security.  First,  they  place  themselves 
squarely  on  the  record  :  "  Voted  that  the  proprietors  will 
fortify,"  and  at  the  same  meeting  one  hundred  and  sixty 
pounds  was  voted  to  Asher  Cutler  if  he  would  "build  a 
fortification  around  his  house  and  receive  the  soldiers  that  is 
ordered  for  that  place  and  have  the  province  pay  for  billeting 
and  keep  a  tavern  with  good  stabling  hay  &c  to  the  accept- 
ance of  the  proprietors."  Mr.  Andrew  Wilder  was  chosen 
"to  view  the  fortification  Mr.  Cutler  is  to  build  in  said  town- 
ship." It  is  reasonably  certain  that  this  contract  was 
annulled.  In  August  following  an  agreement  is  made  with 
Jonathan  Dwight  and  Ephraim  Wheeler  "  to  build  a  block 


PROPRIETARY   HISTORY.  73 

liouse  in  said  Dorchester  Canada  and  l<;eep  a  good  and  suffi- 
cient house  of  entertainment  fit  lioth  for  man  &  horse  and 
to  entertain  all  soldiers  that  have  or  may  be  ordered  to  said 
township  &  to  receive  the  province  pay  for  their  billeting." 
The  consideration  for  this  undertaking  was  two  hundred 
pounds  which  was  paid  them  the  following  year,  l)ut  no 
record  of  any  payment  to  Mr.  Cutler  is  found. 

Only  two  months  preceding  this  agreement  with  Dwight 
and  Wheeler,  Timothy  Mossman  was  chosen  "  to  take  care 
of  the  meeting  house  by  ♦nailing  boards-  against  the  windows 
and  doors  and  prevent  the  burning  of  brush  near  it."  It  is 
probable  that  between  these  dates  Mr.  Mossman  had  left  the 
house  of  entei-tainment  built  the  year  preceding.  Certainly 
in  the  following  year  he  was  residing  in  Sudbury.  It 
appears,  also,  that  Asher  Cutler  was  the  owner  of  the  Moss- 
man inn  when  he  made  the  agreement  with  the  proprietors 
to  fortify  his  house  in  Dorchester  Canada. 

In  confirmation  of  this  statement  there  is  the  record  of  a 
deed  dated  August  10,  1744,  of  Timothy  Mossman  of  Dor- 
chester Canada  conveying  the  fourteenth  and  fifteenth  first 
division  lots  to  Asher  Cutler  of  Sudbury.  These  lots  are 
west  of  the  highway  and  between  the  house  of  Seth  P.  Fair- 
banks and  the  old  common.  There  is  also  a  distinct  tradi- 
tion that  this  ancient  inn  was  fortified  and  stood  near  the  site 
of  the  Powder  House . 

At  the  time  Dwight  and  Wheeler  built  the  block-house 
Mr.  Wheeler  was  the  owner  of  one-half  of  the  Bluefield  or 
Bellows  grant,  and  it  is  not  improbal)le  that  the  house  built 
on  this  grant  in  1734  was  a  part  of  the  block -house  l)uilt  in 
the  autumn  of  1744  or  the  following  spring.  Enos  Jones, 
who  settled  on  the  Bluefield  grant  about  1762,  was  accus- 
tomed to  say  that  there  was  a  block-house  and  an  inn  situ- 
ated a  short  distance  south  from  the  house  occupied  by  the 
late  Deacon  Daniel  Jones. 


74  HISTORY    OF    ASHBURNHAM. 

1745-174:9.  If  any  meeting  of  the  proprietors  was  con- 
vened, during  these  five  years,  no  record  of  it  has  been 
preserved.  It  would  be  a  source  of  satisfaction  to  make  it 
appear,  upon  proof,  that  during  tliese  years  of  gloom  and 
discouragement  to  all  the  frontier  settlements  our  little 
colony  had  maintained  a  continuous  habitation  in  Dorchester 
Canada.  But  a  knowledge  of  the  fortunes  of  other  settle- 
ments similarly  situated,  the  absence  of  any  sustaining 
evidence  and  the  voices  of  tradition  combine  to  destroy  any 
such  picture  and  to  lead  to  the  conclusion  that  during  a  con- 
siderable portion  of  the  time  the  settlement  was  entirely 
deserted.  If  it  is  true  that  the  fires  are  suffered  to  burn  low 
on  these  primitive  hearths,  they  are  not  wholly  extinguished. 
In  a  little  while  the  pioneers  return  in  augmented  force  and 
the  infant  colony  grows  apace.  It  was  the  rest  and  inac- 
tivity of  sleep,  but  not  the  eternal  silence  of  death ;  and  the 
little  clearings  in  the  forest,  the  meeting-house  and  the  mill 
will  await  them  on  their  return.  * 

Previous  to  this  date,  in  addition  to  grants  of  land  to 
the  saw-mill  and  for  other  purposes,  the  proprietors  had 
expended  above  one  thousand  five  hundred  pounds,  old 
tenor,  in  forwarding  the  settlement.  Substantial  progress 
had  been  made.  Primitive  roads  had  been  constructed 
from  Lunenburg  to  the  meeting-house  and  from  thence 
to  the  Winchendon  line.  There  was  a  road  of  more 
pretension  from  the  saw -mill  to  the  meeting-house,  and  the 
Northfield  road  extended  through  the  township.  A  saw- 
mill and  later  a  meeting-house  had  been  built  and  the 
fruit  of  civilization  had  been  enjoyed  in  a  lawsuit  of  very 
fair  proportions.  Through  several  clearings  in  the  forest 
the  summer  sun  warms  the  earth  and  paints  in  livery  ot 
green  the  tender  blade.  A  few  houses  have  been  built  in 
the  centre  of  the  clearings.     The  house  on  Bluefield  farm  is 


PROPRIETARY   HISTORY.  75 

established  by  the  records.  The  owner  of  the  saw-mill  was 
permitted  to  build  his  house  near  by.  The  house  of  Mr. 
Mossman,  and  the  fortified  house  of  Dwight  and  Wheeler, 
were  completed  to  the  acceptance  of  the  proprietors.  But 
the  number  and  location  of  the  earliest  dwellings  have 
escaped  record  and  have  faded  from  the  traditions  of  men. 

The  original  grant  of  several  towns  in  this  vicinity  was  at 
very  nearly  the  same  time.  At  the  outset  it  was  an  even 
race.  The  proprietors  of  Dorchester  Canada,  manifesting 
a  livelier  interest  in  their  plantation  by  more  frequent  meet- 
ings and  more  comprehensive  action,  secured  better  results 
and  made  more  progress  in  a  preparation  for  the  future  than 
was  made  by  their  rivals.  It  is  probably  true  that  if  the 
building  of  the  meeting-house  had  been  dela^^ed  a  very  short 
time,  it  would  not  have  been  built  until  the  return  of  peace 
after  the  French  and  Indian  War.  Admitting  the  conjecture, 
the  fact  remains  —  one  was  built,  and  it  was  more  than 
twenty  years  before  a  similar  edifice  was  reared  in  Rindge 
or  in  Winchendon. 

The  fear  of  attack  from  the  Indians  which  led  to  the 
desertion  of  the  settlement  was  not  without  good  and  suffi- 
cient reason.  Any  other  course  would  have  been  rash  and 
venturesome.  A  view  of  the  surroundings  as  they  were  in 
1745  leads  directly  to  this  conclusion.  Townsend,  includ- 
ing the  greater  part  of  Ashby,  and  Lunenburg  were  incor- 
porated towns  containing  several  1)lock-houses  on  which  the 
inhabitants  relied  for  protection.  The  settlement  in  West- 
minster had  made  substantial  progress,  containing  about 
twenty  families.  In  that  town  was  a  line  of  ten  block- 
houses or  fortified  dwellings  which,  joining  with  the  fortifi- 
cations in  Lunenburg  and  Townsend,  made  a  continuous  line 
of  defences  on  the  south  and  east,  with  Ashburnham  on  the 
outside  doing  picket  duty  for  the  older  and  fortified  towns. 


76  HISTORY    OF    ASHBURNHAM. 

There  was  no  protection  from  the  north  and  west.  In  this 
direction,  between  the  lines  of  settlement  along  the  margins 
of  the  Connecticut  and  Merrimack  rivers,  was  an  expanse  of 
unbroken  wilderness  through  which  an  insidious  foe  could 
approach  unchallenged.  The  only  settlements  on  the  dan- 
ger side  of  Ashburnham  were  at  New  Ipswich,  Peter- 
borough, Rindge  and  Winchendon.  All  these  were  deserted. 
It  would  have  been  foolhardy  for  any  of  them  or  all  of 
them  in  alliance  to  have  attempted  to  maintain  an  existence 
during  these  years  of  danger.  History  commends  the  wis- 
dom of  the  course  pursued  by  these  unprotected  and  feeble 
settlements.  It  is  a  well-established  fact  that  the  Indians 
were  discovered  many  times  lurking  along  the  line  of  the 
garrisons  and  ready  to  attack  any  unguarded  point.  They 
were  held  at  bay  only  by  the  active  measures  taken  for 
defence.  They  even  entered  Westminster  and  Lunenburg 
and  in  a  part  of  Lunenburg  now  in  Ashby,  they  burned  one 
of  the  fortified  houses,  killing  two  of  the  three  soldiers  who 
had  been  stationed  there  and  carried  into  captivity  an  entire 
family,  consisting  of  John  Fitch,  his  wife  and  five  children. 
The  Indians  made  their  retreat  and  doubtless  came 
through  Ashl)urnham.  Electing  between  retreat  and  mas- 
sacre, these  settlements  were  abandoned.  Even  within  the 
fortified  line  there  were  expressions  of  fear  and  repeated 
calls  for  assistance.  July  8,  1748,  three  days  after  the  cap- 
ture of  John  Fitch,  fifty-eight  citizens  of  Lunenburg  and 
Leominster  join  in  a  petition  for  more  soldiers  "for  the  pro- 
tection of  their  lives,"  giving  as  a  reason  for  their  request 
"that  we  are  soried  to  look  upon  ourselves  in  a  very  hazard- 
ous as  well  as  distressed  case  to  such  a  degi'ee  that  we  can- 
not many  of  us  labor  on  our  farms  or  abide  in  our  houses 
with  tolerable  safety."  Four  days  Uiter  the  commissioned 
officers  and  the  selectmen  of  Lunenburg  renew  the  request 


PROPRIETARY   HISTORY.  77 

for  help  declaring  that  for  the  past  week  "  almost  daily  the 
enemy  are  heard  shooting  in  the  woods  above  us."  In  the 
accumulated  evidence  of  these  and  other  documents  which 
care  has  preserved  and  research  brought  to  light  is  found 
the  danger  which  led  to  the  abandonment  of  our  little  settle- 
ment and  which  raised  alarm  in  the  older  and  stronger 
towns. 

During  this  period  of  suspension  in  the  affairs  of  Dorches- 
ter Canada,  material  changes  occurred  in  the  membership  of 
the  propriety.  Thomas  Tilestone  died  October  21,  1745. 
No  other  name  has  become  so  familiar.  He  was  the  leading 
petitioner  for  the  grant  and  was  appointed  by  the  General 
Court  on  the  committee  to  admit  the  grantees  and  also  to 
conduct  their  organization.  Subsequently  he  was  elected 
moderator  of  every  meeting  of  the  proprietors,  was  named 
on  the  most  important  committees  and  until  his  death,  at  the 
age  of  seventy  years,  he  was  the  leading  spirit  among  his 
associates.  He  was  a  son  of  Timothy  Tilestone  and  was 
born  in  Dorchester  October  19,  1675.  Through  a  long  and 
useful  life  he  was  called  to  many  positions  of  trust,  both  in 
civil  and  military  affairs.  His  name  is  honorably  connected 
with  the  annals  of  his  time.  In  the  concerns  of  Dorchester 
Canada,  he  was  succeeded  by  his  son  Elisha  Tilestone,  who 
from  inclination  or  otherwise  made  no  attempt  to  exercise  an 
equal  influence  in  the  management  of  its  affairs. 

Joseph  Wilder  of  Lancaster  was  a  member  of  the  Council 
in  1735  and  was  one  of  the  committee  to  admit  the  grantees. 
At  first  he  was  prominent  in  the  councils  of  the  proprietors, 
but  occupied  with  affairs  of  greater  moment  his  name  now 
fades  almost  entirely  from  these  annals.  He  was  Judge  of 
Probate  many  years  and  one  of  the  Justices  of  the  C-ounty 
Court  from  the  organization  of  the  county  in  1731  until  his 
death  in  1757.     It  was  his  son  Joseph  who  was  one  of  the 


78  HISTORY  OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

surveyors  of  the  first  division  lots  in  1736.  Another  son 
Caleb  and  a  cousin  Oliver  continue  active  members  of  the 
propriety  for  many  years,  and  among  the  residents  who 
appear  at  a  later  period  the  name  of  Wilder  will  receive 
honoraljle  mention. 

Edward  Hartwell  was  one  of  the  first  settlers  of  Lunen- 
burg where  he  continued  to  reside  until  his  death  February 
17,  1785,  aged  ninety-six  years.  He  continues  a  proprietor 
of  Dorchester  Canada,  but  after  this  date  he  gives  very  little 
time  or  attention  to  its  afiairs.  His  sound  judgment  and 
vigorous  intellect  made  him  a  leader  among  men.  He  was 
a  major  in  the  militia  and  was  frequently  in  service  in  the 
protection  of  the  frontier.  For  many  years  he  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Legislature  and  served  in  that  capacity  after  he 
was  eighty  years  of  age.  He  was  also  one  of  the  Justices 
of  the  County  Court  from  1762  to  1774.  In  the  midst  of 
these  accumulating  honors  and  with  weighty  responsibilities 
resting  upon  him,  he  is  found  clearing  the  roads  in  the  new 
township  seven  and  one-half  days  and  is  rewarded  with  a 
gratuity  of  fifty  shillings  on  account  of  his  extraordinaiy 
hardship. 

On  the  muster-roll  of  Captain  Withington's  company 
which  served  in  the  expedition  to  Canada  in  1690  appears 
the  name  of  Samuel  Hicks.  The  son  Samuel,  Jr.,  being 
dead  a  right  in  the  township  of  Dorchester  Canada  was 
awarded  to  Timothy  Mossman  of  Sudbury  who  married 
Sarah  Hicks  a  daughter  of  Samuel,  Senior.  Mr.  Mossman 
was  the  only  one  of  the  sixty  original  proprietors  who  settled 
in  the  township.  Driven  away  by  fear  of  the  Indians  and 
being  advanced  in  years,  he  did  not  return  when  the  settle- 
ment was  renewed  but  the  name  will  ever  be  associated  with 
the  earliest  annals  of  the  place.  While  he  resided  here,  as 
stated  elsewhere,  he  owned  and  occupied  a  house  and  lands 


PROPRIETARY    HISTORY.  79 

a  short  distance  south  of  the  common.  From  a  petition 
found  in  the  forty-sixth  volume  of  State  archives  it  appears 
that  Mr.  Mossman  had  a  lease  of  other  land  and  that  potash 
was  manufactured  there  at  a  very  early  date. 

The  petition  of  Timoth}'  Mossman  which  humbly  craves  leave 
to  show  that  your  petitioner  lived  in  Dorchester  Canada  and  was 
drove  off  by  the  Indians  from  that  town,  and  thereby  I  lossed  ray 
House  Moveables  and  Improvements  and  being  impoverished  sold 
my  ]and  there.  I  was  put  in  possession  of  the  pottash  farm  by 
virtue  of  a  Lease  from  Capt  Plaisteed,  where  I  did  much  labour 
in  fencing  improveing  and  n^akeing  roads  to  the  value  of  Two 
Hundred  pounds  where  a  so  I  met  with  Great  sickness  in  my 
person  &  familly  and  was  further  reduced  by  the  loss  of  the 
possession  of  the  province  land  as  it  became  profitable. 

Therefore  I  pray  your  Excellency  and  Honours  from  your  own 
goodness  and  Humanity  to  Compassionate  my  distrcss'd  Circum- 
stances and  forgive  me  the  debt  I  owe  to  the  Province  and  give 
me  a  small  Tract  or  Tracts  of  Province  Laud  that  may  be  found 
to  Lye  betwixt  Westminster  and  Leominster  that  is  useless  to  the 
Govern''  or  the  Sum  of  Two  Hundred  Pounds  or  Equivolence  in 
land,  and  as  in  duty  bound  shall  ever  pray. 

TIMOTHY   MOSSMAN. 

In  answer  to  this  petition  of  Mr.  Mossman,  the  General 
Court  ordered  June  12,  1764,  "that  the  sum  of  twelve 
pounds,  being  a  debt  due  from  the  petitioner  to  the  prov- 
ince, be  remitted  to  him  in  full  answer  to  his  petition." 

The  second  allegation  in  the  petition  concerning  the  pot- 
ash works  under  the  lease  of  Captain  Plaisted  relates  to 
events  which  occurred  after  his  removal  from  this  town.  To 
Thomas  Plaisted  had  been  granted  fifteen  hundred  acres  of 
land,  now  a  part  of  Princeton,  and  while  Mr.  Mossman  was 
occupying  this  grant  in  1760  the  title  was  forfeited  on 
account  of  non-fulfilment  of  the  conditions.  It  is  this  mis- 
fortune that  is  recited  in  the  petition.  Timothy  Mossman 
was  born  in  Wrentham,  1679,  and  died  in  Sudbury,  1773. 
He  did  not  reside  in  this  town  subsequent  to  1744. 


CHAPTER  III. 

A    EECORD    OF    SETTLEMENTS. 

BENEWED    ACTIVITY    OF     THE     PROPRIETORS.  MOSES     FOSTER.  — THE     SECOND 

SAW-MILL.    GRAIN-MILL.  SETTLEMENTS.  DISAGREEMENT     BETWEEN 

RESIDENT  AND  NON-RESIDENT  PROPRIETORS.  NAMES  OF  EARLY  SETTLERS. 

THE    GERMAN    SETTLEMENT.  —  THE    PROVINCE    LINE.  MANUFACTURE    OF 

POTASH.  DISTRIBUTION  OF   UNDIVIDED  LANDS.  FAREWELL  TO  THE  PRO- 
PRIETORS.   PERSONAL  NOTICES. 

The  Congress  of  nations  convened  at  Aix  la  Chapelle,  in 
1748,  eifected  a  suspension  of  hostilities  between  England 
and  France,  but  during  the  summer  of  the  following  year, 
detached  bodies  of  Indians,  sometimes  accompanied  by  a  few 
French  soldiers,  continued  to  menace  the  exposed  line  of 
settlements.  Not  until  1750,  did  a  feeling  of  security  inidte 
a  return  of  the  settlers  to  the  frontiers,  nor  at  this  time  in 
any  considerable  number.  One  by  one  the  hardy  pioneers 
break  an  opening  in  the  wilderness  or  enlarge  a  clearing 
already  begun.  The  rude  cabins  are  separated  by  wide 
wastes  of  unbroken  forest.  The  cheering  presence  of  a  new 
arrival,  or  the  return  of  a  former  companion  is  only  hailed  at 
long  intervals  of  time.  It  was  several  years  before  there 
were  many  settlers  in  the  township.  The  renewal  of  the 
war  in  1754,  and  the  news  of  sudden  incursions  by  the 
Indians  into  Salisbury,  Charlestown,  Walpole,  Keene, 
Hinsdale  and  other  towns  in  New  Hampshire,  continued  to 
cast  clouds  of  discouragement  over  a  second  attempt  to  pos- 
sess the  township.     While  this  state  of  affairs  from  1750  to 

80 


A   RECORD    OF    SETTLEMENTS.  81 

1760  greatly  retarded,  it  did  not  prevent  material  progress 
in  the  settlement  of  Dorchester  Canada. 

Early  in  the  year,  1750,  the  proprietors,  aroused  by  the 
bustle  of  preparation  heard  on  every  hand,  are  convened  at 
the  inn  of  their  old  associate,  Jonathan  Dwight.  For  five 
years  they  have  beheld  their  possessions  in  Dorchester 
Canada,  through  the  dim  vision  of  gloomy  fear  and  fading 
hope,  but  now  assembling  with  cheerful  countenances,  they 
forget  the  misgivings  of  the  past  as  they  read  on  every  hand 
the  accumulating  promises  of  amended  fortunes.  They  can- 
not fail  to  note  the  vacant  chair  of  Timothy  Tilestone. 
Joseph  Wilder,  engrossed  by  affairs  of  greater  moment,  has 
withdrawn  from  any  participation  in  their  affairs,  and  Edward 
Hartwell,  after  this  date,  is  seldom  present.  In  their  room 
come  Elisha  Tilestone,  Richard  and  Caleb  Dana,  Henry 
Coolidge,  Eleazer  Williams  and  John  Moff^itt,  while  the 
Sumners,  Colonel  Oliver  and  Captain  Caleb  Wilder,  Jona- 
than Dwight,  Hezekiah  Barber,  Joseph  Wheelock,  Nathan 
Heywood  and  others,  whose  names  are  familiar,  will  con- 
tinue active  members  of  the  board.  And  last,  but  not  least, 
from  year  to  year  there  will  be  added  to  their  councils  new 
members,  residents  of  the  settlement,  increasing  in  numbers 
and  influence  until  they  gain  control  of  the  corporation. 
These,  in  whom  we  have  much  the  greater  interest,  will  be 
introduced  with  honorable  mention  as  they  make  their 
appearance  at  the  meetings  of  the  board. 

The  date  of  the  first  meeting  after  the  long  interval,  was 
February  20,  1749-50.  It  was  proposed  to  procure  windows 
and  finish  the  meeting-house,  and  the  expediency  of  calling  a 
minister  was  suggested  for  the  first  time,  but  nothing  was 
decided  in  regard  to  a  minister  or  the  meeting-house.  A 
committee  was  named  to  report  at  the  next  meeting  concern- 
ing the  probable  expense  and  the  location  of  a  grist-mill,  and 
6 


82  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

then,  with  their  accustomed  alacrity,  they  admonished  Mr. 
Gates  instructing  him  in  specific  terms,  to  keep  the  saw-mill 
in  good  repair  and  to  "  raise  the  dam  one  foot  and  a  half 
higher  than  it  used  to  be  or  ever  has  been."  After  some 
attention  to  the  roads,  which  doubtless  needed  mending,  the 
proprietors  directed  attention  to  one  subject  of  no  little 
interest.  Present  at  this  meeting,  and  mingling  with  them, 
was  Moses  Foster,  then  almost  sixty  years  of  age.  For 
several  years  he  had  resided  a  portion  of  the  time,  at  least, 
in  Dorchester  Canada.  He  brought  them  tidings  from  the 
wilderness,  and  gave  them  an  account  of  what  had  happened 
there.  By  him  they  were  assured  the  meeting-house  had 
been  unharmed  and  he  gave  them  the  names  of  those  who 
had  been  to  the  wilderness  or  were  proposing  to  settle  there. 
Mr.  Foster  had  purchased  one  first  and  one  second  division 
lot  lying  adjacent  in  the  northeast  part  of  the  town,  now  in 
Ashby.  The  title  to  one  of  the  lots  was  in  dispute  and  the 
proprietors  at  this  meeting  made  him  a  grant  of  fifty  acres. 
Not  content  with  this  measure  of  kindness  to  their  aged 
guest,  the  proprietors  vote  him  five  pounds  "  for  being  one  of 
the  first  settlers."  There  is  no  record  of  the  payment  of 
this  gratuity,  but  a  few  years  later  a  tract  of  about  fifty  acres 
was  granted  to  "  Mr.  Moses  Foster  one  of  the  first  settlers  " 
on  condition  he  "  shall  come  personally  and  settle  and  inhabit 
there  and  continue  there  for  several  years  provided  his  life 
be  spared  him."  This  grant  was  located  adjacent  to  and  east 
of  the  common,  and  for  many  years  was  known  as  the 
Deacon  Foster  grant.  It  is  now  owned  and  occupied  by 
Benjamin  Gushing.  Permission  was  also  given  Mr.  Foster 
to  throw  up  his  house  lot  No.  51,  and  lay  out  another  which 
he  did,  selecting  a  tract  extending  north  from  the  land 
granted  to  him,  but  not  extending  so  far  westward. 


A   RECORD    OF    SETTLEMENTS.  83 

At  this  time  occurred  a  radical  change  in  New  England  in 
the  terms  employed  expressing  money.  In  1736,  the  paper 
money,  styled  old  tenor,  compared  "with  silver  was  worth 
about  one-third  of  its  nominal  value.  It  gradually  depreci- 
ated, until  in  1750  the  bills  issued  by  Massachusetts  were 
rated  at  about  fourteen  per  cent.  In  1749,  England  sent  to 
the  New  England  colonies  in  compensation  for  the  cost  of  the 
recent  war  a  large  amount  of  specie.  The  proportion  of 
Massachusetts,  amounting  to  $612,330.41,  was  employed  in 
redeeming  the  issue  of  paper  money  at  current  rates.  After 
this  date  when  a  sum  of  money  is  stated,  a  pound  will 
represent  an  equivalent  to  $3.33^  in  silver.  Referring  to 
payments  of  money  previously  made,  the  vote  in  1737  to 
give  the  laborers  upon  the  roads,  seven  shillings  per  day 
was  equivalent  to  thirty-one  cents,  and  the  cost  of  building 
the  meeting-house  was  about  two  hundred  and  twenty-five 
dollars.  The  gratuity  tendered  jNIr.  Foster  on  account  of  his 
early  settlement,  was  equivalent  to  two  dollars  and  twenty- 
five  cents.  In  1751,  measures  were  adopted  which  led  to 
the  building  of  a  new  saw-mill.  In  order  to  accomplish  this 
desired  result,  the  proprietors  first  declare  their  independence 
of  Mr.  Gates  and  his  mill,  and  then,  in  the  light  of  a  dis- 
covery, come  to  the  conclusion  that  the  former  grant  of  land 
to  him  is  revoked  and  can  be  given  by  them  to  any  other 
person  or  persons  who  will  undertake  to  build  another  and  a 
better  mill.  With  the  summary  retirement  of  Mr.  Gates, 
the  old  mill  falls  into  decay,  and  the  temper  of  the  proprie- 
tors is  reflected  with  more  serenity  in  the  pages  of  the 
records.  Let  it  not  be  presumed  that  this  continued  trouble 
over  the  saw-mill  has  been  unduly  colored  in  these  annals. 
Only  a  few  of  the  many  complaints  of  the  proprietors  have 
been  mentioned,  and  always  with  a  conscientious  efibrt  to 
temper  their  acerbity. 


Si  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

The  final  vote  was  passed,  November  5,  1751. 

Voted  that  the  proprietors  do  hereb}'  grant  to  Caleb  Dana, 
Timothy  Green  and  Jonathan  D wight  and  their  heirs,  the  stream 
of  water  whereon  the  old  saw-mill  was  built  by  Hezekiah  Gates, 
and  the  ninety  acres  of  land,  sixty  acres  of  which  are  laid  out  near 
or  adjoining  to  said  stream,  which  was  supposed  to  be  granted  to 
the  said  Gates.  They  viz :  Caleb  Dana,  Timothy  Green  and 
Jonathan  Dwight  build  a  saw-mill  and  keep  the  same  in  good 
repair  three  years  after  said  mill  and  a  good  dam  is  well  finished 
at  or  before  the  20*  day  of  Ma}'  next  or  sooner. 

At  the  same  meeting  a  bounty  of  forty-eight  pounds  was 
offered  to  any  one  who  would  build  a  grist-mill  on  the  same 
stream  "as  near  the  saw  mill  as  conveniently  can  be." 
There  were  stipulations  that,  at  the  saw-mill,  work  should 
be  done  at  a  stated  price  and  that  the  grist-mill  should  be 
kept  in  good  repair  and  with  good  attendance  for  the  term 
of  fifteen  years.  It  was  proposed  in  April,  1752,  to  make  a 
further  grant  to  encourage  the  building  of  the  grist-mill 
and  the  subject  was  referred  to  the  next  meeting  with  the 
encouraging  remark  "by  which  time  the  grist-mill  will  be 
finished."  Stimulated  by  these  proceedings  a  new  saw-mill 
and  a  grist-mill  were  soon  built.  Caleb  Dana  of  Cam- 
bridge, the  owner  of  many  lots  of  land  but  never  a  resident 
in  this  township,  and  Elisha  Coolidge,  also  of  Cambridge, 
who  settled  at  this  time  in  Lane  Village,  bought  of  Jonathan 
Dwight  fifty  acres  of  land  situated  southeast  and  adjoining 
the  old  saw-mill  grant.  On  their  new  purchase  they  built 
a  saw-mill  and  a  grist-mill  in  the  year  1752.  These  mills 
were  near  each  other  and  possibly  under  one  roof,  and  were 
located  nearer  the  Upper  Naukeag  than  was  the  old  saw- 
mill. In  January,  1753,  Dana  and  Coolidge  sold  the  two 
mills  and  the  Dwight  land  to  Nathan  Dennis   of  Dudley. 


A    RECORD    OF   SETTLEMENTS.  85 

Mr.  Dennis  removed  tit  once  and  took  possession  of  the 
mills  and  for  a  number  of  years  Mr.  Coolidge  remained 
here.  Dana  and  Coolidge  for  many  years  retained  posses- 
sion of  the  saw-mill  grant.  For  some  reason  the  grant  was 
not  confirmed  to  them  by  the  proprietors  until  1760,  nor 
was  the  gratuity  of  forty-eight  pounds  to  encourage  the 
building  of  the  grist-mill  promptly  paid.  This  delay  led 
to  the  second  lawsuit  which  attended  the  fortunes  of  the 
settlement.  In  this  instance  the  proprietors  were  the 
defendants  and  in  1756  paid  the  successful  litigants  on  an 
execution  the  sum  of  £77-15-2,  and  about  the  same  time 
Mr.  Dennis,  the  proprietor  of  the  mills,  secured  an  execu- 
tion for  the  sum  of  £14-15-3.  The  proprietors,  having 
secured  the  building  of  a  better  saw-mill  and  a  grist-mill 
for  the  accommodation  of  the  settlement  and  satiated  with 
vexatious  experiences  and  the  lawsuits  attending  every 
enterprii^e  in  this  direction,  now  leave  their  management  and 
the  building  of  other  mills  to  the  enterprise  of  business  men. 
The  continued  history  of  mills  and  manufactures  will  be 
found  in  another  chapter. 

In  regard  to  the  location  of  the  first  mills  in  this  town 
there  is  little  doubt.  The  mill  which  was  built  by  Mr. 
Gates  in  1737  was  on  the  saw-mill  grant,  located  on  the 
stream  between  the  Upper  and  Lower  Naukeag  lakes. 
Between  the  grant  and  the  Upper  Naukeag  was  a  lot  of  fifty 
acres  on  which  the  two  mills  were  built  by  Dana  and  Cool- 
idge in  1752.  The  bounds  of  these  tracts  of  land  are  defi- 
nitely defined  and  the  location  of  the  mills  approximately 
shown  by  deeds  recorded  in  the  Worcester  Registry.  The 
first  mill  was  near  the  lower  mill  of  Packard  Brothers,  for- 
merly of  Elias  Lane,  and  not  many  years  since  traces  of  the 
old  log  dam  could  be  seen  about  twenty  yards  south  of  the 
present  dam.     The  other  mills  were  about  sixty  yards  east 


86  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

of  the  mill  in  Lane  Village,  now  of  Packard  Brothers,  for- 
merly of  C.  &  G.  C.  Winchester.  Traces  of  the  dam,  in 
the  present  mill-pond,  still  remain. 

Referring  the  action  of  the  proprietors  in  regard  to  roads 
and  to  ecclesiastical  affairs  to  chapters  devoted  to  those  sub- 
jects, there  are  found  remaining  many  items  of  interest  and 
information  which  relate  to  the  progress  of  the  settlement. 
In  the  proceedings  of  a  meeting  convened  in  March,  1751, 
and  between  the  record  of  two  other  votes  on  disconnected 
subjects  is  found  the  following  assertion  :  "Voted  that  thirty 
men  or  upwards  residing  in  the  township."  This  is  startling 
information.  Turning  to  the  warrant  for  an  article  intro- 
ducing this  vote  there  is  found,  "To  agree  upon  a  speedy 
and  full  compliance  with  the  conditions  of  the  General 
Courts  Grant."  The  conditions  of  the  charter  requiring  the 
settlement  of  a  certain  number  of  families  within  a  limited 
time  had  been  unfulfilled  several  years.  On  account  of  the 
troublous  times  which  had  retarded  the  progress  of  all  the 
younger  settlements,  the  General  Court,  by  tacit  consent  and 
sometimes  by  enactment,  had  extended  in  an  indefinite  man- 
ner the  time  stipulated  for  the  fulfilment  of  the  conditions  of 
the  grants.  Yet  the  policy  of  reminding  the  settlements  of 
their  delinquency  was  being  pursued.  The  solemn  declara- 
tion of  the  proprietors  that  there  were  thirty  men  residing 
in  the  township  at  this  time  should  be  qualified.  It  was  not 
recorded  for  their  own  information  but  was  rather  addressed 
to  the  General  Court.  If  the  vote  had  a  desired  effect  in 
the  quarter  to  which  it  was  directed,  it  did  not  increase  the 
number  of  settlers.  The  population  of  their  plantation  could 
not  be  inflated  at  will  by  resolving  that  the  men  were 
there.  Only  a  few  families  were  residing  in  the  township 
when  this  startling  vote  was  passed,  and  any  mention  of 
thirty  men,  if  correct,  must  have  included  any  who  were 


A    EECOKD   OF    SETTLEMENTS.  87 

repairing  roads  for  the  proprietors  or  clearing  lots  prepara- 
tory to  a  removal  of  their  families ;  but  their  existing  legal 
residence  and  the  home  of  their  families  were  not  as  yet  in 
Dorchester  Canada. 

About  the  time  the  town  was  incorporated,  and  perhaps 
an  incident  of  that  event,  there  are  found  renewed  evidences 
of  discord  between  the  resident  and  non-resident  propri- 
etors. For  several  years  the  meetings  of  the  propriety  had 
been  held  in  Dorchester  Canada  and  in  them  all  there  had 
been  opportunity  for  differences  of  opinion  in  the  policy 
which  should  be  pursued  in  the  general  management  of 
.affairs.  The  non-resident  proprietors  in  forwarding  the  set- 
tlement were  increasing  the  value  of  their  lands,  while  the 
resident  proprietors,  having  a  twofold  interest  in  appropri- 
ations for  roads  and  other  public  concerns,  would  favor 
larger  appropriations  and  the  pursuit  of  a  more  liberal 
policy  in  the  general  management  of  the  corporation.  By 
conciliation  and  sometimes  by  the  postponement  of  con- 
tested measures  an  open  issue  was  avoided,  leaving  the  pro- 
prietors at  greater  liberty  for  a  contest  over  the  place  of 
holding  their  meetings.  The  resident  proprietors  constantly 
increasing  in  number  had  now  maintained  the  meetings  in 
Dorchester  Canada  without  much  interruption  for  several 
years.  There  was  no  injustice  in  their  claim  that  the  minor- 
ity and  wealthier  part  of  the  propriety  could  come  to  the 
plantation  to  attend  meetings  with  less  sacrifice  than  would 
attend  them  in  a  journey  to  Boston.  At  a  meeting  con- 
vened in  Dorchester  Canada  in  April,  17G5,  an  unusual 
amount  of  business  was  transacted,  including  a  vote  that 
nothino^  be  done  about  holdins:  future  meetings  in  some  other 
place.  The  defeated  party  on  the  pretence,  real  or  imagi- 
nary, that  "they  were  hindered  from  giving  their  attend- 
ance  by  reason  of  the   extraordinary  freshets  at  that  time 


88  HISTOEY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

which  rendered  travelling  thither  impracticable,"  immedi- 
ately called  another  meeting.  In  the  warrant  for  this  meet- 
ing there  was  an  article  providing  for  the  reconsideration  of 
all  that  was  done  at  the  April  meeting.  They  assembled  at 
the  meeting-house  ^lay  8.  On  account  of  a  former  vote  a 
meeting  could  not  be  called  elsewhere.  In  the  organization 
of  the  meeting  Seth  Sumner,  a  non-resident  proprietor,  was 
chosen  moderator  in  place  of  either  Elisha  Coolidge,  Dea- 
con Moses  Foster  or  Samuel  Fellows,  wdio  had  frequently 
been  selected  at  former  meetings.  Without  a  vote  on  ahy 
other  question  the  meeting  was  adjourned  to  meet  in  Kox- 
bury,  and  having  met  at  that  })lace  was  adjourned  to  meet 
in  Boston. 

The  Boston  party  continued  the  meeting  over  a  year, 
holding  by  adjournment  eleven  sessions.  They  elected 
Richard  Dana  clerk  in  place  of  Samuel  Wilder  of  Ashburn- 
ham  who  was  elected  in  1763  to  succeed  Nathan  Hej^wood  of 
Lunenburg ;  they  repealed  all  the  measures  adopted  at  the 
April  meeting  and  voted  that  future  meetings  should  be  held 
in  Boston  until  otherwise  ordered.  Not  until  1771  was. 
another  meeting  of  the  proprietors  convened  at  Ashburnham, 
when  Samuel  Wilder  was  again  elected  clerk  and  was  con- 
tinued in  office  until  the  organization  was  practically  extinct. 
Benjamin  Church  of  Boston  remained  the  treasurer  until 
1763  and  was  succeeded  by  Caleb  Wilder  of  Lancaster  and 
by  Jonathan  Samson  of  Ashburnham. 

It  is  certain  that  both  parties  were  united  in  a  vote  passed 
a  short  time  before  the  troubles  began.  It  was  proposed, 
in  1761,  to  "grant  Mr.  Taylor  any  certain  sum  of  money 
to  enable  him  to  build  a  grist  mill  in  the  northeasterly  pai-t 
of  said  township  and  it  passed  in  the  negative  unanimously.'*" 
On  the  question  of  mills  and  the  general  policy  of  having 
any  further  connection  with  them  there  was  the  fullest  meas- 


A   RECORD    OF    SP^TTLEMENTS.  89 

ure  of  sympathy  and  concord.  At  the  previous  meeting  it 
was  voted  to  "grant  James  Colman  about  one  acre  and  one 
hundred  rods  lying  between  the  house  where  he  now  dAvells 
and  the  saw  mill  yard  which  belongs  to  Moses  Foster  Jr. 
and  Zimri  Hey  wood."  The  records  also  declare  that  such 
favor  to  Mr.  Coleman  was  on  account  of  "his  good  service 
in  said  township  in  promoting  the  settlement  there."  This 
land  was  in  the  northeast  part  of  the  town  and  is  now  in 
Ashby. 

In  1761  the  General  Court  so  far  recognized  the  settle- 
ment as  to  impose  a  province  tax  upon  the  lands  and  inhab- 
itants of  the  township.  The  proprietors  instructed  a 
committee  to  apply  to  the  Court  for  relief.  The  petition, 
containing  imformation  of  interest,  is  preserved  in  the  Court 
Records  : 

A  Petition  of  Joshua  Henshaw  Esqr.  and  others,  proprietors 
of  the  plantation  called  Dorchester  Canada,  Setting  forth :  That 
in  the  year  1761  the  General  Court  laid  a  Tax  upon  them  of 
£44-7-1.  and  three  yearly  Taxes  since.  That  the  Lands  in  such 
a  new  Plantation  do  not  yield  the  produce  as  in  those  that  are 
more  cultivated,  and  are  subject  to  early  and  late  frosts,  inso- 
much that  the  Inhabitants  have  not  been  able  to  raise  one  half 
of  their  bread  corn,  but  are  obliged  to  travel  to  other  places  to 
purchase  it.  That  they  are,  besides,  subject  to  the  ravages  of 
wild  beasts,  whereby  they  lose  more  young  Cattle,  Sheep  and 
Swine  than  the  value  of  any  Province  Tax  that  could  equitably  be 
laid  upon  them  and  praying  Relief. 

The  Early  Settlers.  —  A  complete  register  of  the  early 
settlers  of  this  town  cannot  now  be  made.  The  records  in 
the  incidental  employment  of  names  present  no  accurate  list 
and  there  is  no  account  of  an  enumeration  of  persons  or  of 
families  at  any  time  during  the  infimcy  of  the  settlement. 
The  information  which  establishes  the  residence  in  this  town 


90  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

of  the  persons  hereafter  named  has  been  gleaned  from  many 
sources.  In  1751,  when  the  propvrietors  informed  the  Gen- 
eral Court  there  were  thirty  men  or  more  residing  in  the 
township,  Timothy  Mossman  and  Asher  Cutler  had  removed 
to  Sudbury,  from  whence  they  came,  and  did  not  subse- 
quently return.  Thomas  Gamble,  who  was  here  in  1739, 
had  disappeared  and  in  some  other  settlement  was  recount- 
ing his  loss  by  fire.  The  man  employed  by  Benjamin 
Bellows  and  his  associates  on  Bluefield  grant,  and  to  whom 
tradition  assigns  the  name  of  Johnson,  is  not  mentioned  after 
the  desertion  of  the  settlement  in  1744.  Ephraim  Wheeler 
of  Lancaster  who  was  the  managing  proprietor  of  the  block- 
house was  frequently  here  until  1760,  but  probably  never 
resided  in  the  township. 

Moses  Foster  is  found  residing  here  in  1750,  but  the  date 
of  his  arrival  is  not  definitely  known.  About  1750  he 
removed  from  the  northeast  part  of  the  township  to  land 
granted  him  near  the  old  common  where  he  was  a  licensed 
innholder  in  1751  and  in  later  years.  His  name  will  fre- 
quently occur  in  the  continued  record  of  the  settlement. 

James  Coleman  with  a  numerous  family  left  Ipswich,  Mas- 
sachusetts, 1743,  and  the  same  year  united  with  the  church 
in  Lunenburg.  He  is  claimed  as  a  resident  of  Lunenburg 
until  1760,  but  it  is  certain  that  he  early  settled  on  his  land 
in  the  northeast  part  of  the  township,  now  in  Ashby,  and 
very  near  if  not  adjacent  to  the  first  clearing  of  Moses  Fos- 
ter. Possibly  when  apprehensive  of  danger  he  retired  within 
the  line  of  the  fortifications  and  being  found  a  member  of  the 
church  in  Lunenburg,  it  was  erroneously  presumed  that  he 
was  a  resident  of  that  place.  He  was  a  prominent  man  in 
the  settlement  and  was  later  a  valued  citizen  of  Ashby. 

Elisha  Coolidge  came  from  Cambridge,  1752.  He  prob- 
abl}^  assisted  in  building  the  mills  and  for  a  time  owned  an 


A   RECORD   OF   SETTLEMENTS.  91 

interest  in  them  which  he  conveyed  to  Nathan  Dennis, 
December  13,  1752.  He  was  a  licensed  innholder  1759, 
1760  and  1761.  He  was  one  of  the  original  members  of  the 
church  and  will  be  frequently  named  in  the  following  pages. 

Nathan  Dennis  was  from  Dudley.  He  owned  the  mills 
and  was  an  innholder  1753  and  1754.  He  returned  to 
Dudley  about  1756. 

Jeremiah  Foster  removed  from  Harvard  and  settled  on 
the  Gamaliel  Hadley  farm  in  1753.  In  1757  he  was  chosen 
a  committee  to  repair  the  roads  and  subsequently  his  name 
is  frequently  repeated  in  the  records. 

John  Bates,  Benjamin  Spaulding  and  Zimri  Heywood 
were  residents  of  the  northeast  part  previous  to  1760.  In 
1767  they  were  included  within  the  new  town  of  Ashby. 

Thomas  Wheeler  was  here  and  an  innholder  in  1756.  He 
was  one  of  the  original  members  of  the  church,  moderator 
of  the  second  town  meeting,  1765,  and  probably  moved 
away  that  year. 

Moses  Foster,  Jr.,  was  in  Dorchester  Canada  in  1758  and 
perhaps  came  with  his  father  several  years  earlier.  His 
eldest  child  died  here  in  1760.  The  family  removed  to  Shel- 
burne  in  1771.  He  lived  in  the  northeast  part  of  the  town 
and  in  1760  he  and  Zimri  Heywood  had  a  mill  there. 

Unity  Brown  was  a  resident  here  in  1759,  but  the  date  of 
his  arrival  is  not  known.  The  marriage  of  Unity  Brown 
of  Dorchester  Canada  and  Rebecca  Arnold  of  Shrewsbury 
August  16,  1759,  is  entered  on  the  records  of  Shrewsbury 
and  Lunenburg.  He  united  with  the  church  at  its  organiza- 
tion but  his  name  is  not  anywhere  found  after  1762. 

Enos  Jones  from  Lunenburg  settled  on  the  Bluefield 
grant  in  1761.  He  was  then  nineteen  years  of  age  and 
was  not  married  until  several  years  later.  A  part  of  the 
land  owned  by  him  has  remained  in  the  possession  of  his 
descendants  until  within  the  memory  of  many  now  living. 


92  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

Samuel  Fellows  removed  from  Harvard,  1762.  He  set- 
tled in  the  centre  of  the  town  and  built  the  first  mill  on 
Phillips'  brook.  It  was  located  just  north  of  the  blacksmith 
shop  and  very  near  the  site  of  the  shop  of  Rockwood  & 
Walker  that  was  burned  in  1883.  With  the  father  came  Sam- 
uel Fellows,  Jr.     They  removed  ten  years  later  to  Shelburne. 

Samuel  Nichols  from  Harvard  bought  the  mills  at  the  out- 
let of  Naukeag  lake  which  had  been  owned  by  Dana,  Cool- 
idge  and  Dennis.  In  1777  he  removed  to  Walpole,  New 
Hampshire. 

William  Whitcomb,  also  from  Harvard,  settled  on  land 
which  was  later  known  as  the  George  Howard  farm.  For 
several  years  he  was  one  of  the  most  active  and  influential 
men  in  the  place,  but  later  his  name  is  seldom  found  in  the 
records.     He  died  here  at  an  advanced  age. 

Jonathan  Samson,  like  many  of  the  other  settlers,  was 
one  of  the  proprietors  and  had  owned  a  right  in  the  township 
sometime  previous  to  his  settlement  on  the  Merrick  Whit- 
ney farm  in  1762.  It  is  possible  he  was  here  before  the 
date  given.  The  birth  of  his  eldest  child  May  7,  1759,  is 
recorded  here,  but  there  is  no  assertion  that  the  child  was 
bom  in  Dorchester  Canada. 

Stephen  Ames  settled  east  of  Rice  pond,  as  early  as  1762. 
He  removed  from  town  in  1777. 

Tristram  Cheney  was  from  Sudbury.  He  was  an  active 
citizen.  While  he  remained  no  one  exercised  a  more  con- 
trolling influence  in  the  direction  of  public  affiiirs.  He 
settled  where  Horace  W.  Houston  now  lives,  and  in  1774 
removed  to  Antrim,  New  Hampshire. 

William  Joyner  was  probably  from  Sudbury.  He  was 
here  in  1763,  town  clerk  1766,  1767  and  1768,  united  with 
the  church,  1769,  but  there  is  no  record  of  his  death  or  of 
his  dismissal  from  the  church.  In  1770  he  was  not  taxed 
and  it  is  probable  he  removed  late  in  1769  or  early  in  1770. 


A   RECORD    OF   SETTLEMENTS.  93 

Ebenezer  Conant,  from  Concord,  settled  probably  near  and 
west  of  Rice  pond.  He  was  residing  here  in  1763.  He  was 
sixty-four  years  of  age  at  that  time.  With  him  came  his 
son,  Ebenezer  Conant,  Jr. 

John  Martin,  Ebenezer  Hemenway,  Abraham  Smith, 
Deliverance  Davis,  who  settled  on  the  David  Russell  place, 
now  owned  by  Mrs.  Russell,  George  Dickerson,  Jeremiah 
Bridge  and  a  few  others,  arrived  here  so  near  the  close  of 
the  annals  of  Dorchester  Canada  that  they  should  be  counted 
among  the  early  arrivals  in  the  new  town  of  Ashburnham. 

There  is  evidence  that  a  few  families  were  residing  on  the 
Rolfe,  the  Starr  and  the  Converse  grants  at  an  early  date, 
but  there  is  found  no  mention  of  the  names. 

During  the  arrivals  of  the  settlers  who  have  been  named, 
the  Germans  were  making  substantial  progress  in  the  settle- 
ment of  Lexington  grant.  They  were  independent  of  the 
proprietors,  and  except  in  the  sympathies  of  a  new  settle- 
ment, they  were  a  community  by  themselves. 

Ye  Dutchmen.  —  The  German  settlement  in  the  eastern 
part  of  the  town  was  a  substantial  contribution  to  the  intelli- 
gence and  population  of  the  settlement.  These  emigrants 
were  educated  people,  equal  in  character  and  ability  to  their 
contemporaries  in  the  township.  They  were  in  full  sympa- 
thy with  the  other  settlers  in  religion,  in  hatred  of  tyranny 
and  in  zealous  defence  of  their  political  rights.  In  the 
Revolution  no  portion  manifested  a  livelier  interest  or  con- 
tributed more  in  treasure,  sacrifice  or  service.  They  had 
fled  from  tyranny  in  their  native  land  and  were  quick  to 
recognize  and  resist  oppression  in  any  form.  The  sturdy, 
frugal,  industrious  characteristics  of  the  fathers  have  been 
renewed  in  their  children.  From  the  first  they  have  been 
received  into  full  fellowship  and  admitted  on  equal  terms  to 
all  social  and  public  privileges.     By  assimilation  and  inter- 


94  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

maiTiage,  they  are  no  longer  a  distinct  people,  yet  the  im- 
press of  this  element  of  the  population  of  the  town  has  been 
healthful  and  salutary.  There  remains  an  impulse  not  to 
mention  the  German  settlers  in  a  separate  paragraph  and  in 
no  manner  distinguish  them  from  other  members  of  a 
cemented  common  community.  The  impulse  would  prevail 
save  from  a  fear  that  the  omission  of  particular  reference 
would  falsely  be  ascribed  to  an  indifferent  recognition  of 
their  character  and  worth.  The  events  which  influenced 
their  settlement  in  this  town  are  not  concealed.  They  were 
in  Lexington  in  1757  and  not  destitute  of  money.  Their 
imperfect  knowledge  of  the  English  language  and  other 
reasons,  at  once  apparent,  urged  them  to  settle  in  one  com- 
munity if  sufficient  land  could  be  found  at  a  convenient 
point.  The  town  of  Lexington  offered  to  sell  them  one 
thousand  acres  of  land  in  a  continuous  tract.  They  bought 
it  and  came  here.  If  Lexington  grant  in  1735  had  been 
located  in  any  other  place  they  would  have  gone  there.  The 
deed  bears  date  of  December,  1757,  and  is  recorded  in 
March,  1758.  The  original  grantees  were  Henry  Hole, 
Christian  William  Whiteman,  Jacob  Schoffe,  Simon  Eoda- 
mell,  Peter  Perry,  John  Eich  and  John  Kiberling.  All  of 
these,  except  Peter  Perry,  whose  name  does  not  appear 
again,  immediately  settled  on  the  Lexington  grant.  At  the 
same  time  or  the  following  year,  Jacob  Selham,  Andrew 
Windrow,  Henry  Stack,  widow  Constantine  and  Jacob 
Barkardst  settled  near  them.  John  Oberlock  and  Philip 
Vorback  bought  land  and  resided  south  of  the  old  common 
and  near  the  site  of  Gushing  Academy.  In  1774,  Jacob 
Wilker  removed  from  Boston  to  the  farm  still  owned  and 
occupied  by  his  descendants.  These  were  born  in  Germany, 
and  Lexington  grant,  where  most  of  them  resided,  soon 
became  known  as  the  Dutch  farms. 


A    RECORD    OF    SETTLEMENTS.  95 

John  Kiblinger — the  name  is  now  written  Kibling  —  first 
settled  in  Maine  but  soon  removed  to  Boston.  In  1758,  with 
his  wife  and  three  children,  he  came  to  Dorchester  Canada. 
He  was  prominent  in  public  aflairs  until  his  death,  April  4, 
1777,  aged  about  fifty-five  years.  This  family  first  located 
north  of  the  Wilker  farm,  but  subsequently  they  exchanged 
farms  with  the  Constantines  and  removed  to  the  fixrm  now  of 
George  A.  Willard. 

Constantine.  — This  family  consisted  of  a  widow  and  her 
children,  the  husband  and  father  having  died  in  Boston  a 
short  time  previous  to  their  removal  to  this  town.  She  died 
April  25,  1782,  aged  nearly  eighty  years.  Jacob  Constan- 
tine, a  son,  married  July  5,  1773,  a  daughter  of  Christian 
William  Whiteman.  He  died  from  injuries  received  by 
being  thrown  from  a  bridge  in  Ashby,  March  8,  1814,  aged 
sixty-one  years.  As  previously  stated,  this  family  finally 
settled  on  a  farm  still  associated  with  the  name  and  situated 
north  of  the  farm  of  Joseph  W.  Wilker. 

Christian  William  Whiteman,  or  Whitman,  settled  on  the 
farm  now  of  Warren  E.  Marble.  He  was  an  active,  intelli- 
gent man.  In  this  family  there  were  six  children,  three  of 
whom  were  born  in  this  town.  In  1796,  the  aged  parents 
removed  to  Haverhill,  New  Hampshire,  where  one  of  their 
sons  was  then  residing. 

Jacob  Schofte  resided  near  the  Whitemans  until  1777  when 
he  removed  to  Haverhill,  New  Hampshire.  While  he  re- 
mained, his  name  receives  honorable  mention  in  the  records. 

Henry  Hole  assumed  the  name  of  Hall.  He  was  forty 
years  of  age  at  the  time  he  settled  on  the  Captain  Lemuel 
Whitney  farm  now  owned  by  Levi  E.  Flint  of  Ashby.  He 
died  in  this  town  1794,  aged  eighty-three  years.  His 
eldest  son  was  born  on  the  ocean. 


96  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

Simon  Rodamell  had  a  farm  near  the  home  of  Jacob 
Schoffe.  In  1777  he  presented  letters  of  recommendation 
from  a  Lutheran  church  in  Germany  and  was  admitted  to 
the  church  in  this  town.  In  later  years  the  name  has  been 
changed  to  Rodimon.  He  died  1813,  aged  ninety-three 
years. 

John  Rich,  one  of  the  early  German  settlers,  was  an  active 
citizen  while  he  remained  in  the  township.  He  was  living 
in  Ashburnham  in  1774,  but  previous  to  1778,  he  removed 
to  Haverhill,  New  Hampshire. 

Andrew  Windrow.  — To  end  a  season  of  discontent  con- 
cerning his  German  name,  he  found  a  glorious  summer  in 
the  name  of  Winter.  His  farm  was  northeast  from  the 
centre  of  the  town.  He  died  November  22,  1792,  aged 
seventy  years.  His  widow  died  1814.  Andrew  Winter, 
Jr.,  resided  on  a  farm  that  was  annexed  to  Ashby  in  1792. 

Jacob  Selham  resided  on  the  borders  of  the  German  settle- 
ment. When  Ashby  was  incorporated,  he  was  included  in 
that  town.  The  name  was  changed  to  Sellenham.  He  died 
1769,  aged  sixty  years.  His  son,  Henry  Sellenham,  is  fre- 
quently mentioned  in  the  records  of  Ashby. 

Henry  Stack,  later  known  as  Steele,  is  said  to  have  been 
buried  in  this  town.  No  record  of  his  death  has  been  dis- 
covered. 

The  Lexington  grant  was  originally  purchased  by  Henry 
Hall,  Christian  William  Whiteman,  Jacob  Schoffe,  Simon 
Rodamell,  Peter  Perry,  John  Rich  and  John  Kiblinger. 
Peter  Perry  immediately  sold  his  interest  to  his  associates 
and  the  land  was  divided  among  them.  James  Locke  of 
Townsend,  later  of  Ashby,  was  employed  to  survey  and 
divide  the  land  into  lots.  About  one  hundred  and  fifty  acres 
of  meadow  were  reserved  as  common  lands  and  the  remainder 
was  divided  into  fourteen  lots  of  unequal  areas. 


A    RECORD    OF    SETTLEMENTS.  97 

In  the  distribution  of  land  among  the  six  remaining  pro- 
prietors, to  Henry  Hall  was  assigned  a  lot  in  the  northeast 
corner  and  a  lot  near  the  centre  of  the  south  line.  Christian 
William  Whiteman  received  a  lot  on  the  east  line,  south  of 
the  first  lot  of  Mr.  Hall,  a  lot  near  the  centre  of  the  north 
line,  and  a  small  lot  near  the  centre  of  the  west  line.  Jacob 
SchoiFe  took  a  lot  near  the  centre  of  the  east  line  and  south  of 
Mr.  Whiteman's  first  lot,  and  a  lot  of  irregular  outline  in  the 
southwest  corner.  John  Rich  became  the  owner  of  a  lot  on 
the  east  line  south  of  the  first  lot  of  Mr.  Schofi'e  and  a  gener- 
ous lot  in  the  centre  of  the  grant.  To  John  Kiblinger  was 
given  a  lot  in  the  southeast  and  another  in  the  northwest 
corners  of  the  grant.  To  Simon  Rodamell  was  awarded  two 
lots  near  the  centre  of  the  grant,  one  north  and  one  south  of 
the  lot  of  Mr.  Rich  and  a  small  lot  near  the  centre  of  the 
west  line  between  lands  of  Mr.  Whiteman  and  Mr.  Schofi'e. 

The  Province  Line. — The  boundaries  of  Dorchester 
Canada  were  established  in  January,  1736.  Five  years  later 
the  province  line  was  run  which  severed  a  considerable  tract 
of  land  from  the  township  and  gave  it  to  New  Hampshire. 
Allowing  for  a  variation  of  the  needle,  the  province  line 
was  run  north  80°  west,  while  the  northern  boundary  of  the 
township  was  located  north  78°  west.  The  difference  be- 
tween the  town  course  across  the  township  would  lead  to  a 
divergence  of  about  one  hundred  rods.  The  province  line 
entered  Dorchester  Canada  about  ten  rods  south  of  the 
northeast  corner  and  passing  westward,  cutting  wider  and 
wider,  it  severed  one  hundred  and  ten  rods  at  the  north- 
west corner.  The  detached  area  was  two  thousand  three 
hundred  and  forty  rods  in  length  with  an  average  width  of 
sixty  rods,  amounting  to  eight  hundred  and  seventy-seven 
acres.  In  the  northeast  corner  of  the  township  there  had 
been  laid  out  twelve  second  division  lots  which  were  clipped 


98  HISTORY    OF    ASHBURNHAM. 

by  the  province  line.  On  the  northern  side  of  the  township 
no  other  lots  had  been  laid  out.  Through  the  remainder  of 
its  course  the  province  line  took  tribute  from  the  undivided 
lands.  By  subsequent  grants,  the  proprietors  make  restitu- 
tion to  the  owners  of  the  mutilated  lots,  but  their  loss  from 
the  common  land  was  never  compensated.  Twice  they 
chose  a  committee  to  petition  the  General  Court  for  remu- 
neration, and  as  late  as  1764,  they  voted  to  have  the  claim 
revived.  It  had  been  delayed  too  long.  The  era  of  grants 
was  ended.  In  the  prosecution  of  this  claim  the  proprietors 
joined  another  which  arose  from  the  inadequate  allowance 
for  the  ponds  in  the  original  survey  of  the  township.  The 
proprietors  informed  the  General  Court  that  the  allowance 
of  three  hundred  acres  which  was  then  made  was  an  error  at 
once  apparent,  as  indeed  it  was.  They  submitted  an  esti- 
mate of  the  several  ponds  in  the  township  made  by  Caleb 
Wilder  and  Nathan  Hey  wood.  This  ancient  reference  to  the 
ponds  is  of  interest : 

The  Great  pond  in  Dorchester  Canada  that 

the  mill  stands  on  [Upper  Naukeag]  680  acres 

In  the  Lower  Manockeeg  330  " 

the  long  pond  by  mount  Hunger  hill  270  " 

In  one  of  the  great  Watatock  ponds  70  " 

In  the  other       "             "             "  30  " 

In  one  of  the  little  Watatock  ponds  30  " 

In  the  pond  by  the  third  Division  School  Lot  80  " 
The   pond   in   the  Southwest  corner   of  the 

township  100  " 
That  part  of  the  Menomanack  lying  in  Dor- 
chester Canada  100  " 
Taken   off   by  the   Province  line  from  Dor- 
chester Canada  877  '* 

In  these  statements  it  was  claimed  that   the  proprietors 
had  lost  one  thousand  three  hundred  and  ninety  acres  on 


A   EECORD   OF    SETTLEMENTS.  99 

account  of  the  ponds  and  eight  hundred  and  seventy-seven 
acres  by  the  establishment  of  the  province  line. 

The  contributions  of  land  to  Ashby  and  to  Gardner,  when 
those  towns  w^ere  incorporated,  will  receive  mention  here- 
after. The  northeast  corner  of  the  original  township  before 
it  suffered  any  dismemberment  was  about  two  miles  east  of 
the  present  bound.  The  southwest  corner  was  at  Gardner 
Centre.  The  northwest  corner  was  within  Monomonock 
lake,  in  Rindge.  In  the  estimate  of  losses  exhibited  to  the 
General  Court  there  is  an  error  of  one  hundred  acres.  That 
part  of  Monomonock  lake  which  fell  within  the  limits  of  the 
old  survey  is  reckoned  a  part  of  eight  hundred  and  seventy- 
seven  acres  cut  oft'  by  the  province  line  and  is  also  included 
in  the  losses  on  account  of  the  ponds. 

The  Manufacture  of  Potash. — One  hundred  years 
ago  potash  was  made  in  all  the  new  towns,  and  for  obvious 
reason  the  business  was  continued  until  the  supply  of  ashes 
became  limited.  A  sketch  of  Ashburnham  found  in  Whit- 
ney's History  of  Worcester  County,  1793,  contains  the 
assertion,  "here  are  potash  works  and  have  been  from  its 
infancy ;  and  the  first  complete  ton  of  this  article  carried 
into  market  was  from  Ashburnham."  It  is  probable  that 
this  sketch  was  contributed  by  Eev.  Dr.  Gushing.  The 
authorship  is  reflected  both  in  the  substance  and  in  the  man- 
ner of  expression,  and  many  of  the  details  are  repeated  in 
nearly  the  same  words  in  his  Half  Century  Sermon,  twenty- 
five  years  later.  Dr.  Gushing  never  wrote  carelessly  and 
the  statement  can  be  accepted  without  qualification.  The 
earliest  reference  to  this  manufacture  appears  in  a  vote  of  the 
proprietors,  1753,  ofiering  to  Benjamin  Frobisher  one  right 
of  land  in  the  township,  whenever  he  commenced  the  manu- 
facture there  and  gave  four  shillings,  old  tenor,  for  each 
bushel  of   ashes   delivered  at  his  place  of  business.     The 


100  HISTORY    OF    ASHBURNHAM. 

price  named  was  equivalent  to  nine  cents  in  silver.  At  a 
later  meeting,  a  committee  was  instructed  to  purchase  a  right 
of  land  for  this  purpose  at  an  approaching  sale  of  land  for 
the  payment  of  taxes.  Subsequently,  it  was  proposed  that 
the  proprietors  agree  to  deliver  3000  bushels  each  year  at 
6 J  pence,  or  near  8^  cents  per  bushel.  The  grant  of  land  to 
encourage  this  enterprise  was  never  made,  nor  is  there  an}' 
evidence  that  Mr.  Frobisher  ever  located  in  the  township. 
It  is  more  probable  that  this  enterprise  in  its  infancy  was 
encouraged  by  Caleb  Wilder  of  Lancaster,  a  man  of  ability 
and  enterprise.  He  was  one  of  the  proprietors  of  Dorchester 
Canada,  and  exercised  a  controlling  influence  in  its  affairs. 
He  was  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  potash  in  several 
places,  and  was  the  first  to  employ  kettles  in  forwarding  the 
process  of  evaporation,  and  it  was  here  he  manufactured  that 
historical  ton  of  potash,  at  that  time  the  largest  shipment 
that  had  been  made  at  one  time.  One  of  the  early  and 
longest  continued  works  of  this  character  was  situated  nearly 
opposite  the  No.  1  school-house.  The  water  for  the  leaches 
was  conveyed  from  a  spring  not  far  from  the  Powder  House. 
At  this  place  Joseph  Jewett  and  Ivers  Jewett  manufactured 
large  quantities  of  potash.  The  works  were  under  the 
supervision  of  John  Woods.  Captain  Lemuel  Whitney 
and  several  others  were  engaged  in  this  manufacture  until 
a  comparatively  recent  date. 

The  Distribution  or  Lands.  —  Very  earl}^  in  the  pro- 
ceedings of  the  proprietors,  the  first  division  lots  of  fifty 
acres  and  the  second  division  lots  of  eighty  acres  were  laid 
out  and  became  the  private  property  of  the  several  proprie- 
tors. Exclusive  of  the  six  grants  within  the  township,  over 
which  the  proprietors  had  no  control,  the  undivided  land, 
comprising  nearly  two-thirds  of  the  township,  was  the 
common  property  of  the  corporation.     Passing  over  many 


A    RECOUD   OF    SETTLEMENTS.  101 

votes  and  the  selection  of  committees  to  lay  out  additional 
lands  which  produced  no  results,  the  first  substantial  accom- 
plishment was  in  1762,  when  a  third  division  lot  of  eighty 
acres   was  assigned   to  the    owner   of    each  right.     A  few 
of  these  lots  were    assigned   previously  but  there   was  no 
Sfeneral   distribution  until    this  date.     A  fourth  and  a  fifth 
division  soon  followed.     The  last  were  called  equivalent  lots, 
for  the  reason  that  the  more  valuable  ones  were  given  to  the 
persons  who  had  drawn  inferior  fourth  division  lots.     After 
these   distributions  of  land,   there    remained  about   twenty 
small  tracts  of  land  in  diflerent  parts  of  the  township,  in- 
cluding five  islands  in  Upper  Naukeag.      These  remained 
common  property  until  an  auction  sale  in   1781.     At  this 
sale  a  tract  of  fifty  acres  was  purchased  by  Rev.  John  Cush- 
ins:.     This  was  the  orio-inal  nurfiber  51  in  the  first  division 
which   the   proprietors   allowed    Deacon   Moses   Foster   to 
relinquish  and  lay  out  another  lot  bearing  the  same  number 
a  short  distance  northeast  of  the  common.     The  great  island 
was  sold  to  Edward  Withington  and  the  four  smaller  islands 
were    purchased   by  Timothy  Fisher.     The  common  lands 
were  the  capital  of  the  corporation  of  the  proprietors,  and 
when  this  was  all  disposed  of  the  organization  was  dissolved. 
The  owner  of  each  right  in  the  township  had  received  five 
tracts  of  land  and  had  been  required  to  pay  one-sixtieth  of 
all  the  taxes  assessed  from  time  to  time.     When  the  remain- 
ing lands  were  sold    and   the  debts  liquidated,   there  was 
remaining  in  the  treasury  a  sum  of  money  which  was  divided 
among  the  proprietors,  and  on  each  right  was  paid  £2-10-2. 
From  a  financial  stand-point,  if  the  value  of  the  land  and  this 
insignificant  dividend  exceeded  the  amount  of  taxes  assessed 
from  time  to  time,  the   enterprise  was  successful.     But  in 
forwarding  and  solidifying  the  settlement,  in  extending  the 
fruits  of  organization,  and  in  their  agency  in  the  control  of 


102  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

public  afikirs  the  proprietors  were  inspired  by  loftier  pur- 
poses and  nobler  aims. 

The  following  table  presents  a  list  of  the  owners  of  the 
several  rights  when  the  propriety  was  organized  and  the 
first  division  of  lands  was  made.  Compared  with  the  list 
in  Chapter  II.,  it  is  found  that  sixteen  persons  who  were 
admitted  as  grantees  of  the  township  had  sold  their  interest 
in  the  grant  previous  to  the  early  meetings  of  the  proprie- 
tors. The  right-hand  column  gives  the  name  of  some 
subsequent  OAvner  of  the  same  right.  Five  rights  were 
continued  in  the  same  name  throughout  the  existence  of  the 
organization.  In  some  instances  a  right  was  owned  by 
several  persons  in  succession.  In  filling  the  right-hand 
column  in  such  cases,  the  name  of  the  person  in  whose 
possession  the  right  remained  the  longest  time  has  been 
selected. 

This  list  of  proprietors  introduces  many  names  which 
became  intimately  associated  with  the  continued  history  of 
the  town.  Zimri  Heywood,  Ebenezer  Conant,  Jonathan 
Samson,  Samuel  Fellows,  James  Coleman,  David  Taylor, 
James  Spaulding,  Nathan  Melvin,  John  Bates,  Jonathan 
Gates,  Nathan  Dennis,  Elisha  Coolidge,  Moses  Fostet, 
Josiah  AVilder,  Jonathan  Winchester,  Stephen  Ames  and 
David  Clark  were  well-known  resident  proprietors.  Many 
of  the  non-resident  proprietors  were  succeeded  by  their  sons 
who  subsequently  occupied  the  lands  acquired  by  inheritance. 
Among  this  class  the  families  of  Wilder,  Stearns,  Kelton, 
Dana  and  Crehore  are  conspicuous. 

The  families  who  settled  on  any  of  the  six  minor  grants 
do  not  appear  in  these  records  of  the  proprietors,  and  not 
until  the  act  of  incorporation  did  they  constitute  a  part  of 
the  body  politic. 


A    RECORD    OF    SETTLEMENTS. 


103 


Sz; 

O 

o 

2 

5'' 

O 

^ 

1 

oc 

> 

i£ 

'c 

H 

LATER    OWNERS    OF     THE 

ORIGINAL   PKOPKIKTOK8. 

r; 

c 

> 

0 

U 

o 
2 

a 
c 

X 

•-5 

5 
c- 

SAME    HKillT. 

Ph 

H 

^ 

K 

Timotliy  Mossinan, 

1 

35 

31 

7 

32 

Zimri  Heywood. 

Elisha  Tilestone, 

2 

45 

18 

39 

12 

William  Babcock. 

William  Cooper, 

3 

49 

57 

23 

35 

Joshua  Henshaw. 

Andrew  Wilder, 

4 

24 

36 

12 

55 

William  Scott. 

Edward  Sumner, 

5 

29 

51 

GO 

13 

Samuel  Sumner. 

Joseph  Triscott, 

G 

47 

2 

IS 

45 

John  Moffatt. 

John  Swift, 

7 

20 

17 

53 

19 

Eben'r  Conant. 

Ministry, 

8 

11 

16 

62 

62 

School, 

9 

12 

15 

63 

63 

Hezekiah  Barber, 

10 

58 

6 

55 

21 

Caleb  Dana. 

Samuel  Blake, 

11 

17 

40 

17 

43 

John  Moffatt. 

Edward  Hartwell, 

12 

14 

5 

14 

60 

Jonathan  Samson. 

Thomas  Wilder, 

13 

41 

7 

54 

20 

Recompense    Wards- 
M'orth  Stirason. 

Joseph  Weeks, 

14 

56 

48 

56 

22 

do        do         do 

Josiali  Baker, 

15 

42 

38 

44 

24 

Samuel  Fellows. 

Ebenezer  Crane, 

16 

22 

52 

48 

6 

William  Bowdoin. 

Hezekiah  Barber, 

17 

18 

62 

47 

7 

James  Coleman. 

Joseph  Warren, 

18 

3 

30 

20 

42 

Samuel  Fellows. 

Isaac  Royal, 

19 

52 

50 

16 

32 

Samuel  Fellows. 

Timothy  Tilestone, 

20 

8 

42 

28 

23 

Gordon. 

Isaac  Royal, 

21 

43 

59 

42 

17 

Caleb  Dana. 

Matthias  Evans, 

22 

4 

12 

50 

10 

Criggs. 

John  Andrews, 

23 

30 

63 

21 

36 

David  Taylor. 

Thomas  Tilestone, 

24 

2 

45 

9 

26 

Caleb  Wilder. 

Nathan  Heywood, 

25 

37 

14 

15 

31 

Caleb  Wilder. 

Joseph  Wilder,  Esq., 

26 

7 

27 

31 

38 

Caleb  Wilder. 

Benjamin  Bird,  Jr., 

27 

26 

43 

49 

9 

James  Spaulding. 

Ralph  Pope, 

28 

57 

21 

11 

46 

Ebenezer  Pope. 

Humphrey  Atherton, 

29 

31 

28 

30 

30 

Nathan  Heywood. 

Nathaniel  Blake, 

30 

33 

22 

32 

40 

Isaac  Stearns. 

James  Mears, 

31 

40 

8 

26 

51 

Samuel  Dwight. 

John  Crehore, 

32 

6 

39 

6 

50 

John  Crehore. 

Isaac  How, 

33 

23 

19 

61 

61 

Isaac  Stearns. 

Robert  Redman, 

34 

5 

34 

33 

18 

Isaac  Stearns. 

Thomas  Tilestone, 

35 

39 

33 

52 

33 

Nathan  Melvin. 

Thomas  Tilestone, 

36 

60 

29 

36 

5 

Caleb  Dana. 

Oliver  Wilder, 

37 

32 

46 

46 

41 

John  Bates. 

Benjamin  Sumner, 

38 

53 

11 

5 

49 

Benjamin  Sumner. 

Joseph  Wheelock, 

39 

16 

1 

19 

3 

Jonathan  Gates. 

Ebenezer  Clapp, 

40 

59 

13 

10 

57 

Benjamin  Hammett. 

John  Shepard, 

41 

9 

37 

4 

48 

Oliver  Wilder. 

William  White, 

42 

55 

9 

41 

56 

Caleb  Dana. 

Samuel  Henshaw, 

43 

] 

25 

40 

28 

Caleb  Dana. 

William  Cooper, 

44 

28 

41 

43 

8 

Alexander  Hill. 

Nehemiah  Clapp, 

45 

25 

10 

35 

2 

Nehemiah  Clapp. 

Jonathan  Dwight, 

46 

63 

3 

1 

34 

Nathan  Dennis. 

Edward  Kelton, 

47 

50 

47 

34 

11 

Heirs. 

Samuel  Butt, 

48 

44 

20 

3 

47 

Elisha  Coolidge. 

104 


HISTORY   OF   ASIIBURNHAM. 


o 

o 

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22 

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LATER    OWNERS   OF     THE 

ORIGINAL     PROPRIETORS. 

p! 

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SAME     RIGHT. 

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Benjamin  Jewett, 

49 

46 

61 

45 

27 

Jonathan  Gates. 

Joshua  George, 

50 

19 

4 

2 

25 

Elisha  Coolidge. 

Robert  Cook, 

51 

30 

55 

27 

15 

Moses  Foster. 

Thomas  Lyon,  Jr., 

52 

48 

56 

13 

53 

Josiah  Wilder. 

Ricliard  Withington, 

53 

61 

44 

37 

4 

Henry  Coolidge. 

James  Atherton, 

54 

51 

58 

57 

44 

Caleb  Dana. 

Seth  Sumner, 

55 

62 

24 

51 

14 

Caleb  Dana. 

James  Swift, 

56 

21 

23 

29 

54 

James  Swift. 

First  Minister, 

57 

10 

53 

24 

16 

Jonathan  Winchester. 

Bartholomew  Gould, 

58 

13 

35 

22 

37 

Moses  Burgess. 

Samuel  Kneeland, 

59 

54 

49 

59 

1 

Samuel  Kneeland. 

John  Robinson,  Jr., 

r.0 

27 

60 

25 

50 

Stephen  Ames. 

Thomas  Tilestone, 

61 

15 

54 

8 

58 

Benjamin  Church. 

Thomas  Stearns, 

62 

38 

26 

58 

39 

David  Clark. 

William  Sumner, 

63 

34 

32 

38 

20 

Eben'r  Hemenway. 

Many  of  the  non-resident  proprietors  were  men  of  influ- 
ence and  character  and  during  their  connection  with  the 
afiairs  of  this  town  were  actively  engaged  in  other  pursuits. 
One  of  the  most  influential  and  useful  members  of  the  pro- 
priety was  Caleb  Wilder.  He  was  a  son  of  the  elder  Judge 
Joseph  Wilder  and  a  lifelong  resident  of  Lancaster.  Own- 
ing several  rights  in  the  plantation,  from  an  early  date  until 
after  the  incorporation  of  the  town,  he  continued  to  exercise 
a  controlling  influence  in  the  general  direction  of  its  affairs. 
He  introduced  the  manufacture  of  potash  here  and  was  a 
leading  spirit  in  all  the  concerns  of  the  settlement.  In  1765 
he  was  styled  major  and  probably  held  other  commissions 
in  this  line  of  service.  He  was  a  deacon  of  the  church  and 
honorably  filled  many  positions  of  trust  in  his  native  town. 
He  died  June  19,  1776,  aged  sixty-six  years.  Two  of  his 
sons,  Caleb,  Jr.,  and  Samuel,  became  useful  citizens  of  this 
town.  In  an  eminent  degree  they  reflected  the  sterling 
character  and  marked  ability  of  their  honored  father. 


A   RECORD    OF    SETTLEMENTS.  105 

Joseph  Wilder,  another  son  of  Judge  Joseph  Wilder,  was- 
born  in  Lancaster,  1708.  He  was  a  surveyor,  a  magistrate, 
a  colonel  in  the  militia,  and  after  the  death  of  his  father  he 
was  also  one  of  the  Justices  of  the  County  Court.  He  set- 
tled in  the  North  Precinct  or  Lancaster  New  Grant  which 
was  incorporated  under  the  name  of  Leominster  in  1740. 
Forgetting  that  Leominster  originally  was  a  part  of  Lancas- 
ter, it  is  sometimes  erroneously  stated  that  he  removed  from 
Lancaster  to  Leominster  in  1740.  While  a  proprietor  of 
Dorchester  Canada,  for  many  years  he.  was  also  the  owner 
of  the  Starr  and  the  Converse  grants.  He  died  September* 
12,  1776. 

Oliver  Wilder  was  a  cousin  of  Judge  Wilder,  Sen.  An 
early  proprietor,  he  was  frequently  named  on  important 
committees  and  after  the  death  of  Thomas  Tilestone  he 
was  often  chosen  to  preside  at  the  meetings  of  the  cor- 
poration. Like  nearly  all  the  Wilders  he  was  a  military 
man  and  rose  to  the  rank  of  colonel.  He  died  March  8, 
1765. 

Thomas  Wilder  remained  a  proprietor  but  a  short  time  ; 
his  right  was  subsequently  owned  by  Caleb  Dana. 

The  Sumners  were  extensively  engaged  in  buying  and 
selling  land  in  other  townships.  Seth  Sumner  was  the  only 
one  of  this  name  who  attended  any  considerable  number  of 
the  meetings  or  was  in  any  way  identified  with  the  settle- 
ment beyond  the  purchase  and  sale  of  lands. 

Caleb  Dana  was  of  Cambridge,  where  he  was  liorn  1697, 
and  died  April  28,  1769.  Becoming  a  proprietor  about 
1750,  at  one  time  he  owned  nearly  four  thousand  acres  or 
over  one-eighth  of  the  township.  He  was  a  magistrate,  and 
at  his  home  and  in  the  councils  of  the  proprietors  an  active, 
energetic  man.  His  land  in  this  town  was  subsequently 
owned  by  his  son  George  Dana,  who  settled  here  about 
1776  and  died  in  this  town  April  11,  1787. 


106  HISTORY  OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

Richard  Dana,  a  brother  of  Caleb  Dana,  resided  in  Cam- 
bridge;  born  June  26,  1700,  and  died  May  17,  1772.  He 
was  a  graduate  of  Harvard  University  and  an  able  lawyer. 
Several  years  he  was  clerk  of  the  propriety,  leaving  a  clear, 
ornate  record.  His  son,  Francis  Dana,  and  grandson, 
Richard  H.  Dana,  were  men  of  national  reputation. 

Henry  Coolidge,  a  brother  of  Elisha  Coolidge,  who  set- 
tled here,  owned  a  right  several  years.  He  married  a 
daughter  of  Caleb  Dana  and  resided  in  Cambridge. 

Joshua  Henshaw,  Esq.,  of  Boston,  as  he  was  styled  when 
named  in  the  records,  was  probably  the  same  who  was 
elected  to  the  Council  in  1768.  On  account  of  his  patri- 
otism he  was  not  recognized  by  the  royal  Governor  and  was 
later  one  of  the  selectmen  of  Boston . 

Rev.  John  Swift  of  Framingham  married  a  sister  of 
Thomas  Tilestone.  An  original  proprietor  he  continued  his 
interest  in  the  township  until  his  death  in  1745.  In  his  will 
he  gave  to  his  son.  Rev.  John  Swift,  Jr.,  of  Acton,  "his  right 
of  land  in  Dorchester  Canada,"  who  remained  a  proprietor 
until  the  common  lands  Avere  distributed.  He  was  admitted 
a  grantee  on  account  of  the  service  of  his  brother  William 
Swift  of  Dorchester  who  perished  in  the  expedition  under 
Sir  William  Phipps  in  1690. 

Joseph  Wheelock  of  Lancaster,  and  after  1740  of  Leom- 
inster, served  on  important  committees  in  the  earlier  pro- 
ceedings, but  after  1760  his  right  was  owned  by  Jonathan 
Gates  who  became  a  settler. 

Rev.  William  Cooper  was  pastor  of  the  Brattle  Street 
Church,  Boston.  He  was  the  original  owner  of  two  rights 
which  were  subsequently  owned  by  Alexander  Hill  and 
Joshua  Henshaw. 

Isaac  Stearns  was  not  a  proprietor  until  about  1760.  He 
was  a  son  of  Hon.  John  Stearns  of  Billerica  where  he  was 


A  RECORD    OF   SETTLEMENTS.  107 

born  June  16,  1722,  and  there  resided  until  his  death  April 
23,  1808.  He  was  a  representative,  a  senator,  a  magistrate 
and  a  most  useful  citizen.  By  his  associates  in  the  propriety 
he  was  held  in  great  esteem  and  was  frequently  named  on 
important  committees.  Two  of  his  sons,  Isaac  and  William, 
subsequently  settled  in  this  town. 

With  the  close  of  this  chapter  we  leave  the  non-resident 
proprietors  in  the  retirement  of  their  homes.  Many  of  the 
later  proprietors  became  residents  and  in  the  following 
chapters  it  will  appear  that  the  propriety  introduced  to  the 
town  a  considerable  number  of  its  most  valued  and  useful 
citizens.  The  proprietors  left  the  town  many  legacies.  An 
unwearied  effort  to  forward  the  settlement  had  been  a  con- 
stant aim  and  purpose.  The  meeting-house,  the  mills,  the 
division  of  the  town  into  lots,  and  an  initial  system  of  roads 
must  be  placed  to  their  credit.  In  the  proceedings  of  their 
meetings  the  settlers  became  familiar  with  method  and  sys- 
tem which  they  subsequently  called  to  their  aid  in  the  man- 
agement of  town  affairs.  They  left  an  impress  and  imparted 
a  character  to  the  settlement  that  reflects  in  pleasing  lines 
the  worth  of  the  men  and  the  spirit  of  the  organization. 


CHAPTER   IV. 

FROM    THE    INCORPORATION    TO     THE    REVOLUTION. 

INCORPORATION.  THE       PETITIONS       OF       THE       INHABITANTS      AND      OF       THE 

PROPRIETORS.  THE     NAME     OF     ASHFIELD     PROPOSED. THE     CHARTER. 

EARLY      TOWN      MEETINGS.  — ASHBY      INCORPORATED.  CONTRIBUTION 

TO    ASHBY.  NEW    ARRIVALS.  SALARY     OF     THE     MINISTER. SCHOOLS. 

ABATEMENT       OF      THE      PROVINCE      TAX. REVOLUTIONARY       FLASHES. 

DEATH      OF      FIRST      MINISTER. THE      COMMON.  TAX      LIST      1770. 

PRICE     OF     COMMODITIES.  A     POUND     AND     FIELD     DRIVERS.  GARDNER 

FIRST    SUGGESTED.  WARNING    OUT. 

AsHBURNHAM  was  incorporated  February  22,  1765.  In 
this  decisive  measure  several  interests  were  involved.  The 
concern  of  the  non-resident  proprietors  in  an  act  of  incor- 
poration was  measured  by  its  probable  effect  upon  the  value 
of  their  lands  in  the  township ;  to  the  resident  proprietors 
with  an  equal  interest  in  the  value  of  lands  were  tendered  the 
responsibilities  and  privileges  of  citizenship  in  the  proposed 
town ;  there  were  also  a  few  residents  who  were  not  pro- 
prietors and  whose  only  interest  was  of  a  personal  character, 
and  last  there  were  the  settlers  on  the  independent  grants  or 
farms,  as  they  were  commonly  called.  Nearly  all  of  the  last 
named  class  were  the  Germans,  who  had  settled  on  the  Lex- 
ington grant.  Until  the  town  was  incorporated  they  had 
constituted  a  little  republic  and  were  as  independent  of  the 
proprietors  as  were  the  inhabitants  of  the  neighboring  towns. 
They  built  roads  within  their  grant  and  managed  their  inter- 
nal affairs  with  no  intermediate  authority  between  themselves 


FROM   THE   INCORPORATION  TO   THE  REVOLUTION.     109 

and  the  laws  of  the  pro'S'ince.  It  was  the  office  of  an  act  of 
incorporation  to  join  and  cement  these  several  interests  and 
give  to  every  citizen  an  equal  voice  in  the  management  of 
public  affairs.  The  measure  of  deliberation  and  conference 
which  led  to  a  union  of  these  interests  in  the  solicitation  for 
incorporation  cannot  be  determined.  There  is  no  evidence 
of  any  discord  in  the  progress  of  these  proceedings,  yet  it 
is  certain  that  the  resident  proprietors  were  the  first  to  pro- 
pose the  measure.  Their  petition  was  considered  by  the 
General  Court  as  early  as  June  7,  1763,  when  it  was 
resolved  that  the  prayer  of  the  petition  of  the  inhabitants  of 
Dorchester  Canada  to  be  incorporated  be  granted,  and  that 
they  have  leave  to  bring  in  a  bill.  At  a  meeting  of  the  propri- 
etors in  May,  1764,  it  was  decided  to  apply  to  the  General 
Court  for  an  act  of  incorporation.  Richard  Dana,  Joshua 
Henshaw  and  Caleb  Dana  were  chosen  to  present  their  peti- 
tion. To  this  committee,  Samuel  Fellows,  Elisha  Coolidge, 
Jonathan  Samson  and  Samuel  Nichols  were  joined  to  rep- 
resent the  inhabitants.  In  accordance  with  their  instructions 
the  committee  of  the  proprietors  joined  by  Samuel  Nichols 
representing  the  residents  of  the  township  presented  the  fol- 
lowing petition : 

To  his  Except  Francis  Bernard  Esq'  Capt"  general  &  govern'' 
In  chief  in  &  over  his  Majesty's  province  of  Massachusetts  Bay, 
the  Hon'ble  his  Majesty's  Council  and  the  Hon'''''  house  of  repre- 
sentatives in  general  court  assembled  at  Concord  on  y^  5"^  day  of 
June  Anno  Dom.  1764. 

Humbly  Sheweth 

The  proprietors  &  inhabitants  of  that  planta- 
tion in  the  county  of  Worcester  call'd  Dorchester  Canada  That 
its  inhabitants  are  now  increased  to  such  a  number  as  in  the 
petitioners  humble  opinion  makes  it  fiting  &  Expedient  for  them 
to  be  incorporated  into  a  town.     That  y*  s^  proprietors  long  since 


no  HISTORY    OF    ASHBURNHAM. 

built  a  meeting  house  there  for  public  worship  &  for  y^  space  of 
four  3'eai'S  last  past  &  more  have  had  an  able  learned  &  orthodox 
minisf  of  y^  gospel  settled  there  whom  y*  petit"^  have  supported 
hitherto.  That  y*  incorporating  y*  s*^  plantation  will  greatl}'  pro- 
mote the  growth  thereof  by  removing  the  great  and  unavoidable 
inconveniences  which  they  have  hitherto  laboured  under  &  will 
continue  during  their  present  situation.  That  for  promoting 
their  incorporation  y^  petit"  have  agreed  &  voted  that  a  tax  of 
three  half  pence  an  acre  be  laid  by  y"^  Excel'^  &  Hon''  upon 
all  y'  lands  &  farms  within  y^  limits  &  plan  of  y^  s^  plantation, 
(except  y*  Cambridge  farm,  parsonage  or  ministry  lands  &  y" 
school  lands)  to  continue  for  3-^  term  of  three  yeai's  from  y^  25"* 
day  of  Jan^  last,  sixty  pounds  thereof  to  be  annually  applied  for 
y*  paym'  of  their  minister's  salary  &y^  residue  for  further  finishing 
their  meeting  house  afores*^,  Keeping  y^  public  county  road  there 
in  due  repair  &  for  necessary  charges. 

"Wherefore  your  petitioners  pray  that  the  plantation  afores*^ 
with  all  the  lauds  &  farms  within  y*  plantation  and  limits  tliereof 
may  be  incorporated  into  a  town  &  that  y^  inhabitants  thereof 
may  be  invested  with  y^  like  power  &  privileges  that  other  towns 
in  this  province  are  invested  wilhall.  And  that  y""  afores*^  tax  as 
agreed  upon  may  be  ratified  &  confirmed.  And  y'  petit"  as  in 
duty  bound  will  ever  pray. 

RICd  DANA. 

JOSHUA  HENSHATV. 

CALEB  DANA. 

SAMUEL  NICHOLS. 

Com"''". 

It  is  prayed  y*  y®  intended  town  may  be  called  Ashfield . 

The  request  of  the  petitioners  that  the  new  town  be 
called  Ashfield  was  disregarded  by  the  royal  Governor.  At 
that  date  the  nobility  of  England  were  frequently  compli- 
mented in  the  selection  of  names  for  the  incorporated  towns, 
and  Governor  Bernard  was  greatly  inclined  to  this  system 


FROM   THE   INCORPORATION   TO   THE   REVOLUTION.     lH 

of  nomenclature.  The  town  of  Ashfield  in  this  State 
received  its  name  and  its  charter  only  four  months  after  the 
incorporation  of  this  town,  In  the  employment  of  that 
name  it  is  asserted  that  the  Governor  tendered  a  compliment 
to  Lord  Thurlow  of  Ashfield,  a  member  of  the  king's  coun- 
cil. It  is  possible  that  some  of  the  proprietors  of  Dorches- 
ter Canada  who  were  on  intimate  terms  with  Governor 
Bernard  proposed  the  name  with  a  knowledge  that  it  was 
one  he  held  in  reserve  for  early  use,  or  with  equal  proba- 
bility it  may  be  presumed  that  with  more  immediate  associa- 
tions the  inhabitants  found  in  Ashfield  a  fitting  name  for  a 
town  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  potash.  In  either  event 
the  suggestion  was  of  no  avail.  The  General  Court,  with 
an  accommodating  regard  for  an  assumed  prerogative  of  the 
Governor,  in  the  act  of  incorporation,  left  the  name  a  blank, 
which  was  subsequently  supplied  with  the  name  of  Ashburn- 
ham  which  is  supposed  to  be  in  honor  of  John,  the  second 
Earl  of  Ashburnham.  It  is  a  good  name  and  consequently 
better  than  precious  ointment. 

It  is  probable  that  the  settlers  had  selected  their  com- 
mittee in  advance,  and  that  they  were  joined  with  the  other 
committee  by  the  proprietors  in  courteous  recognition  of  the 
fact.  Further  evidence  of  conference  appears  in  a  vote  of 
the  proprietors  obligating  themselves  to  pay  into  the  treas- 
ury of  the  proposed  town  for  a  term  of  years  an  annual  tax 
of  three  half  pence  on  each  acre  of  land  owned  by  them, 
provided  the  other  lands  in  the  township  were  taxed  at  the 
same  rate.  This  agreement  between  the  resident  and  non- 
resident proprietors,  was  recognized  by  the  general  Court 
and  was  made  a  part  of  the  act  of  incorporation.  An 
exception,  however,  Avas  made  by  the  Legislature  of  Cam- 
bridge farm,  then  owned  by  the  town  of  Cambridge,  and  for 
that  reason  it  was  exempted  from  tlie  payment  of  the  pro- 


112  HISTORY    OF    ASHBURNHAM. 

posed  tax.  An  act  of  incorporation,  with  no  name  of  the 
town  inserted,  passed  both  houses  of  the  General  Court 
February  15,  1765,  and  four  days  later  the  engi'ossed  bill 
bearing  the  name  of  Ashbuenham  was  sent  to  the  Governor 
for  approval.  The  bill  was  signed  February  22,  1765,  the 
day  that  Washington  entered  upon  his  thirty-fourth  year. 
The  act  creating  a  town  and  vesting  it  with  civic  powers 
and  privileges,  is  in  the  following  terms  : 

An  Act  for  incorporating  a  new  Plantation  in  the  county  of 
Worcester  called  and  known  by  the  name  of  Dorchester  Canada 
into  a  Town  by  the  name  of  Ashburnham. 

Whereas  the  inhabitants  of  the  Plantation  called  and  known  by 
the  name  of  Dorchester  Canada  labour  under  manj'  difficulties  and 
inconveniences  by  reason  of  their  not  being  incorporated  :  There- 
fore for  the  removal  thereof  — 

Be  it  enacted  by  the  Governor,  Council  and  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives, that  the  Plantation  commonly  known  by  the  name  of 
Dorchester  Canada  according  to  the  bounds  of  the  original  grant 
thereof  made  by  the  General  Court  the  first  day  of  June  1736 
being  as  follows,  viz  : 

A  Tract  of  Land  of  six  miles  square  bounding  southerly  on  the 
Narraganset  Township  N°  2  Westerly  on  a  Township  laid  out 
for  Tilton  and  others.  Northerly  on  a  township  laid  out  for 
Ipswich  and  Easterly  part  on  Townsend  and  part  on  Lunenburg. 
It  begins  at  a  Hemlock,  the  northeasterly  corner  of  the  said 
Narraganset  Town  and  runs  West  Eighteen  degrees  South  seven 
miles  wanting  twenty  rods ;  from  thence  North  twelve  degrees 
East  eight  miles  and  two  hundred  rods ;  and  from  thence  East 
twelve  degrees  South  seven  miles  and  one  hundred  perch ;  from 
thence  Southerly  by  said  Townsend  line  one  thousand  one  hundred 
and  twenty  rods  and  by  Lunenburg  line  six  hundred  and  twenty 
rods  to  where  it  first  began.  And  the  Inhabitants  of  the  same 
Plantation  together  with  all  the  Lands  and  Farms  included  within 
the  same  boundaries  be  and  hereby  are  incorporated  into  a  town, 


FROM   THE   INCORPORATION   TO   THE  REVOLUTION.     113 

by  the  name  of  Ashburnham,  and  that  the  same  town  be  and. 
hereby  is  vested  with  all  the  powers  privileges  and  immunities,  that 
any  other  of  the  towns  in  this  Province  do  or  may  by  law  exercise 
and  enjo3^ 

And  whereas  it  is  agreed  between  the  Inhabitants  of  the  Plan- 
tation aforesaid  and  the  Proprietors  of  the  common  and  undivided 
lands  there,  that  a  tax  of  three  half  pence  an  acre  be  laid  upon  all 
the  land  within  the  same  (Excepting  Cambridge  Farm  and  the 
lands  alloted  and  reserved  for  the  ministry,  the  first  settled  minis- 
ter there  and  the  school)  for  the  space  of  three  years  from  the 
fifth  and  twentieth  day  of  January  one  thousand  seven  hundred 
and  sixty-four ;  Sixty  pounds  whereof  to  be  annually  applied  to 
and  for  the  payment  of  the  minister's  salary  and  the  residue 
towards  finishing  the  public  meeting  house  there  and  for  repairing 
the  public  roads  through  the  said  Plantation  from  and  after  the 
aforesaid  twenty-fifth  day  of  January. 

Be  it  therefore  Enacted,  that  there  be  and  hereby  is  granted  a 
tax  of  three  half  pence  an  acre  to  be  annually  levied  and  assessed 
upon  all  the  lands  in  the  aforesaid  Township  (except  the  lands 
and  farms  before  excepted)  for  the  term  aforesaid  and  for  the  uses 
and  purposes  aforesaid  and  that  the  proprietors  aforesaid  be 
thenceforward  discharged  and  free  from  all  further  •  and  other 
taxes  and  expenses  on  account  of  those  articles  and  every  of 
them,  unless  by  order  of  this  Court. 

And  be  it  further  enacted  that  Joseph  Wilder  Esq  be  and  he 
hereby  is  impowered  to  issue  his  "Warrant  to  some  one  of  the 
principal  Inhabitants  of  the  aforesaid  new  Town,  requiring  him  to 
warn  the  Inhabitants  thereof  to  assemble  at  the  aforesaid  Meeting 
House  sometime  in  the  mouth  of  March  next  to  choose  all  town 
officers  by  law  required  for  carrying  on  and  managing  the  affairs 
of  the  said  town  and  to  assess  levy  and  collect  the  tax  aforesaid. 

In  compliance  with  the  duty  enjoined  in  the  act,  Joseph 
Wilder  of  Leominster,  who  was  then  one  of  the  justices  of 
the  County  Court,  issued  the  following  warrant : 


114  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

Worcester  ss.  To  Dea  Samuel  Fellows,  one  of  the  principal 
inhabitants  of  the  new  town  of  Ashburnham  Greeting  :  —  In  his 
Majesty's  name  you  ai'e  required  to  warn  all  the  Inhabitants  of 
said  Ashburnham  to  assemble  at  the  Meeting  House  in  said  town 
on  Monday  the  twenty-fifth  day  of  this  instant  March  at  ten 
o'clock  in  the  forenoon  to  choose  a  Moderator  to  govern  said 
meeting  and  to  choose  all  town  officers  as  before  recited  and  to 
agree  how  to  call  meetings  for  the  future. 

Hereof  fail  not  and  make  due  return. 

Given  under  my  hand  and  seal  this  eleventh  day  of  March  in 
the  fifth  year  of  his  Majesty's  reign  Anno  Domini  1765. 
JOSEPH   WILDER, 

Justice  of  the  Peace. 

By  the  terms  of  his  instructions  Judge  Wilder  was 
required  to  issue  his  warrant  to  one  of  the  principal  men  of 
the  place.  The  mantle  of  honor  fell  upon  Deacon  Fellows. 
The  selection  was  approved  by  the  town  who  made  choice  of 
the  same  principal  inhabitant  to  preside  over  the  first  town 
meeting  assembled  in  Ashburnham.  William  Whitcomb 
was  chosen  town  clerk,  and  the  principal  inhabitants  were  so 
numerous  that  five  were  delegated  to  perform  the  duties  of 
selectmen.  They  were  Deacon  Samuel  Fellows,  Tristram 
Cheney,  James  Coleman,  John  Kich  and  Jonathan  Gates. 
Jonathan  Gates  was  also  chosen  constable  and  Samuel 
Wilder  collector  of  taxes.  For  assessors  the  town  chose 
Samuel  Wilder,  William  Joyner  and  John  Bates.  The 
town  had  no  money,  but  anticipating  future  possibilities. 
Deacon  Samuel  Fellows  was  chosen  treasurer.  For  wardens 
the  town  selected  Deliverance  Davis  and  Jacob  Schofie. 
The  highway  surveyors  were  Stephen  Ames,  Tristram 
Cheney,  Deliverance  Davis,  James  Coleman  and  Jonathan 
Samson.  To  the  ofiice  of  tithingmen  with  its  solemn  obli- 
gations the  town  called  Tristram  Cheney  and  John  Kiblinger. 


FROM   THE   INCORPORATION   TO   THE   REVOLUTION.     115 

Elisha  Coolidge  was  made  surveyor  of  boards  and  shingles 
and  also  of  wheat.     For  deer  reeves  the  town  solicited  the 
watchful  attention  of  Nathan  Melvin  and  William  Benjamin. 
The  custody  of  weights  and  measures,  if  they  had  any,  w^as 
delegated  to  Elisha  Coolidge.     Christian  William  Whiteman 
and   John   Samson  were    selected    for   "vewers,"    an  office 
relating  to  the  division  of  lands,  and  then  with  the  choice  of 
Henry  Selham  and  Samuel  Foster  to  officiate  as  hog  reeves, 
the  list  of  officers  was   completed.     The  next  meeting  was 
called  in  his  Majesty's  name  to  assemble  on  the  twenty-ninth 
of  April  for  the  transaction  of  business  which  could  not  be 
considered  under  the  former  warrant.      Thomas  Wheeler, 
who  was  not  named  in  the  proceedings  of  the  first  meeting, 
was  chosen  moderator.     It  was  voted  to  raise  six  pounds  to 
defray  town  charges  and  "  fifty  pounds  to  make  and  mend 
private  ways."     For  labor  upon  the  roads  it  was  voted  to 
allow  two  shillings  and  six  pence  per  day  for  each  man  and 
one  shilling  and  four  pence  for  a  pair  of  oxen.     The  number 
of  hours  was  not  stipulated.     Samuel  Wilder,  William  Joyner 
and  John  Bates  were  chosen  to  sell  the  land  of  delinquent 
tax-payers,  and  after  a  vote  to  let  swine  run  at  large  the 
ensuing  year,  in  a  motion  to  adjourn  they  secured  an  equal 
liberty  for   themselves.     Two    other   town    meetings   were 
called  before  the  close  of  the  year.     At  the  former  the  town 
declined  to  send  a  representative  to  the  General  Court,  and 
at  the  second  meeting   Samuel  Nichols  was  chosen  collector 
of  taxes  in  room  of  Samuel  Wilder  who  was  out  of  town 
about  one  year.     In  June  of  this  year  Tristram  Cheney  and 
William  Joyner  certify  that  they  have   "  perambulated  the 
line  between  Winghendon  and  Ashburnham." 

With  their  enlarged  privileges  under  the  act  of  incorpora- 
tion the  settlers  were  met  with  heavy  burdens  in  the  form  of 
taxes.     The  land  tax  for  1764  and  1765,  amounting  to  £255, 


116  HISTORY    OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

a  province  tax  of  £30,  a  county  tax  £1-11-0,  and  a  tax  of 
£6  to  defray  town  expenses,  must  have  placed  them  on 
familiar  terms  and  close  relations  with  the  collector  of  taxes. 
Scarcely  had  the  town  been  organized  and  the  inhabitants 
become  familiar  with  their  new  duties  and  privileges  when 
several  fiimilies  and  fifteen  hundred  acres  of  land  were  joined 
to  another  township.  Ashby  was  incorporated  March  5, 
1767,  but  the  proceedings  in  which  the  inhabitants  of  Ash- 
burnham  participated  occurred  at  an  earlier  date.  Until 
1764  the  territory  included  within  the  present  towns  of 
Townsend,  Lunenburg,  Ashburnham,  Fitchburg  and  Ashby 
was  embraced  by  the  three  towns  first  named.  In  1764 
Fitchburg  was  set  off  from  Lunenburg  and  at  that  time 
included  the  southern  part  of  Ashby.  The  incorporation  of 
Ashburnham  in  the  following  year  did  not  change  boundary 
lines.  Very  soon  after,  Ashby  was  formed  from  portions  of 
Townsend,  Fitchburg  and  Ashburnham.  Thus  John  Fitch 
and  others,  living  in  1763  in  the  vicinity  of  the  present  resi- 
dence of  Paul  Gates  in  the  southern  part  of  Ashby,  were 
residents  of  Lunenburg;  in  1764  they  were  in  Fitchburg, 
and  in  1767  they  were  in  Ashby.  With  bewildering  sud- 
denness and  without  a  change  of  residence  they  were  citizens 
of  three  towns  and  attended  town  meetings  in  as  many 
places  in  this  brief  space  of  time.  The  original  petition,  for 
the  creation  of  Ashby,  was  before  the  General  Court  several 
months  before  Ashburnham  was  incorporated.  While  a 
part  of  the  petitioners  for  Ashby  were  pressing  a  solicitation 
to  become  inhabitants  of  one  town  they  were  included  within 
another.  They  continued,  however,  to  pursue  their  original 
project  and  joining  with  the  other  petitioners  an  organization 
was  effected  and  a  committee,  consisting  of  John  Fitch  of 
Fitchburg,  Jacob  Schoffe  of  Ashburnham  and  James  Locke, 
Jr.,  of  Townsend,  was  chosen  to  appear  before  the  General 


FROM   THE   INCORPORATION   TO   THE    REVOLUTION.     117 

Court  in  support  of  their  petition.  At  a  meeting  of  the  pro- 
prietors only  a  few  days  after  the  incorporation  of  Ashburn- 
ham  a  committee  was  chosen  to  remonstrate  against  the  loss 
of  the  most  thickly  settled  portion  of  the  town.  The  follow- 
ing year  the  subject  was  laid  before  the  town  at  a  special 
meeting  called  for  that  purpose.  The  petitioners  in  the 
northeast  part  of  the  town  joined  Ijy  the  Germans  were  a 
clear  majority  of  the  town.  Conscious  of  their  power,  they 
proposed  to  carry  with  themselves  a  very  considerable  por- 
tion of  the  township,  including  the  Cambridge  and  Lexing- 
ton farms  and  all  that  part  of  Ashburnham  east  of  a  line 
running  from  the  northwest  corner  of  Lexington  farm  across 
the  summit  of  Great  Watatic  to  the  province  line. 

This  liljeral  proposition  included  a  majority  of  the  inhabi- 
tants and  about  one-fourth  of  the  area  of  the  township. 
Immediately  following  the  record  of  the  meeting  is  recorded 
a  protest  against  the  measure,  signed  by  Samuel  Fellows, 
Tristram  Cheney,  Samuel  Nichols,  Jonathan  Gates,  George 
Dickerson,  Nathan  Melvin,  Elisha  Coolidge,  William 
Joyner,  Samuel  Foster  and  Enos  Jones.  No  reason  is 
found  for  the  absence  of  the  names  of  Benjamin  Whitcomb, 
Moses  Foster,  Jeremiah  Foster,  Deliverance  Davis  and 
others  who  were  then  living  west  of  the  proposed  line  and 
who  very  naturally  would  be  in  sympathy  with  the  remon- 
strants. This  proposition,  however,  was  very  materially 
modified  by  the  General  Court.  When  Ashby  was  finally 
incorporated  only  about  one-fourth  of  the  proposed  area  was 
severed  from  Ashburnham.  Many  years  later  another  tract 
was  joined  to  Ashby,  but  the  original  division  line  between 
the  towns  in  1767  left  the  eastern  boundary  of  Ashburnham 
almost  a  straight  line,  extending  very  nearly  due  north  from 
the  northeast  corner  of  Westminster  to  the  State  line.  The 
corner  of  the  two  towns  at  the  State  line  was  very  nearly  a 


118  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNIIAM. 

mile  east  of  the  present  corner.  In  this  form  the  to^vn  of 
Ashburnham  remained  until  after  the  Revolution,  when  a 
second  donation  to  Ashby  and  the  incorporation  of  Gardner 
cut  off  two  areas  from  the  opposite  corners  of  the  town . 

Among  the  settlers  included  within  the  town  of  Ashby 
were  several  town  officers  who  were  chosen  only  three  days 
before  that  town  was  incorporated.  Captain  John  Jones, 
residing  on  the  Amos  Wellington  farm  then  in  Ashburnham, 
was  a  selectman  here  in  17()G  and  again  elected  in  1767. 
The  same  year  he  was  chosen  a  selectman  of  Ashby. 

James  Coleman  had  been  elected  one  of  the  constables, 
an  office  then  including  the  collection  of  taxes.  Notwith- 
standinsr  the  chancre  in  town  lines,  the  assessors  of  Ashburn- 
ham  committed  to  him  a  tax  list  for  collection  and  in 
November  of  the  following  year  "  y*"  town  voted  to  Defend 
y®  Town  Treasurer  in  a  Trial  with  James  Colman  for  to  get 
y®  money  that  was  assest  in  y'^  year  1767  which  assessment 
was  Delivered  to  s"^  Colman  to  Colect."  It  is  probable  that 
both  towns  claimed  the  taxes  assessed  this  year  on  the 
estates  set  olf  to  Ashby  and  that  ]\Ir.  Coleman  found  it  diffi- 
cult to  seiwe  two  masters.  By  this  change  in  toAvn  lines, 
in  addition  to  John  Jones  and  James  Coleman,  Ashburnham 
lost  Thomas  Stearns,  Zimri  Hey  wood,  John  Bates,  David 
Taylor,  Henry  Selham,  Benjamin  Spaulding,  Samuel  Derby, 
Samuel  Rice,  Levi  Houghton  and  perhaps  a  few  others. 
Several  of  these  became  prominent  in  the  affiairs  of  Ashby. 
The  only  German  was  Mr.  Selham  whose  name  is  generally 
written  Sellenham  in  the  Ashby  records. 

Unless  there  were  two  persons  of  the  same  name,  Ben- 
jamin Spaulding  returned  to  Ashburnham  in  1768  and  in 
1769  as  will  appear  joined  in  a  petition  to  be  set  off  to 
Ashby  a  second  time.  Had  he  succeeded  and  continued  the 
process  he  would  have  whittled  away  the  entire  township. 


FROM   THE   INCORPORATION   TO   THE   REVOLUTION.     11^ 

1766.  The  new  names  appearing  in  the  proceedings  of 
this  3'ear  are  Henry  Hall,  John  Conn,  Zimri  Hey  wood, 
Moses  Foster,  Jr.,  Samuel  Salter,  Simon  Rodamell,  Henry 
Selham  and  Joseph  Perry.  Some  of  these  had  been  here 
several  years  but  were  not  named  in  the  records  of  the  pre- 
ceding year.  In  addition  to  the  land  and  province  tax,  the 
town  raised  twenty  pounds  for  town  charges  and  appropriated 
sixty  pounds  of  the  land  tax  for  the  support  of  roads.  This 
year  the  town  also  voted  not  "  to  choose  a  man  to  Represent 
them  at  the  great  and  general  Coart  or  assembly  to  be  held 
at  Boston  on  Wensday  the  twenty  eight  Day  of  may  Current 
at  Nine  of  the  Clock  in  the  morning."  But  more  mindful  of 
internal  improvement,  the  town  voted  to  build  a  pound  of 
stone  or  timber,  two  rods  square  inside,  to  be  located  near 
the  barn  of  Christian  William  Whiteman,  but  this  vote  was 
reconsidered  soon  after  and  a  pound  was  not  built  for  several 
years.  The  records  assert  that  this  year  "the  town  chose 
Mr.  Timothy  pane  Esquier  regeister  for  the  County  of 
Worcester."  Mr.  Paine  was  elected  this  year,  leaving  us  to 
infer  that  either  the  remainder  of  the  county  magnanimously 
concurred  in  this  action  on  the  part  of  Ashburnham,  or  that 
the  record  is  a  simple  assertion  that  Mr.  Paine  was  the  choice 
of  the  voters  of  this  town.  The  custom  of  warning  out  all 
new  arrivals  is  mentioned  in  another  connection ;  the  names 
of  the  men  summoned  to  remove  during  the  first  two  years 
of  the  existence  of  the  town,  were  Samuel  Salter,  Joseph 
Perry,  Oliver  Wetherbee,  Daniel  Merrill,  Daniel  Harper, 
Timothy  Farley,  Amasa  Turner  and  George  Hewitt. 

1767.  Early  in  the  year  1767,  a  special  meeting  was 
called  to  make  some  arrangements  concerning  the  salary  of 
the  minister.  When  the  town  assumed  control  of  public 
affairs,  Mr.  Winchester  had  been  settled  several  years.  It 
only  devolved  upon  the  town  to  pay  him  the  amount  of 


120  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

salary  stipulated  by  the  proprietors  at  the  time  of  his  settle- 
ment. By  the  terms  of  the  act  of  incorporation  this  sum 
was  to  be  paid  out  of  the  land  tax.  It  only  remained  for  the 
town  to  conduct  the  assessment  and  collection  of  this  tax. 
The  result  of  this  meeting  indicates  that  the  only  issue  raised 
at  this  time  related  to  the  time  when  the  salary  of  the  minis- 
ter should  be  paid.  A  committee  was  chosen  "  to  discourse 
with  Rev.  Mr.  "Winchester  relating  to  his  salary."  At  a 
subsequent  meeting  the  town  acted  upon  the  report  of  their 
committee  by  a  vote  "  to  pay  Mr.  Winchester  one  half  of  his 
salary  at  eight  months'  end." 

The  records  of  this  year  introduce  the  earliest  reference  to 
schools  in  a  vote  to  raise  eight  pounds  for  that  purpose,  and 
voted  that  "3^*  y*'  school  should  be  a  moveing  school  and 
to  leave  it  y*"  Select  men  to  make  y®  Quarters  where  y® 
school  shall  be  Cept.     Voted  it  to  bee  a  free  school." 

The  increasing  burden  of  taxation  and  the  inability  of 
many  of  the  settlers  to  meet  these  increasing  demands  upon 
their  limited  resources  find  frequent  expression  in  the 
records.  In  June  the  town  chose  John  Moffat  of  Boston, 
Eev.  Jonathan  Winchester  and  Tristram  Cheney,  to  apply 
to  the  General  Court  for  an  abatement  of  the  province  tax. 
In  connection  with  this  effort  the  following  petition  was 
made  to  the  General  Court  : 

To  His  Excellency  Francis  Bernard  Esq.  Captain  General 
and  Governor  in  Chief  of  His  Majestj-'s  Provence  of  the  Massa- 
chusetts Bay,  to  the  Honnorable  his  majestys  Council  &  the  Hon'''* 
House  of  Representatives,  In  General  Court  assembled. 

December  30  1767 

The  Petition  of  the  Inhabitants  of  Ashburnham  humbly  Sheweth  : 

That  whereas  a  Provence  Tax  for  a  number  of  years  Past  has 
been  Laid  on  your  Petitioners  no  Part  thereof  has  been  paid,  that 
your  Petitioners  Labouring  under  great  poverty  think  them  selves 


FROM   THE    INCOKPORATION   TO   THE   REVOLUTION.     121 


utterly  unable  To  make  any  such  payment,  that  the  soil  we 
is  veiy  Stubborn  Requiring  much  hard  Labour  before  any  profit 
can  be  reaped  from  it.  That  the  greatest  part  of  3'our  petitioners 
have  been  in  said  Town  but  a  short  time  and  are  unal)le  to  raise 
provisions  sufficient  for  the  support  of  our  families.  And  as  there 
is  far  from  being  enough  produced  in  the  Town  to  maintain  the 
Inhabitants  we  have  not  only  nothing  to  Convert  into  money  ;  but 
are  at  much  annual  expense  for  the  necessays  of  Life  or  be  desti- 
tute of  them  ;  or  else  contract  debts  unpaj-able  without  the  for- 
feiture of  our  Lands. 

That  y*"  growth  of  y*"  said  Town  has  been  much  obstructed  by 
y*"  said  tax  as  many  persons  have  of  Late  gone  over  y*"  Provence 
Lino  to  avoid  a  burden  which  seams  so  likely  to  be  un supportable 
and  fatal.  That  3'our  Poor  petitioners  are  unable  to  keep  our  few 
cattle  alive  in  y*^  winter  season  without  driving  a  considerable 
proportion  of  them  out  of  town  for  subsistence.  That  your 
Petitioners  House  of  Public  Worship  has  lately  been  struck  b}-  a 
Hurricane  and  y''  cost  to  repare  Cannot  be  less  than  £30.  Lawful 
mone}'.  With  all  that  can  be  done  to  said  House  it  must  be  Re- 
built in  a  few  3-ears.  That  the  Death  of  our  very  worth}-  Pastor 
y''  Revei'end  M""  Winchester  3'our  Petitioners  must  needs  be  exerted 
to  a  very  great  additional  expence. 

Therefore  your  Humble  Petitioners  ver}-  earnest!}'  beseech  j-our 
Excellenc}^  &  Houers  to  considerate  our  unhapy  circumstances 
by  Removing  ye  grievous  Tax  or  to  Releive  us  in  such  way  as  in 
your  great  wisdom  you  shall  Think  fitt.  And  your  Petitioners  as 
in  duty  bound  shall  ever  pray  &c. 

TRISTRAM   CHENEY  in  behalf  of  sd  Town. 

Dated  at  Ashburnham,  December  y"'  23^  1767. 

The  petition  was  kindly  received  by  the  General  Court 
and  all  the  province  taxes  then  due  from  this  town  were 
forgiven.  Qualifying  the  petition  with  the  reflection  that  it 
is  an  argument  for  effect,  it  is  true,  however,  that  it  presents 
a  view  of  the  poverty  and  distress  of  a  new  settlement  and 


122  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

from  it  we  learn  much  of  the  situation  of  the  town  at  this 
date. 

November  30,  1767,  the  inhabitants  were  warned  to 
assemble  on  the  tenth  of  the  following  month  "  to  see  if .  the 
town  will  comply  with  the  town  of  Boston  in  not  purchasing 
any  of  the  articles  mentioned  in  the  paper  sent  to  the  select- 
men," The  paper  referred  to  was  the  historic  letter  of  the 
selectmen  of  Boston,  dated  October  2S,  and  sent  to  the 
selectmen  of  the  several  towns  in  the  province,  respecting 
the  sale  and  use  of  certain  foreign  articles  upon  which  Par- 
liament had  laid  a  tax.  At  the  meeting  in  Ashburnham  it 
was  voted  "  to  comply  with  the  request  of  the  selectmen  of 
Boston  respecting  the  articles  in  a  paper  they  sent  to  us." 
Here  is  found  the  first  and  a  very  early  act  relating  to  the 
Revolution.  It  was  one  of  a  series  of  events  which  foretold 
the  approaching  storm,  truthfully  reflecting  the  progress  of 
public  sentiment  while  the  smouldering  fires  of  discontent 
were  being  fanned  into  the  flame  of  open  revolt.  Other 
towns  actuated  by  an  equal  patriotism  passed  similar  votes, 
but  very  few  of  them  at  this  early  date  were  prepared  to 
speak  with  equal  emphasis  and  promptness. 

The  death  of  the  first  minister  occurred  this  year.  A  meet- 
ing was  promptly  called  at  which  the  town  voted  to  defray 
the  expenses  of  the  funeral  and  to  pay  to  Mrs.  Winchester,  a 
sum  equal  to  the  stated  salary  for  the  remainder  of  the  year. 
No  item  of  the  expense  of  the  burial  of  Mr.  Winchester  has 
been  preserved,  but  in  accordance  with  the  customs  of  the 
times,  it  is  probable  that  gloves,  weeds  and  other  insignia  of 
mourning,  were  procured  for  the  bereaved  family  and  for  the 
bearers.  All  were  mourners  and  all  followed  the  remains  of 
their  beloved  pastor  to  the  grave.  The  measure  of  their 
sorrow  at  the  death  and  their  respect  for  the  character  of 
Mr.  Winchester  were  continually  reflected  in  the  kind  con- 


FROM    THE   INCORPORATION   TO    THE   REVOLUTION.    123 

sideration  in  which  they  always  regarded  the  Avidow  and  the 
children  of  their  iirst  minister. 

1768.  This  year,  Rev.  John  Gushing  was  settled.  An 
account  of  the  ordination  and  of  a  prolonged  and  successful 
ministry  will  be  found  in  another  chapter.  Other  proceed- 
ings of  less  magnitude  complete  the  record  of  the  year.  In 
the  warrant  for  the  annual  March  meeting  appears  an  article 
"  To  see  if  y°  town  will  vote  y*^  there  shall  be  no  ox  sled 
Drawed  in  y"  Privet  Roads  in  Ashburnham  less  than  four 
feet  and  a  half  wide  on  Penalty  such  as  y°  town  shall  think 
Proper."  "Passed  in  y°  negative."  The  highways  in  this 
connection  w^ere  styled  private  roads  to  distinguish  them 
from  the  county  roads  which  had  been  constructed,  and  in 
some  measure  were  under  the  supervision  of  the  court. 

It  was  also  ordered  this  year  that  "y®  Dutch  should  draw 
their  school  money "  upon  condition  it  was  used  for  its 
legitimate  purpose. 

The  increasing  discontent  of  the  colony  in  regard  to  the 
continued  acts  of  oppression  by  the  British  government,  and 
the  promptness  in  which  each  infringement  of  their  charter 
rights  was  resisted  by  the  watchful  spirit  of  democracy, 
again  invite  the  citizens  of  Ashburnham  to  assemble  in  town 
meeting.  Immediately  following  an  unsuccessful  attempt  to 
persuade  the  Royal  Governor  of  the  province  to  convene  the 
General  Court,  letters  were  sent  to  all  the  towns  inviting 
them  to  send  delegates  to  join  in  a  conference  over  public 
affairs.  The  citizens  of  this  town  unanimously  instructed 
their  selectmen  to  send  in  writing  their  desire  to  join  with 
the  assembled  delegates  "  in  all  proper  way  to  defend  our 
rights  and  privileges  which  was  granted  to  us  in  our 
charter." 

1769.  It  will  be  remembered  that  while  the  inhabitants 
were  thus  assembling  in  town  meeting  from  year  to  year  and 


124  •         HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

adopting  measures  concerning  the  prudential  affairs  of  the 
town,  the  proprietors  were  still  an  active  organization. 
Under  the  laws  of  the  province,  the  town  assumed  the 
control  of  the  roads,  the  support  of  the  ministry  and  the 
general  management  of  all  municipal  concerns,  while  the 
propriety,  owning  the  undivided  lands,  was  still  an  organized 
corporation.  The  proprietors  surrendered  the  meeting- 
house to  the  town  without  any  formal  vote,  and  in  1770  at  a 
meeting  convened  in  Boston,  there  was  a  proposition  under 
consideration  to  surrender  to  the  town  "  the  meeting  house 
square  with  the  reservation  that  the  whole  of  it  remains  a 
common  forever."  This  subject  was  dismissed  without 
action  and  it  is  possible  the  proprietors  considered  that  the 
common  already  belonged  to  the  town  under  the  title  of 
public  domain.  If  any  consideration  less  friendly  prompted 
the  failure  to  relinquish  their  claim  to  the  common,  the 
inhabitants  of  the  town  had  very  little  concern  al)out  it,  and 
were  masters  of  the  situation.  They  had  already  disposed 
of  one-fourth  of  it  and  were  holding  the  remainder  with  grim 
complacency.  Under  an  article  to  see  if  the  town  would 
sell  a  part  of  the  common  to  Eev.  John  Gushing,  the  town 
in  May,  1769,  voted  to  make  him  a  present  of  two  and  one- 
half  acres  at  the  east  end  and  instructed  the  selectmen  to 
give  him  a  deed. 

Benjamin  Spaulding,  and  a  few  others  residing  in  the 
northeast  part  of  the  town,  petitioned  the  General  Court  to 
be  annexed  to  Ashby.  The  town  promptly  expressed  its 
dissent  and  submitted  the  matter  to  Samuel  Wilder  who 
successfully  opposed  the  measure. 

The  questions  arising  in  town  meeting  and  the  methods  of 
treatment,  are  continually  suggesting  the  changes  which  have 
attended  the  progress  of  years.  One  hundred  and  twenty- 
five  years  ago,  as  a  source  of  revenue,  the  town  voted  that 


FROM  THE   INCORPOKATION   TO   THE   REVOLUTION.     125 

''  every  inhabitant  that  takes  cattle  to  run  in  the  woods  shall 
pay  to  the  town  four  shillings  per  head."  The  same  year, 
not  having  paid  their  minister  the  sum  due  for  settlement, 
the  town  borrowed  the  money  of  Colonel  Caleb  AYilder  and 
agreed  to  pay  it  in  clearing  land  for  him.  For  several  years 
the  town  accepted  labor  on  this  account  in  payment  of  taxes. 

1770.  The  annals  of  this  year  introduce  very  few  subjects 
not  anticipated  in  a  general  view  of  a  town  in  the  transaction 
of  the  ordinary  business.  The  year  preceding  the  town 
voted  not  to  choose  a  committee  "  to  see  where  the  town's 
money  had  gone."  They  probably  concluded  it  had  never 
been  gathered  in,  since  this  year  a  number  of  parcels  of  land 
belonging  to  non-residents  were  sold  at  auction  in  payment 
of  taxes.  From  this  source  the  town  realized  nearly  fifty 
pounds.  One  of  the  purchasers  at  this  sale  was  Rev.  Mr. 
Gushing,  who  bought  six  and  one-half  acres  between  the 
common  and  Upper  Naukeag  lake.  This  year  the  court  had 
under  consideration  the  location  of  a  county  road  from 
Winchendon  to  Westminster,  passing  through  a  corner  of 
this  town,  now  in  Gardner.  The  town  of  Ashburnham 
instructed  Samuel  Wilder  to  oppose  the  project  and  "if 
need  be,  to  employ  an  attorney."  This  road  was  built  soon 
after,  but  the  part  of  it  within  this  town  was  inconsiderable. 

In  accordance  with  an  act  of  the  General  Court,  an  inven- 
tory of  the  province  tax  for  the  year  1770  was  returned  by 
the  assessors.  Fortunately,  the  original  is  preserved  in  the 
State  archives.  This  rate  assessed  on  the  polls  had  no  con- 
nection with  the  land  tax.  The  list  preserves  the  names  of 
the  men  residing  in  this  town  December  14,  1770.  The 
names  followed  by  the  figures  2  or  3  paid  the  tax  of  as 
many  persons,  who  might  be  either  sons  above  sixteen 
years  of  age,  or  young  men  in  their  employ.  Ebenezer 
Conant,  Sen.,  was  probably  residing  here  at  this  time  ;  later 


126 


HISTORY    OF    ASHBURNHAM. 


in  life  he  was  a  town  charge,  but  no  reason  appears  for  the 
omission  of  his  name.  It  was  probably  accidental.  The 
omission  of  the  name  of  Eev.  John  Gushing  was  probably 
intentional.  The  number  of  names  in  the  list  is  seventy- 
four,  which  would  indicate  a  population  of  less  than  four 
hundred. 


John  Adams 
Stephen  Ames 
William  Benjamin 
Moses  Bennett 
John  Bigelow 
Nathan  Bigelow 
Joshua  Billings 
Abraham  Blodgett 
Isaac  Blodgett 
Jeremiali  Bridge 
Peter  Brooks 
Tristram  Cheney  (3) 
David  Clark 
Job  Coleman 
Ebenezer  Conant,  Jr. 
John  Conn 
Elisha  Coolidge 
Deliverance  Davis 
Amos  Dickerson 
David  Dickerson 
Salmon  Dutton 
Thomas  Dutton 
Elijah  Edson 
Samuel  Fellows  (3) 
Jeremiali  Foster 


Moses  Foster  (2) 
Samuel  Foster 
Henry  Gates 
Jonathan  Gates  (2) 
Henry  Hall  (2) 
Jacob  Harris 
Ebenezer  Hemenway 
Joseph  Hoklen 
Moses  Johnson 
Enos  Jones 
Abijah  Joslin 
James  Joslin 
Peter  Joslin 
John  Kiblinger  (2) 
Benjamin  Kemp 
Nathan  Melvin 
Daniel  Merrill 
.Joseph  Metcalf 
Samuel  Nichols 
Simeon  Nutting 
John  Oberlock 
Joseph  Perry 
Daniel  Priest 
John  Rich 
Simon  Rodamell 


Samuel  Salter 
Aaron  Samson 
John  Samson 
Jonathan  Samson 
Jacob  Schoffe 
Benjamin  Spaulding 
Ephraim  Stone  (3) 
Oliver  Stone 
Jonathan  Taylor 
Philip  Vorback 
Caleb  Ward 
Jacob  Wenneg 
Oliver  Wetherbee 
Phmehas  Wetherbee 
Benjamin  Whitcomb 
Oliver  Whitcomb 
Christian   Wm.  White- 
man 
Samuel  Wilder  (2) 
Hezekiah  Willard 
John  Willard  . 
Oliver  Willard 
Andrew  Winter 
Timothy  Wood 
Abijah  Worcester 


1771.  In  addition  to  specific  legislation  regarding  schools 
and  the  meeting-house,  which  will  appear  in  other  chapters, 
this  year  the  town  sold  the  right  of  land  reserved  for  the 
benefit  of  schools. 

From  the  incorporation  of  the  town  to  this  date  there  had 
been  little  change  in  the  price  of  labor  and  many  articles  of 
merchandise.  The  depreciation  of  the  currency  a  few  years 
later  introduced  fictitious  values  in  all  business  transactions. 
The  town  at  this  time  continued  to  allow  the  selectmen  and 
other  town  officers  two  shillings  and  eight  pence  per  day. 
The  rate    of  labor  upon  the  highways  for  several  years  is 


FROM   THE   INCORPORATION   TO   THE    REVOLUTION.     127 

recorded  in  stated  form :  "  three  shilling  per  day  from  now 
to  the  last  of  September,  one  shilling  and  four  pence  for 
oxen  and  eight  pence  for  a  cart  and  after  September  two 
shillings  per  day."  From  an  account  of  sales  made  in  an 
adjoining  town  at  this  date  it  appears  that  upland  hay  sold 
at  £1-5-0  per  ton,  rye  at  four  shillings  per  bushel  and 
butter  from  six  to  eight  pence  per  pound. 

1772.  "Voted  to  buy  some  grave  stones  in  memory  of 
Rev'^  Mr  Jonathan  Winchester  and  that  M^'  William  Whit- 
comb  be  the  man  to  get  the  above  stones."  This  act  com- 
memorating, at  once,  the  virtues  of  the  dead  and  the  serious 
impulses  of  the  town  resulted  in  the  erection  of  the  plain 
slate  stone  which  yet  marks  the  grave  of  the  first  minister. 
Future  generations  may  erect  at  this  grave  a  monument  of 
far  greater  pretension,  but  none  can  ever  express  a  more 
fitting  devotion  to  the  memory  of  him  whose  virtues  are 
inscribed  upon  this  ancient  stone  in  language  of  sincere 
respect  and  love. 

1773.  Having  built  a  pound  the  preceding  year  the  town 
chose  Benjamin  Bigelow  and  Jacob  Willard  to  conduct  the 
business  at  that  station.  Field  drivers,  or  hog  reeves  as 
they  were  formerly  called,  have  been  chosen  every  year 
since  the  incorporation  of  the  town.  This  year,  with  a  new 
adjunct  to  the  office,  the  selection  was  made  with  due 
deference  to  ability  and  regard  to  place  of  residence.  The 
location  of  the  first  pound  is  not  certain.  The  pound  at  the 
southwest  corner  of  the  common  was  not  built  until  1794, 
but  time  and  the  elements  appear  to  have  been  unusually 
active  in  hastening  its  destruction. 

The  manner  in  which  our  fathers  regarded  the  obligation  of 
contracts  and  the  attention  they  paid  to  their  proper  fulfil- 
ment are  reflected  in  a  vote  to  "  advance  thirty  pounds  to  the 
Eev'^  M""  Cushing's  Sallary  to  be  assessed  this  year  to  make 


128  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

up  the  Damao;e  in  his  not  giting  hi-s  Sallaiy  accordiDg  to 
agreament." 

1774.  In  prophecy  of  the  political  revolution  near  at 
hand  and  reflecting  the  sentiment  of  the  people  a  town 
meeting  is  called  for  the  first  time  without  invoking  the 
name  of  the  king.  In  former  years  the  people  had  been 
warned  to  assemble  "in  his  Majesty's  name."  A  meeting 
was  called  in  September,  1774,  in  the  simple  terms,  "You 
are  requested  to  meet."  Later  the  people  were  warned  "in 
the  name  of  the  government  and  the  people  of  the  state  of 
Massachusetts  Bay,"  until  the  new  constitution  of  the  State 
introduced  "the  commonwealth  of  Massachusetts."  These 
terms  clearly  indicate  the  progress  of  public  sentiment  during 
radical  changes  in  the  forms  of  government. 

The  incorporation  of  Gardner  was  almost  consummated 
this  year.  The  project  was  suft'ered  to  sleep  during  the 
Kevolution  but  it  scarcely  failed  at  this  time.  The  petition 
was  signed  by  residents  of  Westminster,  Templeton,  Win- 
chendon  and  Ashburnham  who  desired  to  be  included  in  the 
proposed  town.  In  answer  to  the  petitioners,  the  town 
voted  May  23,  1774,  that  the  portion  of  Ashburnham  south- 
west of  a  line  extending  from  Samuel  Kelton's  lot  to  the  lot 
of  William  Ames  "  be  set  ofi:*  with  portions  of  other  towns 
to  form  a  new  town  or  district."  The  line  described  in  this 
vote  is  substantially  the  same  as  the  one  established  eleven 
years  later.  The  Ee volution  caused  a  delay  and  introduced 
a  name  for  the  town,  but  the  boundaries  first  proposed  were 
not  materially  changed  when  the  town  eventually  was 
incorporated. 

Commencing  with  the  date  of  incorporation  and  extend- 
ing a  few  years  beyond  the  limits  of  this  chapter,  the  town 
continued  the  custom  of  warning  out  a  majority  of  the  arri- 
vals in  town.     It  was  a  precautionary  proceeding  suggested 


FROM   THE   INCORPORATION   TO   THE   REVOLUTION.     129 

and  encouraged  by  the  laws  of  the  province.  The  statute 
provided  that  persons,  who  were  legally  warned  out  of  the 
town,  could  not  gain  at  once  a  full  legal  residence  and  that 
in  case  of  extreme  poverty  the  town  would  not  be  charge- 
able for  their  support.  It  was  a  cold  reception  but  modified 
with  a  fair  understanding  that  it  was  a  formality  of  law  in 
which  there  was  often  no  sincerity.  If  it  savors  of  inhu- 
manity it  was  a  fault  of  the  law  and  not  of  the  people.  Its 
practice  in  other  towns  led  to  its  adoption  here  in  self- 
defence.  In  this  connection  it  should  be  remembered,  that 
while  the  sentiment  of  charity  and  brotherly  love  has  ever 
existed  in  the  heart  of  man,  the  present  system  of  public 
charities  which  embraces  all  classes  of  unfortunate  men  and 
women  of  the  Commonwealth  is  the  result  of  more  recent 
legislation.  If  the  early  settlers  of  this  town  were  warned 
out,  they  were  at  once  admitted  to  all  social  privileges.  In 
some  instance  men  who  were  warned  out  were  elected  to 
office  at  the  following  town  meeting  and  became  useful, 
substantial  citi2;ens  contributing  largely  to  the  intelligence 
and  wealth  of  a  town  to  which  they  were  so  formally 
received.  Not  a  few  of  those  who  served  in  the  Ke volution 
were  welcomed  in  this  manner  to  Ashburnham.  In  their 
turn  they  joined,  in  a  more  serious  manner,  in  warning  out 
an  army  of  invasion  before  it  gained  a  residence  on  Ameri- 
can soil.  A  few  extracts  from  the  records  will  give  a  fair 
idea  of  the  spirit  of  these  proceedings. 

To  Jonathan  Gates,  constable   of   the   Town  of  Ashburnham, 

Greeting  : 

Whereas  Joseph  Perry  and  Mary  Perry  his  wife,  Joseph  Perry, 
Juner,  and  Mary  Perry  and  Abigail  Perry  and  Annie  Perry, 
children  of  Joseph  and  Mary  Perry,  Hath  lately  Come  to  the 
Town  of  Ashburnham  and  came  last  from  Midway  and  Came  to 


130  HISTORY    OF    ASHBURNHAM. 

the  Town  of  Ashburnham  November  1765,  whom  the  Selectmen  of 
Ashburnham  Refuse  to  admit  as  Inhabitants  of  the  said  Town. 

THESE  are  therefore  in  his  majesties  name  to  Require  you^ 
the  said  Constable  to  warn  the  persons  a  Bove  mentioned  forth- 
with to  Depart  out  of  the  town  of  Ashburnham. 

Hereof  fail  not  and  make  Due  return  of  this  warrant  with  your 
Doings  therein  to  some  one  of  us  the  subscribei'S. 

Given  under  our  hands  and  seal  at  Ashburnham  This  Twelfth 
da}'  of  February  A  D  1766  in  the  Sixth  year  of  his  Majesties  Rain. 

TRISTRAM    CHENEY")  Selectmen 
JOHN    RICH  [•  of 

SAMUEL   FELLOWS     )  Ashburnham. 

Worcester  ss.  Ashburnham,  February  24  1766 

In  obedience  and  by  virtue  of  the  within  written  warrant  I  have 
warned  the  within  named  Joseph  Perry  and  Mary  Perry  his  wife 
Joseph  Perry  Juner  Mary  Perry  Abigail  Perry  Annie  Perry 
children  of  Joseph  and  Mary  Perry,  forthwith  to  Depart  out  of  the 
town  of  Ashburnham. 

JONATHAN   GATES, 

Constable  of  said  Town. 

In  some  instances  the  selectmen  made  a  memorandum 
of  the  arrival  of  a  family  into  town  and  in  such  cases  no 
warrant  is  found. 

Olive  Davis  and  Mercy  Davis  Daughters  of  Jonas  Davis  of 
Harvard  Deceased  and  Elizabeth  his  wife  came  into  this  town 
October  y*  14,  1767,  and  came  last  from  Harvard. 

Elijah  Edsou  left  Bridgewater  June  17  1769  and  brought  with 
him  Martha  Edson  his  wife  and  three  children  Sarah  Edson, 
Oliver  Edson  and  Ziba  Edson,  whom  the  selectmen  refuse  to 
admit  as  Inhabitants  of  Ashburnham. 


CHAPTER  V. 

REVOLUTIONARY    HISTORY. 

SITUATION    OF    THE     TOWN.  THE     COTENANT.  WORCESTER     CONVENTION.  

THE    JUROR    LIST.  REPRESENTED     IN    PROVINCIAL     CONGRESS.  —  POWDER 

AND  LEAD.  THE  MILITIA  ORGANIZED. PROMINENT  CITIZENS  INTER- 
VIEWED.  THE      SALT       PROBLEM.  ALARM       AT      LEXINGTON.  CAPTAIN 

gates'    company.  CAPTAIN    DAVIS'    COMPANY.  THE    SIEGE    OF    BOSTON 

AND     BATTLE     OF     BUNKER     HILL.  CAPTAIN     WILDER's      COMPANY THE 

DECLARATION    OF     INDEPENDENCE.  ENLISTMENTS     IN     1776.  AN    HOUR 

OF       GLOOM.  TOWN       PROCEEDINGS.    SOLDIERS       IN       1777.  ALARM 

AND  CALL  FOR  TROOPS.  THE  RESPONSE  OF  ASHBURNHAM.  —  CONTI- 
NENTAL AND  OTHER  SOLDIERS.  PUBLIC  AID.  ASSENT  TO  THE  ARTI- 
CLES    OF     CONFEDERATION.  DEPRECIATION     OF     THE     CURRENCY. THE 

SOLDIERS    IN  THE    FIELD.  NEW    RECRUITS.  CLOTHING    FOR    THE    ARMY. 

ALAS,  ONE  DESERTER.  SOLDIERS  IN  1779. REPRESENTATIVE  TO  GEN- 
ERAL     COURT.   —  PRICE      OF      COMMODITIES.  CONSTITUTION      PROPOSED. 

THANKSGIVING. SOLDIERS  IN  1780.  TOWN  MEETINGS. OBSERV- 
ANCE    OF      THE     SABBATH.  SOLDIERS      IN      1781.  BOUNTY      PROPOSED. 

A    FINE    REMITTED.  REQUISITIONS    FOR    BEEF HOME    TRIALS. 

The  story  of  Ashburnham  in  the  Revolution  compre- 
hends neither  the  movements  of  armies  nor  the  decisive 
results  of  sanguinary  engagements.  The  causes  of  the  war, 
the  prevailing  sentiment  of  the  colonies  and  the  campaigns 
and  fortunes  of  the  army  are  subjects  of  general  history. 
It  falls  within  the  province  of  this  chapter  to  record  the 
names  of  the  men  of  Ashburnham  who  were  in  the  service 
and  to  present  some  account  of  the  hardships  endured  at 
home.  It  will  appear  that  the  inhabitants  of  this  town  were 
in  full  sympathy  with  the  patriotic  sentiment  of  the  colonies. 


132  HISTORY    OF    ASHBUENHAM. 

and  in  the  field  and  at  the  fireside  cheerfully  bore  a  full 
measure  of  the  hardships  and  burdens  of  the  period.  Com- 
pared with  the  older  settlements  the  frontier  towns  were 
young  and  feeble  ;  and,  if  remote  from  the  earlier  discussion 
of  public  grievances  and  from  the  theatre  of  war,  it  is  cer- 
tain they  felt  every  pulsation  of  the  heart  of  the  colonies 
and  responded  to  every  demand. 

The  population  of  Ashburnham  in  1776  was  five  hundred 
and  fifty-one.  Upon  this  little  community,  situated  upon 
the  border  of  the  province,  the  provisional  government  and 
the  patriotic  impulse  of  the  people,  during  the  progress  of 
the  war,  made  heavy  drafts  for  men  and  ti-easure.  Inured 
to  the  privations  and  hardships  of  the  frontier,  the  settle- 
ments bravely  assumed  burdens  which  would  have  been 
refused  by  people  less  familiar  to  lives  of  self-denial  and 
hardships.  During  the  Ke volution  the  strength  of  the  colo- 
nies rested  in  familiarity  with  poverty  and  toil.  Patriotic 
impulse  and  a  firm  reliance  in  the  righteousness  of  their 
cause  were  important  factors,  but  it  required  hardihood  as 
well  as  impulse  and  endurance  as  well  as  principle.  A  sol- 
diery more  tenderly  nurtured  and  less  inured  to  privation 
might  bravely  meet  the  enemy  in  the  field  but  would  have 
failed  in  the  sufferings  of  Valley  Forge. 

Commencing  with  the  beginning  of  open  hostilities  the 
older  towns,  situated  near  the  theatre  of  the  war,  sent  an 
increasing  stream  of  immigration  to  the  frojitiers  where  a 
more  comfortable  feeling  of  security  could  be  enjoyed. 
During  the  war  all  the  towns  in  this  vicinity  increased 
rapidly  in  population.  From  1776  to  1780  the  population 
of  Ashburnham  was  increased  nearly  twofold.  The  names 
of  many  families  which  are  conspicuous  in  the  annals  of 
Ashburnham  first  appear  at  this  time.  All  who  removed 
hither  were  fraternally  welcomed  and  the  older  resident  and 


REVOLUTIONARY  HISTORY.  133 

the  new  arrival,  actuated  by  a  common  purpose,  are  found 
side  b}''  side  in  the  army  or  joined  in  procuring  money  and 
means  to  carry  on  the  war. 

It  will  appear  in  the  course  of  this  narrative  that  nearly 
every  man  residing  in  this  town  and  nearly  every  boy  over 
sixteen  years  of  age  were  in  the  service  for  a  longer  or  a 
shorter  period.  The  records  of  Ashburnham  do  not  pre- 
serve the  names  of  any  revolutionary  soldiers.  The  search 
for  the  material  for  this  chapter  was  made  elsewhere.  The 
State  archives  and  the  tiles  of  the  Pension  OiBce  at  Wash- 
ington have  been  fruitful  fields  of  research.  It  is  believed 
that  the  following  pages  will  contain  the  names  of  nearly  all 
the  residents  of  this  town  who  served  in  the  army  during  the 
Eevolutionary  War.  No  name  has  been  admitted  without 
unquestionable  proof.  Tradition  and  the  records  are  fre- 
quently at  variance,  and  in  such  cases  the  authority  of  the 
records  has  been  accepted. 

The  winter  preceding  the  repulse  of  the  enemy  at  Lex- 
ington and  Concord  was  a  season  of  gloom  and  uncertainty. 
The  colonists,  and  especially  those  of  Massachusetts,  were 
anxiously  waiting  for  the  clouds  to  break  or,  if  inevitable, 
for  hostilities  to  commence.  This  era  of  doubt  and  uncer- 
tainty cast  the  deepest  gloom  over  the  land.  The  inhabi- 
tants of  Ashburnham  are  earl}^  found  in  full  sympathy  with 
the  prevailing  sentiment  and  with  remarkable  unanimity  are 
early  prepared  for  the  decisive  issue.  As  early  as  1773 
mention  of  the  situation  of  public  affairs  finds  expression  in 
an  article  in  the  warrant  for  the  annual  March  meeting,  "To 
see  if  the  Town  will  consider  the  general  grievances  that 
are  laid  upon  us  by  acts  of  Parliament  &  disposing  of  our 
monies  without  our  consent."  At  this  time  no  action  was 
taken,  but  in  July,  1774,  "it  was  moved  that  the  Covenant 
sent  from    Boston    be    read    and   accordingly  it  was    read. 


134  HISTORY    OF    ASHBURNHAM. 

Then  a  motion  was  made  for  an  alteration  and  that  Doctor 
Senter,  George  Dana,  Elisha  Coolidge,  Samuel  Nichols  and 
Jonathan  Samson  be  a  committee  to  alter  said  covenant  and 
adjom-ned  said  meeting  for  half  an  hour  and  then  said  Cove- 
nant was  altered  to  the  acceptance  of  the  Town."  "Voted 
that  Elisha  Coolidge  Samuel  Wilder  and  Samuel  Nichols  be 
a  committee  to  keep  the  covenant  after  it  is  signed." 

The  covenant  adopted  in  the  foregoing  vote  was  a  solemn 
engagement,  signed  by  the  inhabitants  of  the  town,  that  they 
would  refrain  from  the  purchase  and  use  of  certain  articles 
of  British  merchandise,  and  that  risking  their  lives  and 
fortunes  in  the  defence  of  their  charter  rights  and  privileges, 
they  would  resist  all  officers  holding  commissions  under  the 
late  acts  of  Parliament.  On  the  third  day  of  September,  the 
town  was  assembled  to  hear  the  report  of  Jonathan  Taylor 
who  had  been  chosen  to  attend  a  convention  at  Worcester, 
which  met  in  August  at  the  house  of  Mary  Stearns,  widow 
of  Captain  Thomas  Stearns.  The  records  do  not  afford  any 
information  of  the  character  of  the  report,  yet  from  other 
sources  it  is  known  that  this  convention  recommended  the 
several  towns  to  appoint  military  officers,  to  provide  arms 
and  ammunition,  and  to  make  ample  provision  for  any  emer- 
gency that  may  arise.  At  the  same  meeting  the  progress  of 
public  sentiment  is  revealed  in  a  vote  to  indemnify  the  officers 
of  the  town  for  not  returning  a  list  of  jurors  as  required  by 
an  act  of  Parliament.  This  was  a  bold  measure  and  in  open 
resistance  of  royal  authority.  The  colonists  were  extremely 
sensitive  in  regard  to  the  influences  surrounding  the  halls  of 
justice.  The  man  of  lowest  degree  justly  demanded  a  hear- 
ing on  equal  terms  with  the  favorites  of  royalty.  The  exists 
ing  discontent  arose  in  the  fact  that  the  judges  were  appointed 
by  the  crown  and  provision  was  made  in  England  for  their 
support  for  the  purpose  of  rendering  them  wholly  independent 


REVOLUTIONARY   HISTORY.  135 

of  colonial  intlueiice.  This  system  of  appointment  and  salary 
of  the  judges  received  early  discussion  and  firm  resistance. 
The  vote  of  Ashburnham  refusing  to  recognize  the  courts 
thus  constituted  in  returning  a  list  of  jurors,  was  a  part  of 
the  general  action  of  the  colony. 

Two  other  important  votes  were  passed  at  this  meeting. 
First,  the  town  choose  Jonathan  Taylor,  a  representative  to 
the  famous  provincial  congress  which  assembled  at  Concord, 
October  11,  and  by  adjournment  to  Cambridge  continued 
their  deliberations  until  December  10,  1774.  Evidently,  not 
yet  content  with  these  expressions  of  opinion,  and  with  these 
provisions  for  the  future,  at  the  same  meeting,  nearl}^  a  year 
before  Washington  assumed  command  of  the  army,  the  town 
voted  "  to  buy  half  a  hundred  of  powder  and  one  hundred  of 
lead  and  ten  dozen  of  flints  as  a  town  stock.''  At  this  meet- 
ing, as  stated,  the  town  heard  from  their  delegate  the  recom- 
mendations of  the  Worcester  convention,  and  ten  days  later 
were  again  assembled  to  carry  them  into  eifect.  The  action 
of  this  meeting  was  brief  yet  decisive.  A  committee  of 
safety  and  correspondence  was  chosen  and  the  militia  was 
organized.  The  record  of  the  meeting  preserves  the  roll  of 
honor. 

Chose  Samuel  Nichols,  Jonathan  Samson,  Deliverance  Davis, 
Abijah  Joslin  and  Jonathan  Taylor  a  committee  of  correspond- 
■ence. 

Voted  that  the  following  persons  be  the  officers  of  the  militia  of 
said  town  :  — 

Abijah  Joslin,  captain. 
Deliverance  Davis,  lieutenant. 
Ebenezer  Conant,  Jr.,  ensign. 
Amos  Dickerson,  first  sergeant. 
Jacob  Harris,  second  sergeant. 
Oliver  Stone,  third  sergeant. 


136  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

Enos  Jones,  fourth  sergeant. 
Phinehas  Wetherbee,  first  corporal. 
Salmon  Button,  second  corporal. 
George  Dana,  third  corporal. 
Ezra  Atherton,  fourth  corporal. 
John  Conn,  clerk. 

This  meeting  completes  the  official  action  of  the  town  for 
the  year  and  introduces  the  names  of  men  who  will  be  fre- 
quently and  honorably  mentioned  in  the  following  pages. 
Early  in  1775,  we  find  two  companies  of  organized  militia, 
of  which  Captains  Jonathan  Gates  and  Deliverance  Davis 
were  commanders,  but  no  record  is  found  of  their  election 
or  of  the  resignation  of  Captain  Joslin. 

1775.  At  the  annual  Marqji  meeting  this  year,  five  select- 
men, consisting  of  John  Kiblinger,  Samuel  Nichols,  Captain 
Jonathan  Gates,  Oliver  Stone  and  Amos  Kendall,  were 
chosen.  Through  the  extended  record  of  proceedings  con- 
cerning the  ordinary  town  affairs,  the  gleam  of  the  Ke volu- 
tion is  revealed  in  a  /ote  that  Captain  Jonathan  Gates  be 
instructed  to  procure  thirty-six  cartridge  boxes  for  the  use 
of  the  minute-men  at  the  expense  of  the  town.  A  former 
town  meeting  had  been  convened  early  in  the  month  at 
which  town  officers  were  chosen  and  the  usual  routine  busi- 
ness was  transacted.  At  the  second  meeting  all  the  proceed- 
ings of  the  first  meeting  were  declared  null  and  void  and  new 
officers  were  chosen  who  continued  in  office  through  the  year. 
The  first  meeting  chose  Samuel  Wilder  town  clerk,  but  at 
the  second  meeting  Jacob  Willard  was  chosen  to  transcribe 
the  public  records.  There  is  tradition  that  for  a  short  time 
in  ,the  early  stages  of  the  Revolution,  Rev.  John  Gushing, 
Samuel  Wilder,  Deacon  John  Willard,  and  possibly  one  or 
two  others,  were  regarded  with  some  measure  of  suspicion 
by  the  more  ardent  patriots.     It  is  certain  that  about  this 


REVOLUTIONARY   HISTORY.  137 

time  a  company  of  iii^n,  mainly  from  other  towns,  waited 
upon  these  gentlemen  for  an  expression  of  their  views  on 
public  afiairs.  AVhatever  may  have  lieen  the  character  or 
influence  of  this  interview,  there  was  no  further  question  in 
regard  to  the  political  opinions  of  these  men.  Mr.  Wilder 
was  elected  town  clerk  the  following  year,  an  office  he  held 
with  no  other  interruption  from  17 69  to  1792,  and  all  of 
these  men  gave  a  cheerful  support  to  every  measure  for  the 
prosecution  of  the  war.  The  population  of  the  town  was 
increased  during  the  year  1775  by  the  arrival  of  the  follow- 
ing men,  most  of  whom  had  families ;  John  Putnam, 
Nathaniel  Adams,  Peter  Willard,  Captain  Joseph  Wilder, 
Simeon  Nutting,  Timothy,  David  and  Levi  Chaplin,  Asa 
Brocklebank  and  Jacob  Wilker,  the  first  of  the  name  in 
town. 

While  this  town  voted  throughout  the  year  not  to  send  a 
representative  to  the  provincial  congress,  it  is  apparent  that 
there  was  no  want  of  interest  in  the  progress  of  public  affairs 
outside  of  the  township,  since  a  committee  of  inspection  was 
promptly  chosen  "  to  see  that  the  resolves  of  the  Continental 
Congress  respecting  trade  be  strictly  adhered  to."  To  this 
duty  William  AVhitcomb,  Jonathan  Taylor,  Jonathan  Sam- 
son, George  Dana  and  Samuel  Cutting  were  assigned. 
Similar  to  the  action  of  other  towns  in  this  vicinity,  Ashburn- 
ham  adopted  early  measures  to  secure  and  distribute  among 
the  families  of  the  town  a  supply  of  salt  before  the  channels 
of  trade  were  closed  and  many  commodities  beyond  their 
grasp.  A  few  votes  on  this  subject  are  transcribed  from  the 
records  : 

Voted  to  Purchis  300  Bushels  of  salt  for  a  town  stock  and 
chose  Messrs.  Jonathan  Taylor,  Amos  Kindall  and  Samuel  Foster 
to  bee  a  committee  to  percure  the  same.  Allso  said  committee  is 
to  give  security  in  behalf  of  said  town  for  said  salt.     Said  town 


138  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

to  alow  Ml-.  Amos  Kindall,  18  shillings  for  going  down  to  percure 
said  salt. 

Voted  that  the  committee  apply  to  the  town  Treasurer  for  money 
to  Bair  the  charges  of  teems. 

At  a  subsequent  meeting  : 

Voted  that  the  committee  Imployed  to  git  the  Salt  take  the 
same  under  their  Cair  and  sell  to  each  man  as  they  think  his 
portion  is  for  the  space  of  six  months  from  the  first  of  July  1775, 
and  no  longer.  N.  B.  After  the  time  heir  prefixed  said  com- 
mittee may  sell  the  salt  to  any  person  or  persons  in  town  or  out. 

Having  given  some  account  of  the  proceedings  at  home, 
the  principal  events  in  the  history  of  Ashburnham  for  the 
year  1775  remain  as  yet  untold.  The  town,  if  remote  from 
the  early  scenes  of  hostilities,  bore  an  honorable  part  in  the 
alarm  at  Lexington,  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill  and  the  sub- 
sequent siege  of  Boston. 

Thus  fiir  we  have  discovered  some  of  the  steps  which 
mark  the  progress  of  public  opinion.  The  evidence  of  a 
firmer  faith  and  a  more  resolute  purpose,  leading  to  the 
sterner  scenes  of  the  Eevolutionary  struggle  is  at  ready 
command.  And  yet  the  alacrity  with  which  the  inhabitants 
of  Ashburnham  responded  to  the  alarm  of  war  at  the  first 
call  of  their  country  was  the  simple  and  natural  outgrowth 
of  the  resolute  preparation  which  had  been  made  during  the 
past  two  years. 

The  spring  of  1775  was  unusually  forward;  the  warm, 
sunny  days  of  mid  April  had  invited  the  husbandman  to  the 
labors  of  the  field.  But  in  the  midst  of  a  peaceful  avocation, 
and  attending  this  external  appearance  of  security  and  com- 
posure, there  was  a  strong  undercurrent  of  suspense  and 
anxiety.  Neither  the  vernal  sun  nor  the  balmy  air  of  spring 
could    dissolve   the  portentous    clouds  which    overhung  the 


REVOLUTIONAKY   HISTORY.  139 

political  horizon.  And  now  at  a  season  of  the  year  most 
suggestive  of  tranquillity  and  gladness,  all  remaining  doubt 
was  suddenly  removed  and  all  anticipations  of  an  honorable 
peace  were  dispelled.  The  harsh  notes  of  war  and  carnage 
resounded  over  the  dying  hope  of  a  peaceful  settlement  of 
the  public  grievances.  With  unfinished  furrows  and  tields 
half  sown,  the  patriot  farmer  reversing  the  prophecy  lay  down 
the  pruning- hooks  for  spears  and  quickly  beat  the  plough- 
shares into  swords.  The  ominous  intelligence  that  the 
British  were  marching  from  Boston  towards  Lexington 
swiftly  borne  on  the  wings  of  alarm  was  proclaimed  in  Ash- 
burnham  in  the  afternoon  of  that  historic  day.  To  the 
signal  ffuns  came  answering  echoes  from  the  surrounding 
hills,  and  before  the  reverberations  quivering  with  alarm  had 
faded  in  the  distance,  there  came  responsive  shots  from  many 
homes.  The  town  was  quickly  aroused.  The  patriots,  arms 
in  hand,  were  hurrying  forward  from  every  quarter  of  the 
town. 

No  intelligence  of  hostilities  at  this  hour  had  been  received. 
It  was  only  known  that  the  enemy  were  marching  inward. 
The  story  of  the  slaughter  of  their  brethren  at  Lexington  and 
at  Concord  was  then  unknown,  nor  was  it  needed  to  call 
these  men  to  arms.  Under  command  of  Captain  Jonathan 
Gates,  a  company  of  thirty-eight  men  promptly  responded 
to  the  call  and  marched  that  afternoon.  Nor  was  this  all. 
■  Through  the  following  night  the  men  from  the  remoter 
portions  of  the  town  responded  to  the  alarm,  and  busy  notes 
of  preparation  were  constantly  renewed.  A  second  company 
of  thirty-three  men,  under  command  of  Captain  Deliverance 
Davis,  was  organized.  Early  in  the  gray  of  the  following 
morning  they  were  on  the  march.  The  rolls  preserve  the 
names  of  those  men,  seventy-one  in  number,  who  responded 
thus  to  the  alarm.     Leaving  homes  and  family  with  hasty 


140  HISTORY   OF  ASHBURNHAM. 

farewells,  they  hastened  to  the  relief  of  their  brethren,  and 
some  of  them  to  the  familiar  scenes  of  their  childhood  and 
to  the  defence  of  the  homes  of  their  kindred. 

The  rapidity  with  which  the  alarm  was  spread  over  the 
country  on  the  nineteenth  of  April,  has  excited  surprise. 
It  was  not  accidental,  nor  one  of  those  hazard  enterprises 
that  sometimes  apparently  happen  in  a  fortuitous  manner. 
For  weeks  the  committees  of  safety  and  correspondence  had 
been  preparing  for  just  such  an  emergency ;  in  many 
instances  it  had  been  arranged  who  should  ride,  and  to  whom 
deliver  the  message.  At  twilight  many  a  vigilant  patriot 
had  carefully  stabled  and  fed  his  fleetest  horse,  half  in 
expectation  that  a  summons  to  ride  might  come  before  the 
rising  of  another  sun. 

The  public  records  of  the  town  aflbrd  no  information  of 
the  number  or  the  names  of  these  men  who  promptly 
responded  to  the  alarm.  If  tradition  was  the  only  remain- 
ing source  of  information,  the  lists  would  remain  uncertain 
and  incomplete.  The  traditional  statement  that  this  town 
sent  out  one  company  which,  on  the  receipt  of  intelligence 
that  the  aftray  was  ended,  returned  home  the  same  or  the 
following  day,  has  been  quite  generally  accepted.  Ashburn- 
ham  soldiers  in  the  Revolution  did  not  acquit  themselves  in 
that  manner.  For  once  tradition  shot  beneath  the  mark,  but 
has  made  ample  amends  in  other  fields  of  information.  For- 
tunately, the  muster  rolls  of  these  two  companies  are 
preserved  in  the  State  archives.  If  additional  evidence  is 
required  it  is  not  withheld.  Among  the  papers  of  the  late 
Deacon  John  C.  Davis,  a  grandson  of  one  of  the  com- 
manders, is  preserved  a  list  of  the  men  under  the  command 
of  Captain  Deliverance  Davis.  This  list  and  the  roll  at  the 
State  House  without  exception  are  the  same,  and  the  per- 
sonal statements  of  a  few  of  the  men  will  appear  in  another 


REVOLUTIONARY   HISTORY.  141 

connection.     Both  of  the  companies  marched  to  Cambridge 
and  there  remained  with  the  gathering  army  several  days. 

As  previously  stated,  Captain  Gates'  company  left  Ash- 
burnham  on  the  afternoon  of  the  alarm.  Upon  the  muster 
roll,  under  the  head  of  "  Time  when  marched,"  there  appears 
opposite  every  name  "April  19."  This  company  continued 
an  organization  until  May  1,  when  it  was  disbanded.  A  few 
had  previously  returned  home ;  a  few  came  home  when  the 
company  was  disbanded  and  sixteen  of  them  enlisted  in 
Colonel  Whitcomb's  regiment  and  remained  in  the  service 
until  the  close  of  the  year.  Captain  Davis'  company  is 
credited  with  marching  April  20.  It  was  disbanded  at 
Cambridge,  April  30.  Three  from  this  company  remained 
in  the  service.  With  the  exception  of  three  in  Captain 
Davis'  company  and  a  few  in  Captain  Gates'  company,  these 
men  are  credited  with  fifty-five  miles'  travel. 

Cap''  Jonathan  Gates'  Muster  Roll  in  Col  John  WliitcomVs  Regi- 
ment of  Militia  Men  who  marched  from  Ashburnham  on  y^ 
Alarm  April  19^^  1775. 

Jonathan  Gates,  Captain 

Amos  Dickerson,  Lieutenant 

Ezra  Atherton,  Lieutenant 

George  Dana,  Sergeant  Henry  Gates 

William  Wilder,      do  Samuel  Joslin 

Joseph  Metcalf,      do  Jonathan  Warren  Smith 

Ebenezer  Burgess,  do  David  Robinson 

Daniel  Hobart,  Corp'^  •     Jacob  Kiblinger 

Peter  Joslin,         do  Henry  Hall 

Francis  Lane,       do  Amos  Kindall 

Joseph  Stone,  Drummer  Henry  Winchester 

Amos  Lawrence  Samuel  Willard 

Phinehas  Weatherbee  Philip  Lock 

Moses  Russell  Aaron  Samson 

Nathaniel  Parker  Samuel  Salter 


142  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

John  Gates  John  Whitney 

Jonathan  Winchester  Joshua  Holt 

Daniel  Edson  Ebenezer  Wood 

Joseph  Wilder  Philip  Winter 

Nathaniel  HaxTis  David  Clark,  Jr. 
Peter  Osgood 

Capt.  Deliverance  Davis'  Muster  Moll  in  Col  Asa  WliitcomVs 
Megiment  of  Militia  men  who  marched  from  Ashburnham  on 
?/«  Alarm  April  W^^  1775. 

Deliverance  Davis,  Cap>tain 
Ebenezer  Conant,  Jr.,  Lieutenant 
John  Conn,  2^  Lieutenant 

Oliver  Stone,  Sergeant  Nathan  Melvin 

John  Adams,       do  Nathaniel  Hastings 

Samuel  Cutting,  do  Samuel  Mason 

Shubuel  Hobart,  Corp'''  Ephraim  Wetherbee 

Timothy  Wood,    do  David  Clark 

Oliver  Whitcomb,  do  Isaac  Blodgett 

Elijah  Edson,  Drummer  Joshua  Hemenway 

Isaac  Meiriam  John  Hall 

Oliver  Willard  John  Kiblinger 

Uriah  Holt  John  Putnam 

William  Whitcomb  Jacob  Willard 

William  Benjamin  Joshua  Holden 

Jacob  Constantine  Jonathan  Taylor 

Caleb  Ward  Jonathan  Taylor,  Jr. 

Enos  Jones  Joseph  Perr}^ 

Immediately  following  the  affair  at  Lexington  the  Massa- 
chusetts committee  of  safety  called  out  the  militia.  In  an 
address  to  the  several  towns  dated  April  20,  the  committee 
urged  them  "to  hasten  and  encourage  by  all  possible 
means  the  enlistment  of  men  for  an  army."  "Our  all," 
says  the  address,  "is  at  stake.  Death  and  devastation  are 
the  certain  consequences  of  delay.  Every  moment  is  infi- 
nitely precious.     An  hour  lost  may  deluge  your  country  in 


REVOLUTIONARY   HISTORY.  143 

blood  and  entail  perpetual  slavery  upon  the  few  who  may 
survive  the  carnage."  An  answering  spirit  animated  the 
inhabitants  of  this  town  and  as  will  appear  a  considerable 
number  joined  the  army  gathered  around  Boston. 

In  response  to  this  appeal  and  in  full  sympathy  with  tho 
sentiment  of  the  colony  the  enlistments  from  this  town  were 
neither  tardy  nor  few  in  number.  It  is  probable  that  some 
enlisted  at  this  tune  of  whom  no  record  has  been  found. 
The  rolls  are  imperfect  and  there  is  no  reason  to  presume 
that  the  following  lists  contain  the  names  of  all  fi'om  this 
town  who  were  in  the  service  either  at  this  time  or  at  subse- 
quent periods.  The  muster  roll  of  the  company  of  Captain 
David  Wilder  of  Leominster  in  Colonel  Whitcomb's  regi- 
ment bears  the  names  of  sixty-eight  men  including  officers. 
On  one  of  the  rolls  of  this  company  the  residence  of  each 
man  is  stated.  The  following  abstract  contains  only  the 
Ashburnham  men : 

DATE    OF    ENLISTMENT. 


Jonathan  Gates, 

First  Lieutenant 

April  25  1775 

Francis  Lane, 

Sergeant 

"     26 

Peter  Joslin, 

a 

"     26 

Joshua  Holt 

"     26 

Jacob  Kiblinger 

"     26 

Philip  Locke 

"     26 

David  Robinson 

"     26 

Samuel  Salter 

"     26 

Aaron  Samson 

''     26 

Henry  Hall 

"     26 

Henry  Winchester 

"     26 

Samuel  Willard 

"     26 

John  Whitney 

"     26 

Ebenezer  Wood 

"     26 

Philip  Winter 

"     26 

144  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

David  Clark,  Jr.  April  26 

Joshua,  Hemmenway  "     26 

John  Farmer  "     26 

Joseph  Smith,  Jr.  "27 

Jonathan  Gates,  Jr.  Ma}'  29 

Isaac  Blodget  July  17 

John  Locke  "    17 

Jacob  Winter  "    17 

Daniel  Edson  "17 

The  men  participating  in  the  siege  of  Boston  remained  in 
the  service  until  the  close  of  the  year  and  some  of  them 
remained  a  few  weeks  longer  or  until  new  recruits  came  for- 
ward to  fill  their  place.  In  the  same  service  were  David 
Clark,  Sen.,  in  the  company  of  Captain  Longley  in  Colonel 
Whitcomb's  regiment,  Uriah  Holt  in  Captain  Burt's  com- 
pany and  Thomas  Dutton  in  Captain  Wyman's  company  of 
Colonel  Prescott's  regiment. 

Twenty-three  men  from  Ashburnham  participated  in  the 
battle  of  Bunker  Hill.  Several  others  who  subsequently 
removed  to  this  town  shared  the  danger  and  glory  of  that 
memorable  engagement,  but  at  the  time  were  residents  of 
other  towns.  Of  these,  twenty  were  in  Captain  Wilder's 
company  and  the  remaining  three  were  Clark,  Holt  and 
Dutton  who  were  named  in  a  former  paragraph.  It  is  prob- 
able that  Colonel  Whitcomb's  regiment,  as  an  organization, 
was  not  engaged  in  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill  but  it  is  cer- 
tain, and  the  fact  is  undisputed,  that  the  company  of  Cap- 
tain Wilder  was  warmly  engaged  on  that  occasion. 

It  was  this  year  that  the  first  summer  boarders  arrived  in 
Ashburnham.  We  do  not  know  their  names  nor  the  families 
that  entertained  them.  In  accordance  with  stipulations 
between  the  committee  of  safety  and  General  Gage  at  Bos- 
ton, many  families  of  that  environed  town  were  sufiered  to 


REVOLUTIONARY   HISTORY.  145 

leave  unmolested  and  by  the  committee  were  distributed 
among  the  several  towns  of  the  colony  for  temporary  sup- 
port. The  numl)er  of  these  worthy  poor  assigned  to  Ash- 
burnham  was  twelve. 

At  the  close  of  the  year,  1775,  a  simple  form  of  State 
government  was  in  operatiouj  controlled  by  a  house  of  repre- 
sentatives and  an  executive  council,  and  judicial  courts  were 
duly  organized.  This  form  of  government  was  crude  and 
untried.  A  healthy  public  sentiment  and  vigilance,  tem- 
pered with  prudence,  were  the  main  protection  of  the  peo- 
ple. The  summer  of  this  year  had  been  extremely  hot  and 
dry,  and  the  slender  harvests  occasioned  much  anxiety  and 
alarm  for  the  future.  This  condition  of  affairs,  the  absence 
of  many  of  the  heads  of  families  in  the  army,  and  the 
extreme  solicitude  experienced  by  all  concerning  the  issues 
of  the  war,  cast  a  deepening  gloom  over  the  trials  and 
anxieties  of  the  closing  year. 

1776.  The  year  1776  was  an  eventful  one.  The  for- 
tunes of  the  army  were  not  decisive  in  any  degi-ee,  yet  the 
patriotism  and  bold  faith  of  the  colonists  at  no  time  shone 
forth  more  conspicuously.  The  record  of  the  year  will 
afford  ample  proof  that  the  inhabitants  of  Ashburnham  gave 
an  unqualified  adhesion  to  the  more  comprehensive  plans 
and  the  deeper  sentiment  which  animated  the  colonies. 
The  war  commencing  on  the  plea  of  defence  now  changed 
to  a  war  for  independence.  It  was  no  longer  a  domestic 
strife.  The  patriots  ceased  to  be  rebels  and  a  civil  war 
was  odious  to  many.  They  were  now  ready  for  revolution 
and  by  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  in  which  they 
asserted  their  right  and  title  to  all  the  attributes  of  a  nation, 
their  position  among  the  nations  and  their  attitude  to  Eng- 
land were  suddenly  changed.  Heretofore,  the  proceedings 
of  the   conventions  were  recommendations  and  appeals  to 


146  HISTORY   OF   ASHBUKNHAM. 

the  patriotism  of  the  people ;  now  such  enactments 
assumed  the  dignity  and  majesty  of  law,  and,  aided  by  a 
spirit  of  obedience  which  pervaded  the  colonies,  there  was 
no  foilure  of  orderly  conduct  nor  any  hiatus  in  the  munici- 
pal government  of  the  people.  Through  radical  changes 
and  for  a  season  through  the  failure  of  any  organic  law,  the 
town  of  Ashburnham  held  meetings,  chose  officers  and  lev- 
ied taxes  with  no  authority  except  a  loyal  public  sentiment. 

In  May  of  this  year  the  General  Court  passed  an  order 
calling  upon  the  people  to  express  an  opinion  concerning  a 
formal  and  entire  separation  from  Great  Britain.  It  was 
not  presumed  that  a  reconciliation  was  either  probable  or 
possible,  but  an  explicit  expression  of  opinion  was  suggested 
by  this  action.  On  the  twenty-fourth  day  of  June  a  war- 
rant for  a  town  meeting  was  issued  and  four  days  later  the 
inhabitants  of  Ashburnham  were  assembled  to  deliberate 
upon  a  grave  and  momentous  question.  The  article  and  the 
vote  are  self-explanatory. 

Article  2.  To  see  if  the  Inhabitants  of  said  Town  are  willing 
to  stand  by  the  Honourable  Congress  in  declaring  the  Colonies 
Independent  of  the  Kingdom  of  Great  Britain  with  their  lives 
and  fortunes  to  Support  ttiem  in  the  measure. 

June  28,  1776.  Pursuant  to  the  above  warrant  the  town 
being  met  made  choice  of  Mr.  Elisba  Coolidge  moderator. 

Voted.  We  the  Inhabitants  of  the  Town  of  Ashburnham,  in 
Town  meeting  assembled  being  sensible  of  the  disadvantage  of 
having  any  further  connections  with  the  Kingdom  of  Great 
Britain  and  are  wilUng  to  brake  off  all  connections  with  them  and 
it  is  our  Resolution  that  if  the  Honorable  Congress  shall  declare 
the  Colonies  Independent  of  the  Kingdom  of  Great  Britain  that 
we  the  said  Inhabitants  will  stand  by  them  with  our  lives  and  for- 
tunes to  support  them  in  the  measure. 

The  foregoing  motion  being  put  was  voted  unanimously. 


REVOLUTIONAKY   HISTORY.  147 

Soon  after  this  vote  the  Declaration  of  Independence  was 
received  in  printed  form.  It  was  read  from  the  pulpit  and 
transcribed  at  length  upon  the  records  of  the  town. 

At  the  annual  meeting  the  town  chose  Jonathan  Taylor, 
John  Willard,  Jonathan  Samson,  Abijah  Joslin  and  Eben- 
ezer  Conant,  Jr.,  a  committee  of  correspondence.  The 
only  remaining  action  of  this  meeting  relating  to  the  war 
was  a  vote  "  to  abate  the  soldiers  highway  rates  for  the  last 
year."  The  selectmen,  upon  whom  devolved  many  duties 
concerning  the  prosecution  of  the  war,  were  William  Whit- 
comb,  John  Kiblinger  and  Oliver  Willard. 

In  connection  with  these  proceedings  the  service  in  the 
field  for  the  year  was  the  natural  sequence  of  the  spirit  per- 
vading the  town.  The  company  of  Captain  David  Wilder, 
containing  twenty-four  men  from  Ashburnham  which  par- 
ticipated in  the  siege  of  Boston,  was  discharged  on  account 
of  expiration  of  term  of  service  near  the  close  of  the  year 
1775.  Without  returning  home  Jonathan  Gates,  Jr.,  and 
possibly  others,  reenlisted  and  served  an  additional  term 
of  three  months.  About  this  time  the  army  became  so 
depleted  by  expiration  of  terms  of  enlistment  that  a  call  was 
issued  for  additional  troops,  and  to  maintain  the  army  while 
the  new  recruits  were  being  enlisted  there  was  also  a  call 
for  men  for  a  short  term  of  service.  For  the  service  last 
named  this  town  furnished  three  men  who  enlisted  for  six 
weeks  and  were  assigned  to  the  right  wing  of  the  army  at 
Roxbury.  They  were  Jonathan  Samson,  Jr.,  Joseph  Met- 
calf  and  his  son,  Ezekiel  Shattuck  Metcalf,  in  Captain  Hill's 
company  of  Harvard.  In  an  affidavit  of  the  widow  of 
Ezekiel  Shattuck  Metcalf,  in  support  of  her  application 
for  a  pension  in  1839,  she  alleges  there  were  four  men 
from  this  town  in  that  company.  Her  recollection  may  be 
correct  but  no  record  of  the  remaining  soldier  has  been  dis- 


148  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

covered.  In  the  company  of  Captain  Rand  of  Westminster 
and  in  the  same  service  was  David  Merriam  who  enlisted  for 
three  months  in  January  of  this  year.  When  Washington 
withdrew  the  army  to  New  York  he  left  at  Boston  only  three 
regiments  of  militia.  Massachusetts  promptly  raised  three 
additional  regiments  for  the  defence  of  the  harbor.  In  these 
regiments,  serving  under  General  Ward,  Ashburnham  was 
honorably  represented. 

Jonathan  Samson,  Jr.,  after  completing  the  enlistment 
mentioned  in  a  former  paragraph,  joined  the  army  again  in 
July  and  served  in  the  company  of  Captain  Manasseh  Sawyer 
of  Sterling  in  Colonel  Dyke's  regiment.  With  his  company 
he  was  engaged  four  and  one-half  months  in  consti-ucting 
forts  at  Dorchester  Heights.  Again  in  December  he  enlisted 
into  the  same  company  and  served  three  months  at  Dorches- 
ter. In  the  last  service  he  was  joined  by  David  Merriam, 
Ebenezer  Bennett  Davis  and  Daniel  Putnam.  In  Captain 
Warner's  company  of  Colonel  Josiah  Whitney's  regiment 
are  found  the  familiar  names  of  Uriah  Holt  and  Thomas 
Ross  and  in  Colonel  Dyke's  regiment  was  David  Taylor. 
Jacob  Kiblinger  and  John  Hall  served  two  months  in  the 
summer  of  this  year  in  the  company  of  Captain  Woods  in 
Colonel  Converse's  regiment,  which  for  a  time  was  stationed 
at  Dobb's  Ferry  and  at  Tarrytown  and  constituted  a  part 
of  the  main  army  under  Washington.  In  the  same  com- 
pany was  Abraham  Gibson  who  then  resided  in  Fitchburg, 
but  subsequently  removed  to  this  town  where  he  resided 
many  years. 

In  the  company  of  Captain  Sargent  of  Princeton  in 
Colonel  Josiah  AVhitney's  regiment  from  May  to  July  were 
John  Kiblinger,  William  Ward  and  Jacob  Rodiman.  They 
were  stationed  near  Boston  and  for  a  short  time  were  with 
the  army  in  Rhode  Island  in  an  unsuccessful  attack  upon  the 


REVOLUTIONARY   HISTORY.  149 

British.     In  the  same  company  Avas  Charles  Hastings  who 
enlisted  from  Princeton  but  soon  after  removed  to  this  town. 

David  Stedman  served  one  enlistment  in  Captain  Fiske's 
company  in  Colonel  Brooks'  regiment,  and  Nicholas  White- 
man  enlisted  December  8  in  Captain  Alden's  company, 
Colonel  Mitchell's  regiment. 

Three  soldiers  sealed  their  devotion  to  the  cause  of  their 
country  with  their  lives.  These  were  Peter  Josliii,  aged 
about  twenty-five  years,  who  died  on  his  homeward  journey 
from  the  army  ;  Philip  Winter,  aged  twenty-two  years,  who 
died  in  the  service,  and  Daniel  Hobart,  aged  twenty-seven 
years,  who  was  killed  at  the  battle  of  White  Plains,  October 
28,  1776.  Young  Hobart  enlisted  in  June  and  was  assigned 
to  Colonel  Coleman's  regiment  which  joined  the  army  under 
Washington.  In  this  engagement  with  the  enemy  he  was 
wounded  in  the  thigh  with  a  musket  ball  and  left  upon  the 
field.  His  retiring  comrades  beheld  the  enemy  approach 
and  beat  him  with  clubbed  muskets. 

Dr.  Abraham  Lowe  and  David  Wallis  then  of  Lunenburg, 
Isaac  Whitmore  of  Leominster,  Cyrus  Fairbanks  of  Harvard, 
Reuben  Townsend  of  Shrewsbury,  Isaac  and  William 
Stearns  of  Billerica,  Jonas  Rice  of  Sterling,  Reuben  Rice  of 
Lancaster,  Joshua  Fletcher  of  Westford,  Oliver  and  Jabez 
Marble  of  Stow,  all  of  whom  subsequently  removed  to  Ash- 
burnham,  were  in  the  service  some  portion  of  the  year. 

1777.  The  spring  of  this  eventful  year  was  a  season  of 
deepest  gloom  and  depression.  To  this  time  the  American 
army  had  been  engaged  in  a  defensive  warfare  and  very  fre- 
quently had  been  found  unable  to  cope  with  the  disciplined 
and  well-equipped  forces  of  the  enemy.  Very  frequently 
had  the  American  soldier  been  obliged  to  retreat  from  scenes 
of  courage  and  heroism  worthy  of  victory.  The  discourage- 
ments of  the  hour  were  cumulative.     To  test  the  endurance 


150  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

and  faith  of  the  colonies  came  the  depressing  intelligence  of 
the  progress  of  the  haughty  army  under  Burgoyne  in  its 
advance  from  Canada  to  join  the  main  army  at  New  York. 
Apparently,  a  further  invasion  of  the  country  was  inevitable 
and  especially  was  New  England  menaced  with  instant 
danger.  The  inhabitants  of  this  town  evinced  no  evidence 
of  terror  or  dismay  but  calmly  proceeded  to  adopt  defensive 
measures  and  to  raise  their  full  proportion  of  men.  The 
activity  of  the  State  authorities  and  the  generous  response 
of  the  Massachusetts  and  New  Hampshire  militia  at  this 
critical  moment  are  important  events  in  the  history  of  the 
American  Revolution  ;  but  it  is  only  the  part  borne  by  Ash- 
burnham  that  appeals  for  expression  in  this  narrative.  The 
number  of  enlistments  in  this  town  during  the  year  was 
about  one  hundred.  Some  of  these  men  were  at  Stillwater 
and  Saratoga  in  the  gallant  army  of  General  Gates  which 
eventually  crushed  and  annihilated  the  proud  army  of 
Burgoyne,  so  recently  flushed  with  the  hope  of  spoils  and 
devastation.  The  latter  they  realized,  but  from  a  standpoint 
directly  opposed  to  their  lofty  expectations. 

Preliminary  to  an  account  of  the  enlistments  for  the  year 
some  reference  should  be  made  to  the  action  of  the  town  and 
the  home  trials  of  the  year.  Recognizing  efficient  service, 
and  possibly  as  an  encouragement  to  their  successors  in  ofBce 
to  pursue  a  similar  policy  in  the  conduct  of  town  affairs, 
the  town  in  March  voted  "  to  allow  the  selectmen  additional 
compensation  for  extraordinary  services  the  past  year  "  in  a 
special  appropriation  of  "  twenty-four  shillings  for  going  to 
Boston  in  their  country's  service."  In  May,  William  Whit- 
comb  was  chosen  "  to  represent  the  town  in  the  great  and 
general  court  to  be  held  in  Boston  the  28"'  day  of  May  cur- 
rent." This  record  presents  an  early  employment  of  the 
high-sounding  and  ponderous  title  that  has  flattered  a  legisla- 


KEVOLUTIONARY   HISTORY.  151 

ture  with  the  weight  of  its  own  dignity.  It  was  this  session 
of  the  General  Court  which  submitted  a  proposed  constitu- 
tion for  the  acceptance  of  the  people  and  which  was  rejected 
by  a  great  majority  early  the  following  year.  The  selectmen 
this  year  were  Samuel  Wilder,  Deacon  John  Willard,  Jona- 
than Samson,  Jonathan  Taylor  and  Captain  Abijah  Joslin. 
The  committee  of  correspondence  and  inspection  were 
Samuel  Foster,  William  Wilder,  Enos  Jones,  Joseph  Met- 
calf  and  Francis  Lane.  Expressive  of  the  sentiment  of  the 
town  on  the  subject  a  committee,  consisting  of  Captain 
Thomas  Adams,  George  Dana,  John  Conn,  Captain  Jonathan 
Gates  and  William  Wilder,  was  appointed  to  remonstrate 
the  Legislature  against  the  proposed  measure  of  calling  in  the 
issue  of  paper  money.  Captain  Adams  named  in  this  vote 
was  the  father  of  the  centenarian,  John  Adams.  The  elder 
Adams  removed  to  this  town,  1775,  and  very  soon  after  the 
alarm  at  Lexington,  where  he  resided,  until  his  death  in 
1802.  If  this  statement  is  opposed  by  other  records,  it  is 
nevertheless  correct.  The  first  reference  to  a  depreciated 
currency  upon  the  record  of  this  town  is  found  in  a  vote  late 
in  the  year  "to  allow  Kev.  John  Cushing  £33|  on  account  of 
the  fall  of  money." 

It  is  impossible  at  this  late  period  to  name  all  the  men  of 
Ashburnham  who  served  in  the  army  this  year.  As  is  well 
known,  a  portion  of  the  muster  rolls  were  never  filed  among 
the  State  papers  and  others  have  been  destroyed  by  fire. 
The  roll  here  given,  although  imperfect,  is  highly  creditable 
to  the  town,  while  every  one  will  join  in  a  regret  that  any 
name  has  been  lost  from  the  record  of  patriotic  service. 
Among  the  Massachusetts  forces  sent  to  the  defence  of 
Rhode  Island  in  1777,  was  the  regiment  commanded  by 
Colonel  Josiah  Whitney,  which  included  at  least  five  men 
from   this  town.     They  were  John  Kiblinger,  Jacob  Rodi- 


152  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

man,  Samuel  Metcalf,  Jonathan  Coolidge  and  William  Ward. 
The  service  was  rendered  in  the  early  part  of  the  year  and 
before  this  regiment  was  sent  to  New  York,  as  the  mileage 
for  five  of  these  men  due  from  the  State  was  allowed  to  the 
town  in  June.  From  other  evidence  it  appears  that  these 
men  were  in  service  four  mouths.  In  the  summer  of  this 
year,  intelligence  of  the  fall  of  Crown  Point  and  Ticonderoga 
and  the  steady  and  triumphant  advance  of  General  Burgoyne 
created  a  widespread  sentiment  of  the  most  painful  appre- 
hension. Early  in  July  General  Schuyler,  while  retreating 
before  the  enemy,  issued  a  proclamation  calling  to  his  imme- 
diate assistance  the  militia  of  New  England  and  New  York, 
and  aroused  by  the  danger  of  the  situation,  multitudes  obeyed 
the  call.  While  men  for  this  service  were  being  recruited 
in  Ashburnham,  there  came  the  startling  intelligence  that  a 
detachment  of  the  enemy  had  invaded  the  soil  of  Vermont 
and  were  pressing  on  toward  the  western  counties  of  Massa- 
chusetts. The  town  immediately  was  in  arms,  and  Captain 
Jonathan  Gates,  with  twenty  or  thirty  men  from  this  town, 
immediately  marched  to  the  relief  of  their  brethren.  So 
prompt  was  the  action  of  the  authorities,  and  so  responsive 
was  the  spirit  manifested  by  the  people,  that  all,  or  nearly 
every  town  in  this  vicinity,  sent  an  independent  company  of 
men  who  did  not  delay  for  regimental  organi^iation,  but  each 
little  company,  independent  of  superior  officers,  conducted  a 
brief  campaign  on  personal  responsibility.  These  men  were 
not  mustered  nor  orijanized  into  regiments  and  never  received 
pay  nor  rations  for  their  service.  This  company,  with  others 
from  this  vicinity,  was  marched  to  Charlemont,  and  was 
there  held  to  await  information  of  the  progress  and  probable 
course  of  the  enemy.  Learning  that  the  American  army 
under  General  St.  Clair  had  retreated  into  New  York,  and 
that  the  probable  theatre  of  war  had  been   removed  beyond 


REVOLUTIONAKY   HISTORY.  153 

their  vicinity,  they  were  dismissed  and  after  an  absence  of 
three  weeks  returned  to  their  homes.  There  were  no  muster 
rolls  of  these  men,  and,  with  few  exceptions,  their  names 
have  faded  beyond  recall.  It  was  an  anonymous  campaign. 
In  the  same  expedition  were  forty-eight  men  from  West- 
minster, under  command  of  Captain  Elisha  Jackson  ;  Captain 
Thurlo  led  a  company  of  twenty-two  men  from  Fitchburg. 
Lunenljurg  was  represented  by  Captain  Carlisle  and  a  num- 
ber of  men  under  his  command.  In  the  latter  company  was 
Dr.  Abraham  Lowe,  later,  the  well-known  physician  of  this 
town. 

The  few  names  of  the  Ashburnham  company  that  can  now 
be  ascertained  are  Jonathan  Samson,  Jr.,  William  Ward, 
John  Adams,  David  Merriam  and  probably  Jacob  Constan- 
tine,  John  Kiblinger  and  Nicholas  Whiteman.  Scarcely  had 
these  men  returned  to  their  homes  and  the  labor  of  their 
fields  l)efore  they  were  again  called  into  service.  The 
annihilation  of  the  army  under  Burgoyne  was  a  preconcerted 
effort  and  this  call  upon  the  militia  was  a  part  of  a  well- 
matured  plan.  Catching  the  spirit  of  the  undertaking,  the 
men  came  promptly  forward  "  to  drive  the  Hessians  into  the 
woods."  Captain  Gates  was  commander  also  of  this  expedi- 
tion and  in  the  rapid  organization  of  the  army,  his  company 
was  assigned  to  serve  in  connection  with  a  New  Hampshire 
regiment  commanded  by  Colonel  Benjamin  Bellows  of 
Walpole.  The  company,  quickly  enlisted  and  hurriedly 
equipped,  was  marched  through  Charlemont,  Williamstown 
and  thence  to  Benning-ton,  Vermont,  arriving  there  two  days 
after  the  victory  of  General  Stark.  Here  they  were  per- 
mitted to  behold  the  prisoners  there  confined  and  guarded  in 
the  meeting-house,  and  thus  stimulated  by  a  view  of  the 
fruits  of  valor,  were  hurried  on  to  Fort  Edward  in  New 
York,  where  a  part  of  them  remained  until  after  the  surren- 


154  HISTORY    OF    ASHBURNHAM. 

der  of  Burgoyne,  which  occurred  October  17,  and  some  of 
them  were  transferred  to  other  companies  and  participated  in 
the  battles  of  Stillwater  and  Saratoga.  The  number  of  men 
from  Ashburnham  in  the  second  expedition  commanded  by 
Captain  Jonathan  Gates  was  between  twenty  and  thirty. 
Only  a  part  of  their  names  has  been  discovered.  They  are 
William  Ward,  Nicholas  Whiteman,  Jacob  Constantine, 
John  Adams,  Jonathan  Samson,  David  Merriam,  Jonathan 
Gates,  Jr.,  John  Kiblinger,  Ezekiel  S.  Metcalf,  and  Mr. 
Gates,  a  brother  of  Captain  Jonathan  Gates. 

To  avoid  the  inconvenience  experienced  during  the  pre- 
ceding two  years,  on  account  of  the-  short  terms  of  enlist- 
ment, and  to  create  a  more  stable  and  a  better  disciplined 
army,  orders  were  given  early  in  1777  to  establish  the  regi- 
ments on  the  continental  plan  and  recruit  their  decimated 
ranks  with  men  enlisted  for  three  years,  or  during  the  war. 
For  this  purpose  the  quota  of  Ashburnham  was  sixteen,  and 
an  earnest  eftbrt  was  made  to  supply  the  required  number. 
Thirteen  men  enlisted  and  were  mustered  into  service  May 
26,  1777,  for  three  years,  and  the  town  or  individuals  hired 
the  three  remaining  men,  Francis  Lee  of  Pepperell,  Andrew 
Foster  of  Andover,  and  Josiah  Fessenden  of  Boston,  to 
complete  the  quota. 

The  men  from  Ashburnham  whose  names  are  deeply 
inscribed  in  the  tablets  of  the  history  of  the  town,  were 
Ebenezer  Bennett  Davis,  David  Clark,  David  Clark,  Jr., 
John  Winter,  Thomas  Pratt,  Samuel  Mason,  John  White, 
Paul  Sawyer,  Jacob  Lock,  Thomas  Ross,  Joshua  Holden, 
Timothy  Johnson  and  Adam  Rodiman. 

A  considerable  number  of  other  men  from  this  town  was 
in  the  service  this  year.  There  are  many  incidental  refer- 
ences which  establish  the  fact,  but  do  not  reveal  the 
names  of  the  soldiers.     In  August  this  year  there  was  a 


REVOLUTIONARY   HISTORY.  155 

draft  in  this  town  for  men  to  serve  three  months,  but  the 
number  of  men  required  has  not  been  ascertained.  It 
appears  that  David  Chaffin  was  drafted  at  this  time  and  was 
assigned  to  Captain  Nathaniel  Carter's  company  in  Colonel 
Cushing's  regiment  and  joined  the  army  under  General 
Gates.  On  account  of  sickness  he  was  discharged  and 
arrived  home,  November  1,  1777. 

1778.  The  new  year  opened  with  a  town  meeting  at 
which  the  town  voted  that  they  "  were  not  willing  to  send 
any  relief  to  the  Continental  soldiers  now  in  the  army." 
The  natural  construction  of  this  language  unfairly  represents 
the  prevailing  sentiment  and  the  real  intent  of  the  town. 
It  was  the  intention  of  the  town,  as  appears  from  other 
records,  that  the  needs  of  the  soldiers  beyond  their  stipu- 
lated pay  and  bounty  should  be  left  with  their  friends  and 
the  generosity  of  individuals,  which  had  proved  adequate  in 
the  past  and  were  confidently  invoked  in  this  instance. 
Present  in  this  meeting,  perhaps,  was  Samuel  Metcalf,  then 
a  youth  of  sixteen  years,  who  had  but  recently  returned 
from  a  long  and  perilous  journey  to  the  army,  bearing 
clothing  to  his  brother  Ezekiel  to  supply  a  loss  caused  by 
the  burning  of  his  tent  which  had  left  him  destitute.  With 
such  evidence  of  the  thoughtful  care  of  the  soldier  in  the 
field,  with  the  hum  of  the  wheel,  the  click  of  the  loom  and 
the  busy  needle  in  every  home,  there  was  present  in  this 
meeting  every  assurance  that  the  individual  and  not  the  town 
could  best  respond  to  this  call  upon  their  charity. 

In  May  of  this  year,  the  town  approved  of  the  Articles  of 
Confederation  proposed  by  the  Continental  Congress.  The 
vote  was  decisive.  The  records  assert  "there  was  but  one 
against  it,"  but  the  name  and  motive  of  this  dissenting  voice 
are  not  revealed.  In  the  midst  of  the  weighty  responsibilities 
resting  upon  our  worthy  fathers,  perplexed  with  the  demands 


156  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

of  war  and  the  problems  of  new  forms  of  government,  the 
town  eloquently  assert  their  attentive  care  of  the  family  of 
the  soldier  in  a  vote  "to  help  Timothy  Johnson's  wife  who  is 
in  needy  circumstances,  so  that  she  may  be  made  comfort- 
able." 

Timothy  Johnson  is  found  in  the  list  of  men  enlisting  the 
previous  year  for  three  years  and  leaving,  doubtless  with 
confidence,  his  wife  and  their  three  babes  to  the  considerate 
care  of  his  townsmen. 

To  the  husbandman  the  summer  of  1778  was  one  of  great 
discouragements.  The  season  was  extremely  dry  and  the 
product  of  the  field  was  small  and  unremunerative.  The 
partial  failure  of  the  crops  was  keenly  felt  at  a  season  when 
the  product  of  the  farm  was  the  only  means  to  meet  the 
heavy  demands  for  money  and  provisions  to  carry  on  the 
war.  To  give  poignancy  to  their  despondency  the  currency 
depreciated  so  rapidly  in  value  that  financial  ruin  seemed 
instant  and  inevitable.  During  the  year  1778,  the  equiva- 
lent of  a  unit  of  money  decreased  from  one-third  to  less  than 
one-sixth  of  its  nominal  value.  One  assessment  of  taxes  fol- 
lowed another  in  rapid  succession,  until  the  constable,  who 
was  also  collector  of  taxes,  only  left  the  door  to  soon  return 
with  renewed  demands,  and  creditors,  beholding  every  dol- 
lar of  their  dues  fade  in  value  from  month  to  month,  were 
importunate  and  peremptory  in  their  demands  for  immediate 
payment.  In  the  midst  of  these  depressing  surroundings 
at  home  came  many  assurances  of  amended  fortunes. 

During  the  past  few  months  a  disheartened  and  retreating 
army,  receiving  timely  reenforcement,  had  fought  several  suc- 
cessful battles  which  had  completely  annihilated  a  proud  and 
invading  army.  The  patriots  had  taught  the  disciplined  and 
well-equipped  soldiery  of  Europe  that  they  were  their 
equals,  both  in  the  open  field  and  in  the  strategems  of  war. 


REVOLUTIONARY   HISTORY.  157 

They  had  awakened  a  renewed  confidence  m  themselves 
which  imparted  the  strength  of  cohesion  and  of  discipline  to 
the  patriot  army.  The  seat  of  war  was  removed  to  the 
South,  and  the  calls  for  troops  w  ere  less  frequent  and  imper- 
ative. The  sudden  and  tantalizing  alarms  which  had  char- 
acterized the  preceding  year,  giving  the  minute-men  but 
little  freedom  from  actual  service  or  solitude  when  at 
home,  for  many  months  were  not.  repeated.  In  addition  to 
all  these  flattering  omens,  which  encouraged  hope  to  triumph 
over  despondency,  the  most  enlivening  hopes  were  associ- 
ated with  the  alliance  with  France,  and  her  proffers  of  assist- 
ance in  the  prosecution  of  the  w^ar.  A  firmer  faith  in  the 
success  of  their  cause  was  everywhere  manifested,  until 
many  were  persuaded  to  believe  that  the  war  was  substan- 
tially at  an  end.  And  yet  amid  these  cheering  omens 
another  vial  was  being  opened  whose  bitterness  soon 
drenched  the  land  ;  only  an  oasis  had  been  reached,  and  not 
the  fruitful  soil  beyond  the  desert  sands ;  the  clouds  were 
not  breaking,  but  only  shifting  into  new  shapes,  to  again 
inundate  the  land  with  darker  days  and  greater  trials. 

The  record  of  the  preceding  year  left  the  continental 
soldiers  from  this  town  with  the  army  under  the  immediate 
command  of  Washington.  It  will  be  remembered  that  these 
men  enlisted  for  three  years.  Jacob  Lock  and  Samuel  Mason 
having  died  the  remaining  fourteen  shared  the  suffering  of  a 
winter  of  unusual  severity  at  Valley  Forge.  In  the  spring  of 
this  year  with  more  than  two  years  of  rugged  service  Ijefore 
them  they  followed  the  fortunes  of  Washington  in  the 
extreme  heat  and  dangers  of  Monmouth  and  in  the  summer 
campaign  near  the  city  of  New  York.  In  the  late  autumn 
they  were  marched  to  Middlebrook,  New  Jersey,  and  there 
erected  huts  for  the  winter.  The  new  recruits  this  year  are 
found  in  several  regiments  and  in  as  many  branches  of  the 


158  HISTORY    OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

service,  and  there  is  ample  evidence  that  several  were  drafted 
or  enlisted  in  the  spring  and  summer  whose  names  and  ser- 
vice cannot  now  be  stated. 

The  men  that  were  being  enlisted  to  recruit  the  decimated 
ranks  of  the  continental  regiments  were  so  few  in  number 
that  the  General  Court  called  for  two  thousand  men  to  serve 
in  these  regiments  for  the  term  of  nine  months.  For  this 
sei'vice  three  men  from  this  town  volunteered  or  were 
drafted.  William  Ward  enlisted  in  the  month  of  June  and 
was  assigned  to  Colonel  Marshall's  regiment,  from  which  he 
was  discharged  March  7,  1778,  and  about  the  same  time  and 
under  the  same  requisition,  Jonathan  Benjamin  and  Benjamin 
Clark  entered  the  service  and  were  mustered  at  Fishkill, 
New  York.  The  muster  rolls  describe  Benjamin  as  seven- 
teen years  of  age,  five  feet  and  six  inches  in  stature  and  of 
light  complexion.  Clark,  the  roll  alleges,  was  at  this  time 
sixteen  years  of  age,  only  five  feet  and  two  inches  in  height 
and  light  complexion.  Young  Clark  was  not  a  tall  soldier, 
and  as  he  lived  to  enlist  again,  there  is  license  for  the  pre- 
sumption that  his  head  was  carried  below  the  line  of  greatest 
danger.  Having  filled  this  quota,  the  selectmen  express 
their  relief  in  a  letter  to  the  General  Court. 

To  THE  HoN^^E  Council  &  House  of  Representatives  of  the 

State   Massachusetts  Bat. 

These  m  ay  certify  that  the  Town  of  Ashburnham  have  com- 
plied with  the  resolve  of  the  Court  of  the  20"^  of  April  1778  last 
in  raising  Continental  men  and  the  men  marched  when  called  for. 

Ashburnham  Aug  24'''  1778. 

OLIVER  WILLARD  )  o^i,,,^,„ 
JOHN   CONN  I  Selectmen. 

Worcester  ss  Aug  20*''  1778. 

personally  appeared  Capt  Jonathan  Gates  of  Ashburnham  and 
made  oath  to  the  above  certificate  before  me. 

SAMUEL  WILDER 

Town  Clerk. 


REVOLUTIONAUY   HISTORY.  159 

Reference  is  mtide  in  the  following  letter  to  a  subject  of 
which  the  result  cannot  be  stated.  The  fact  that  Benjamin 
Clark  was  eventually  mustered  into  service  at  Fishkill  for 
nine  months,  and  at  that  time  the  father,  David  Clark,  had 
two  full  years  to  serve,  would  indicate  that  he  was  not 
accepted  as  a  substitute  for  his  father. 

AsHBORNHAM  June  01  y*"  1778. 
this  is  to  sortif^'  that  Jonathan  Benjeman  has  ingaged  in  the  cou- 
tineutal  sarvis  nine  monts  and  Likewise  Benjeman  Clark  in  the 
Rom  of  his  father  David  Clark,  he  being  a  man  in  3-ears  and  I 
should  be  glad  if  you  would  except  him  in  his  romm. 

JONATHAN   GATES,    Captain. 
To  Mr  Worshbon  the  supereutendent  for  the  County  of  Worcester. 

In  the  summer  of  this  year,  a  combined  attack,  by  land 
and  water,  upon  the  British  army  at  Newport,  in  Rhode 
Island,  was  projected.  An  army  raised  from  the  militia  of 
New  England  was  sent  to  reenforce  General  Sullivan,  and  to 
cooperate  with  the  French  fleet.  Calls  were  also  made  this 
year  for  men  to  serve  in  defence  of  Boston  and  the  military 
stores  deposited  there.  In  the  former  service  there  were  at 
least  four  men  from  this  town.  They  were  enlisted  or 
drafted  in  June  to  serve  the  remainder  of  the  year.  They 
were  assigned  to  the  company  of  Captain  Benjamin  Edgell  in 
Colonel  John  Jacob's  regiment,  which  was  a  part  of  the 
army  under  General  Sullivan.  They  arrived  home  the  first 
week  in  January,  1779.  The  descriptive  list  of  the  men 
from  Ashburnham  is  of  interest. 

NAME.  TIME  OF  ENLISTMENT.         TRAVEL.         TIME  Of"sERTICE.         WAGES. 

Ezekiel  Metcalf,       June  25th,  100  miles,  6  mos  12  days,  £29-15-3 

John  Chamberlain,  June  24th,  100     "  6     "    13      "  29-18-4 

David  Chaffin,           June  25th,  100     "  6     "    12      "  29-15-3 

Simon  Rodiman,       June  26th,                80     "  6     "    11      "  29-  5-8 


160  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

To  meet  the  requirements  for  service  at  Boston,  a  number 
of  men  was  drafted  or  recruited  to  serve  three  months. 
Among  them  were  Jonathan  Samson,  Jr.,  Nicholas  White- 
man  and  John  Hall,  who  were  assigned  to  the  company  of 
Captain  John  White  of  Lancaster,  and  stationed  at  Castle 
island.  In  service  at  this  time  and  near  Boston,  were  David 
Steadman  and  William  Ward.  The  latter  served  only  one 
month  and  was  employed  at  Prospect  Hill  in  guarding 
prisoners,  the  remains  of  Burgoyne's  army.  From  this 
service  he  returned  in  season  to  enlist  in  Colonel  Marshall's 
regiment,  as  stated  in  a  former  paragraph. 

Ashburnham  was  now  required  to  furnish  its  proportion  of 
clothing  for  the  army.  A  resolve  was  adopted  by  the 
General  Court,  March  13,  1778,  requiring  each  town  in  the 
State  to  furnish  as  many  shirts,  pairs  of  shoes  and  stockings, 
as  would  be  equal  to  one-seventh  part  of  all  its  male  inhabi- 
tants. These  articles  were  ordered  to  be  collected  in  each 
county  and  forwarded  to  the  army  by  the  county  agent, 
whereupon  each  soldier  was  to  receive  one  shirt,  one  pair  of 
shoes  and  one  pair  of  stockings  "  as  a  present  froui  the  people 
of  the  State."  Under  this  resolve,  the  quota  of  Ashburnham 
was  immediately  filled.  If  the  quota  of  this  town  was  seven- 
teen, more  shirts  were  forwarded  than  was  required,  but  it 
is  probable  that  the  excess  of  shirts  was  intended  as  an 
equivalent  for  a  deficiency  of  shoes  and  stockings.  If  this 
supposition  is  correct,  the  quota  of  Ashburnham  was  twenty, 
which  represents  that  at  this  time  there  were  one  hundred 
and  forty  male  inhabitants  in  this  town.  The  following 
letter  of  the  selectmen  is  a  part  of  this  proceeding  : 

To   Mr.  John  Wait   Agent  and   Receiver   of   Clothing  for  the 
County  of  Worcester 

Sir    these  are  to  inform  you  that  we  have  complied  with  the 


REVOLUTIONARY   HISTORY.  161 

resolve  of  Cort  last  sent  in  providing  clothing  for   the  solgers. 
we  have  provided 

Seventeen  pr  of  Shoes  cost  £3  pr  p''  £51 

and  seventeen  pr  Stockings  £1  :16-0  pr  p"^'^     £30=12=0 
and  twenty-seven  Shirts  at  £1 :16      apiece    £48=12=0 
and  as  we  have  received  no  furder  orders  Since  the  Resolve  of  the 
general  Cort  concerning  the  Clothing  we  do  send  them  by  Dea° 
Samuel  Wilder  to  you  to  be  Rec**  as  our  part  of  the  clothing  for 
this  time 

Sum  total 
for  Clothing 
Ashburnham  Sept  16-1778         £130-4-0 
So  we  remain  your  friends  &  Humble  Serv. 

OLIVER   WILLARD  ") 

JOHN    CONN  [-Selectmen. 

WILL^    BENJAMIN  j 

To  the  Hons"^  Corts  Committee  we  leave  the  Troble  of  Colect- 
ing  and  Cost  of  Transporting  37  miles  to  the  agent  to  your  Honors 
Judgment. 

This  account  was  audited  June  5,  1779.  The  price  of  the 
shoes  was  reduced  to  forty-eight  shillings  a  pair  and  £5-11-0 
was  allowed  for  transportation  thirty-seven  miles. 

Concerning  the  record  of  one  of  the  continental  soldiers  of 
the  town,  an  important  fact  remains  as  yet  untold.  Adam 
Rodiman  deserted.  If  he  had  been  a  man  of  diminutive 
stature,  like  Benjamin  Clark,  it  might  reasonably  be  pre- 
sumed that  he  was  temporarily  overlooked  and  the  record 
made  before  the  oversight  was  noted,  but  he  is  described  as 
twenty-three  years  of  age,  six  feet  high,  dark  eyes  and  hair 
and  by  occupation  a  blacksmith.  Whether  he  repented  and 
returned,  whether  he  was  returned  by  force  without  repent- 
ance, or  whether  he  neither  returned  nor  repented,  does  not 
appear  in  the  records.  It  is  known,  however,  that  after  the 
war  he  resided   several  years  in  this  town.     Ah !    Adam, 


162  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

hadst  thou  known  that  one  hundred  and  more  years  after  thy 
desertion  of  the  post  of  duty,  this  act  of  thine  would  be 
recalled,  that  the  faithful  historian  who  records  with  impartial 
pen  the  deeds  of  the  just  and  the  unjust,  giving  at  once  to  the 
principal  inhabitant  and  most  lowly  citizen  his  fair  measure 
of  censure  or  praise  as  his  life  and  service  are  revealed  in  the 
records  and  traditions  of  the  town ;  hadst  thou  known  and 
realized  all  this,  thou  wouldst  have  remained  to  share  the 
trial  and  dangers  bravely  endured  by  thy  heroic  comrades, 
and  wouldst  have  conquered  a  cowardice  that  gives  an  only 
stain  to  the  ensign  armorial  of  the  good  old  town  of  Ash- 
burnham.  But,  alas  !  like  thy  progenitor,  whose  name  thou 
bore,  thou  too  didst  fall. 

1779.  The  theatre  of  the  war  having  been  transferred  to 
the  Southern  States,  the  call  for  men  was  less  imperative 
than  in  the  years  preceding.  At  the  same  time  the  militar}^ 
spirit  of  the  people  svaned  with  the  removal  of  danger  from 
the  borders  of  New  England.  If  the  number  of  men  was 
comparatively  small,  the  labor  in  procuring  them  was  no 
less  onerous  than  in  former  years.  In  accordance  with  a 
resolve  of  the  General  Court,  passed  Jiine  9,  eight  men  were 
raised  in  July  to  recruit  the  continental  army.  Three  of 
these  men  to  serve  nine  months  were  mustered  with  the 
following  description : 

ft. 
Ebenezer  Conant,  age  36,  height       5 — 9 
Jacob  Constantine,  "    27,       "  5 — 9 

John  Kiblinger,         "    24,      "  6—0 

The  roll  also  announced  that  all  of  them  were  of  dark 
complexion.  Many  of  the  continental  men  who  entered  in 
1777  were  in  Colonel  Greaton's  regiment  at  this  time. 
Succeeding  the  repeated  failures  in  the  past,  a  successful 
attempt  to  dislodge  the  enemy  from  Rhode  Island  was  made 


REVOLUTIONARY  HISTORY.  163 

thi.s  year.  In  this  service  Ashburnham  was  represented  by 
at  least  five  men  who  were  drafted  in  July  and  served  six 
months.  They  were  marched  under  command  of  Sergeant 
Stone  to  Providence,  and  at  the  close  of  the  campaign  were 
discharged  at  Newport.  A  part  or  all  of  them  were  assigned 
to  Captain  Thomas  Fiske's  company  in  Colonel  Tyler's  or 
Colonel  Jackson's  regiment.  The  names  which  have  been 
found  from  nearly  as  many  sources  are  as  follows  :  Sergeant 
Joseph  Stone,  Jonathan  Gates,  Isaac  Merriam,  William 
Winchester  and  Jonathan  Winchester.  In  the  autumn 
David  Merriam  took  the  place  of  his  brother  Isaac  Merriam. 
In  the  early  autumn,  Ashburnham  was  required  to  send  four' 
men,  styled  fatigue-men,  to  serve  three  months  under  Cap- 
tains Henry  and  Wilson  at  Castle  William  and  Governor's 
island.  The  men  engaged  in  this  service  were  David 
Chaffin,  Edward  Whitmore,  Nathaniel  Kendall  and  David 
Samson.  Daniel  Bond  of  this  town  was  in  the  service  as 
fatigue-man  at  this  time,  but  probably  did  not  enlist  at  the 
time  the  others  were  recruited,  and  William  Ward  served 
three  months  this  year  at  West  Point  in  a  company  com- 
manded by  Captain  Burt  of  Harvard.  At  the  close  of  the 
season  the  Northern  army,  which  included  the  continental 
soldiers  from  this  town,  retired  into  winter  quarters, — one 
division  at  West  Point,  New  York,  and  the  other  at  Morris- 
town,  New  Jersey. 

At  the  annual  meeting,  Isaac  Merriam,  Nathaniel  Harris 
and  Daniel  Putnam  were  chosen  a  committee  of  correspond- 
ence. The  selectmen  were  John  Conn,  Oliver  Willard  and 
Amos  Dickerson.  William  Whitcomb  was  again  selected  to 
represent  the  town  in  the  General  Court  at  this  session, 
which  did  not  adjourn  until  October.  He  was  permitted  to 
join  with  his  associates  in  a  fruitless  attempt  to  regulate  by 
law  the  price  of  articles  of  merchandise.     If  such  legislation 


164  HISTOKY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

at  all  times  and  under  all  circumstances  has  proved  futile, 
in  this  instance  the  legislators  recognized  the  exigencies  of 
the  hour  and  manifested  more  courage  than  wisdom  in  the 
advancement  of  remedial  measures.  The  ineffectual  meas- 
ures of  the  Legislature  were  supplemented  by  the  recom- 
mendations of  county  conventions.  The  convention  which 
assembled  in  Worcester  August  1 1 ,  proposed  a  schedule  of 
prices  for  many  articles  of  merchandise,  and  with  great 
earnestness  and  solicitude,  recommended  the  people  to  adopt 
them  in  the  conduct  of  their  business. 

In  this  proceeding  the  convention  essayed  to  effect  by 
appeal  that  which  the  Legislature  failed  to  accomplish  by 
the  force  of  law.  The  town  of  Ashburnham  promptly 
adopted  the  recommendations  of  the  convention  and  chose 
Samuel  Wilder,  Captain  Jonathan  Gates,  Jacob  Harris, 
Moses  Tottingham  and  Francis  Lane  a  committee  to 
encourage  the  people,  and  through  the.  force  of  a  firn:i,  public 
sentiment  compel  them  to  adhere  for  a  time  to  the  stated 
prices.  In  these  proceedings  the  necessities  of  the  people 
were  demanding  relief.  But  the  love  of  gain,  the  insatiable 
greed  of  speculation  and  the  personal  interest  of  the  few  who 
had  the  ability  to  profit  by  the  necessities  of  the  many 
rendered  all  these  measures  ineffectual.  In  February  the 
General  Court  submitted  to  the  people  the  proposition  of 
calling  a  convention  for  the  purpose  of  forming  a  State 
Constitution.  The  town  of  Ashburnham  voted  May  21, 
"  That  this  State  have  a  new  form  of  Government  as  soon  as 
may  be,  and  also  that  our  representative  vote  to  have  a  State 
Convention  called  for  that  purpose." 

On  an  article  in  the  warrant  for  the  May  meeting,  "To  see 
if  the  Town  will  allow  Mr.  Jonathan  Samson  and  Mrs.  Hem- 
menway  for  two  small  Deer  sent  in  to  the  service,"  the 
decision   was   in   the  negative.     The  same  fate  attended  a 


EE  VOLUTION  All  Y   HISTORY.  165 

proposition  to  pay  Deliverance  Davis  "  for  going  to  Albany 
for  to  carry  eloatliing  to  the  soldiers."  If  these  decisions  of 
the  town  fail  to  satisfy  the  sensitive  nature  of  loyal  descend- 
ants, they  can  be  consoled  with  the  fact  that  there  could  not 
have  been  a  great  sum  of  money  in  the  treasury,  and  any 
action  on  these  points  was  quite  immaterial  so  long  as  the 
soldiers  had  and  enjoyed  both  the  deer  and  the  clothing. 
Having  previously  chosen  a  committee,  consisting  of  Jacob 
Harris,  Captain  Jonathan  Gates,  Lieutenant  Amos  Dicker- 
son,  John  Adams  and  Francis  Lane,  to  estimate  and  equalize 
the  service  in  the  army  of  each  man  in  Ashburnham,  the 
town  adopted  the  report  of  this  committee  August  30.  That 
report  if  it  had  been  preserved  would  have  afforded  the  out- 
line of  a  more  accurate  history  of  Ashburnham  during  the 
Eevolution  than  can  now  be  written. 

Thursday,  December  9,  1779,  was  a  day  of  thanksgiving 
in  all  the  States.  The  observance  of  this  day  is  seldom 
noticed  in  history,  but  there  are  many  evidences  at  hand  to 
establish  the  fact  that  in  many  places  there  were  religious 
exercises,  and  that  our  fathers,  burdened  with  the  weighty 
problems  of  the  hour,  and  oppressed  with  the  existing  state 
of  public  affairs,  did  make  a  solemn  effort  to  find  occasion 
for  thankfulness  on  this  memorable  day.  The  journal  of 
Isaac  Stearns  informs  us  that  the  day  was  observed  in  Ash- 
burnham, and  that  Mr.  Cushing  preached  from  the  text : 
"The  works  of  the  Lord  are  great,  sought  out  of  all  them 
that  have  pleasure  therein." 

1780.  The  record  of  death  continues.  Again  the  open 
ranks  of  the  continental  regiments  are  the  silent  oracles  of 
their  valor.  In  prompt  response  to  renewed  acquisition  for 
men,  seven  recruits  from  Ashburnham  were  mustered  into 
the  service  for  six  months  at  Leicester.  With  other  recruits . 
they  were  marched  from  Springfield  July  2,  under  command 


166  HISTORY    OF  ASHBURNHAM. 

of  Captain  Phinehas  Parker.  These  men  were  styled  new- 
levies,  and  were  assigned  to  the  Massachusetts  regiments 
already  in  the  field  and  stationed  at  West  Point.  The 
names  of  these  recruits  are  found  upon  the  descriptive  lists 
on  file  in  the  State  archives. 


NAME. 

AGE. 

STATURE. 

COMPLEXIOK. 

Samuel  Metcalf 

19 

6—2 

light 

David  Chaffln 

18 

5—9 

light 

Edward  Whittiiore 

16 

5—6 

light 

Elijah  Mason 

19 

5—5 

light 

Simeon  Rodiman 

IS- 

5-4 

dark 

Isaac  Merriam 

IS 

5—2 

light 

Jacob  Rodiman 

20 





On  another  roll  crediting  this  service  to  Ashburnham,  is 
the  name  of  Nathaniel  Breed,  but  there  is  no  other  evidence 
that  he  was  from  this  town.  The  service  of  these  men  and 
others  in  the  continental  army  at  this  time  covers  an  im- 
portant chapter  of  Revolutionary  history.  They  were  with 
the  Northern  army  at  the  time  of  the  treason  of  Arnold  and 
the  execution  of  Andre.  In  an  application  for  a  pension, 
David  Chaffin  alleges  he  was  one  of  the  guards  and  was 
within  ten  feet  of  Andre  when  he  w^as  executed.  Isaac 
Merriam  says  he  was  in  New  Jersey  when  Andre  was  hanged 
and  when  Arnold  attempted  to  deliver  up  West  Point,  and 
afterwards  marched  back  to  West  Point  and  was  there 
discharged  at  the  expiration  of  six  months.  Edward  Whit- 
more  was  in  a  detached  service  for  a  time  but  joined  his 
regiment  a  short  time  before  he  was  discharged.  He  says 
he  recollects  Arnold's  treason  and  saw  Major  Andre 
executed.  In  July  there  was  another  requisition  for  men 
to  serve  three  months.  Jonathan  Samson,  Jr.,  Andrew 
Winter,  Jr.,  and  Reuben  Rice,  who  removed  to  Ashburn- 
ham this  year,  entered  the  service  and  also  served  at  West 
Point. 


REVOLUTIONARY   HISTORY.  167 

In  the  summer  of  this  year,  the  men  who  enlisted  for 
three  jears  came  home  at  different  times  in  the  order  of  their 
discharge  from  the  companies  in  which  they  had  served.  On 
the  arrival  of  each  little  band,  the  pastor  read  their  names 
the  following  Sabbath  and'  offered  the  prayer  of  grateful 
thanks  to  Almighty  God  for  their  preservation  from  the 
dangers  of  war  and  their  safe  return  to  the  avocations  of 
peace.  John  White  was  probably  discharged  on  account  of 
disability  the  previous  year.  He  continued  his  residence 
here  and  became  an  inhabitant  of  Gardner  when  that  town 
was  incorporated. 

The  selectmen  for  1780  were  Samuel  Wilder,  Isaac 
Merriam  and  Francis  Lane.  For  a  committee  of  corres- 
pondence, Captain  Deliverance  Davis,  Stephen  Randall  and 
Jonathan  Samson  were  selected  and  the  town  also  made 
choice  of  Captain  Deliverance  Davis,  Levi  Whitney  and 
Amos  Lawrence  to  hire  the  soldiers  for  the  ensuing  year. 
The  vote  of  this  town  upon  the  adoption  of  a  State  Con- 
stitution was  an  emphatic  expression  of  approval  and  is 
mentioned  in  another  chapter.  In  September,  the  civilian 
and  the  soldier,  reaping  the  early  fruits  of  the  war,  cast  the 
tirst  vote  of  Ashburnham  for  State  officers  chosen  by  the 
people,  and  at  the  same  time  Samuel  Wilder  was  chosen  as 
the  last  representative  under  the  temporary  form  of  govern- 
ment. 

The  winter  of  1779-80  was  one  of  unusual  severity.  The 
men  in  Ashburnham  brought  wood  for  their  daily  tire  upon 
their  backs,  and  the  brooks  and  springs  being  congealed  by 
ti-ost,  a  scarcity  of  water  aggravated  the  discomforts  of  an 
inclement  winter.  The  extreme  cold  and  deep  snow  of  that 
season  were  the  theme  of  frequent  remark  as  long  as  that 
generation  endured. 


168  HISTORY    OF    ASHBURNHAM. 

1781.  The  selectmen  for  this  year  were  Jacob  Harris, 
Hezekiah  Corey  and  Enos  Jones.  For  a  committee  of  cor- 
respondence, the  town  selected  Samuel  Cutting,  Timothy 
Fisher  and  Henry  Winchester.  At  the  same  meeting  in 
which  these  officers  were  selected,  while  struggling  with  the 
burdens  of  the  Eevolution  and  at  an  hour  when  their  burdens 
were  most  onerous,  the  inhabitants  of  the  town  were  pre- 
pared to  direct  their  attention  to  other  questions  and  to  give 
a  serious  thought  to  a  proper  observance  of  the  Sabbath. 
There  was  an  article  in  the  warrant  for  this  meeting,  "  to  see 
if  the  town  will  pass  any  vote  to  prevent  travelling  on  the 
Sabbath."  The  succeeding  article  was  the  one  of  set  form 
which  appeared  in  the  annual  warrant  for  many  years  :  "to 
see  if  the  town  will  let  swine  run  at  large  the  ensuing  year." 
As  would  rationally  be  expected  of  our  devoted  worthies, 
they  voted  to  put  every  legal  restraint  upon  men  and 
proflfered  the  freedom  of  the  town  to  the  swine. 

If  a  smaller  number  of  men  was  required  for  the  army 
this  year,  they  were  procured  with  increased  effort  and 
under  great  financial  embarrassment.  While  the  three  years' 
men  were  being  raised,  there  was  an  intermediate  call  for  men 
to  recruit  the  army  while  the  enlistments  for  a  longer  time 
were  slowly  progressing.  These  men  were  more  easilj^ 
procured.  In  June  Corporal  Phinehas  Hemenway,  Jona- 
than Merriam  and  William  Ward  enlisted.  They  were 
assigned  to  Captain  Sibley's  company  in  Colonel  Drury's 
regiment  and  were  discharg^ed  the  last  of  November.  This 
was  the  seventh  enlistment  of  William  Ward.  AVith  the 
close  of  the  preceding  year  came  a  call  for  more  men  to 
serve  three  years  in  the  continental  arm3^  The  town, 
embarrassed  by  the  depreciated  currenc}^  which  had  nearly 
become  worthless,  and  by  their  inabilit}"  to  offer  anything 
more  substantial  than  a  promise,  passed  the  following  vote 


EEVOLUTIONARY   HISTORY.  169 

as  an  encouragement  to  any  who  might  be  prevailed  upon  to 
enlist :  "  Voted  that  each  man  that  will  engage  to  serve  in 
the  army  for  three  years  shall  have  eighteen  head  of  three 
years  old  cattle  given  him  when  his  time  is  out,  and  if  he  be 
discharged  in  two  years  then  said  cattle  are  to  be  but  two 
years  old  or  if  he  serve  but  one  year  they  are  to  be  but  one 
year  old,  all  to  be  of  middling  size."  In  other  words,  the 
soldier  was  to  receive  a  bounty  of  eighteen  calves  and  the 
town  was  to  keep  them  of  middling  size  as  long  as  the 
soldier  remained  in  the  service.  The  vote  is  an  apt  illustra- 
tion of  the  straits  to  which  our  worthy  fathers  were  driven 
in  the  solution  of  the  financial  problems  which  attended  their 
daily  lives  and  official  labors.  The  cattle  bounty  was  not 
favorably  received.  The  proposition  savored  of  veal.  The 
town  could  not  retract  its  step  and  again  offer  a  bounty  in 
currency,  for  that  in  the  mean  time  had  utterly  failed. 
There  could  be  no  failure  in  the  end.  The  originators  of 
the  calf  project  are  again  found  equal .  to  the  emergency. 
They  called  to  their  aid  in  alluring  their  fellow-townsmen  to 
enlist,  the  click  and  gleam  of  silver  and  gold.  They  offered 
each  man  who  would  enlist  for  three  years,  ninety  pounds 
lawful  money  as  it  was  rated  in  1774.  There  was  substance 
in  this  proposal.  True,  the  tender  was  not  necessarily  in 
specie,  but  it  was  of  a  known  and  absolute  value  and  equiva- 
lent to  three  hundred  dollars.  This  vote  was  adopted  in 
February  and  two  months  later  five  men  were  mustered  into 
the  service  for  the  term  of  three  years.  All  of  them  were 
described  as  of  light  complexion. 

David  Clark  24  yrs  of  age  5  feet  9  inches  in  stature 

Jonas  Benjamin  19     "     "    "  5    "   10     " 

John  Coolidge  17    "    "    ''  5    "     3     " 

James  Ledget  27    "    "    "  5    "     5     " 

John  Mar— (blurred)  29    "    "    "  5    "     7     " 


170  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

In  August  followino;  the  committee  was  insti-ucted  "to 
hire  the  two  three  years  men  that  were  still  wanted  on  the 
best  terms  they  can."  Near  the  close  of  the  year  the  men 
were  procured. 

Peter  Rodiman,  age  16,  height  4  feet  11  inches,  enlisted 
December  9.  A  boy  of  that  age  and  stature  enlisting  for 
three  years  might  be  expected  to  look  pale,  but  the  muster 
rolls  assert  that  at  the  time  of  engagement,  he  was  of  dark 
complexion.  The  other  man  was  our  old  acquaintance, 
Benjamin  Clark,  who  has  added  two  inches  to  his  stature 
since  his  former  entrance  into  the  service.  One  week  after 
the  enlistment  of  Rodiman,  the  other  name  was  added  to  the 
muster  rolls.  Benjamin  Clark,  age  20  years,  height  5  feet  6 
inches,  complexion  light,  and  occupation,  farmer.  This  was 
the  last  enlistment  from  Ashburnham.  At  the  close  of  the 
war,  young  Clark  returned  to  this  town  and  in  1787  re- 
moved to  Reading,  Vermont.  The  three  years'  men  were 
called  for  in  resolve  of  the  General  Court  adopted  December 
2,  1780.  The  call  was  for  four  thousand  two  hundred  and 
forty  men  and  the  quota  of  this  town  was  seven.  It  has 
appeared  that  more  than  a  year  elapsed  before  the  town 
was  able  to  secure  all  the  men.  Eventually  the  General 
Court  took  note  of  the  delinquency  and  imposed  a  fine 
amounting  to  four  hundred  and  twenty-eight  pounds  and  five 
shillings.  In  the  mean  time  the  town  had  fulfilled  the 
demand  and  petitioned  the  Legislature  to  remit  the  fine, 
which  request  was  granted  : 

To  THE   Honourable   Senate  and   House  of  Representatives 
IN  General  Court  assembled  : 

The  Petition  of  William  Whitcomb  in  behalf  of  The  Town  of 
Ashburnham  Humbly  sheweth  that  the  said  Town  of  Ashburnham 
is  Fined  in  the  Last  State  tax  for  a  Deficienc}'  of  two  three  years 


REVOLUTIONARY   HISTORY.  171 

men  which  were  absolutely  Raised  &  marched  agreable  to  the 
Resolve  of  the  2"'^  of  Dec'  A.  D.  1780  &  subsequent  resolves  as 
will  appear  by  the  Receipt  of  the  Superintendent ;  your  Petitioner 
therefore  Prays  That  your  Honours  would  take  the  matter  into  j^our 
wise  Consideration  &  Grant  an  abatement  of  the  fines.  As  in 
Duty  bound  shall  ever  Pray 

WILLIAM  WHITCOMB. 

In  support  of  their  petition  the  town  produced  the  receipts 
for  the  required  number  of  men,  signed  by  Colonel  Seth 
Washburn  of  Leicester,  superintendent  of  enlistments. 

Leicester  June  y^  26  178L 
Received  of  the  town  of  Ashburnham  five  men  who  have  enlisted 
and  past  muster  &c.,  &c. 

SETH  WASHBURN 

Superintendent. 

These  were  David  Clark  and  the  four  others  named  in  a 
former  paragraph. 

Leicester  March  y^  27  1782. 

This  day  received  from  Ashburnham  Benjamin  Clark  a  solger 

for  the  term  of  three  years. 

S.   WASHBURN   Supt. 

Leicester  June  11  1782. 
This  day  received  from  the  town  of  Ashburnham  one  man  to 
serve  three  years. 

S.   WASHBURN   Supt. 

The  last  receipt  probably  refers  to  Peter  Rodiman  and  it 
will  be  observed  that  all  the  receipts  are  dated  some  time 
subsequent  to  the  entry  of  enlistment  on  the  military  rolls. 
It  is  possible  that  these  receipts  were  of  set  form  and  were 
issued  by  Colonel  Washburn,  whenever  the  town  had  need 
of  them,  as  vouchers  in  answer  to  the  demands  of  the 
General  Court. 


172  HISTORY    OF    ASHBURNHAM. 

The  five  soldiers  who  were  recruited  in  the  summer  for 
three  years  according  to  tradition  were  hurried  on  to  New 
York  and  from  thence  immediately  proceeded  with  the  army 
under  Washington  to  Virginia,  and  there  is  ample  evidence 
to  sustain  the  assertion  that  some  of  the  men  enlisting  this 
year  remained  in  the  service  until  near  the  close  of  the  year 
1783.  The  discharge  of  David  Clark  signed  by  General 
Knox  is  dated  December  24,  1783. 

The  name  of  Jacob  Winter  appears  in  Captain  Wilder's 
company  in  1775.  His  subsequent  service  is  not  known, 
but  he  died  a  prisoner  at  Halifax  in  the  autumn  of  1777. 
The  death  of  Samuel  Mason,  mentioned  in  the  annals  of 
1778,  is  recorded  by  Mr.  Gushing  in  September,  1777,  and 
Jacob  Lock  who  was  in  the  same  service  died  a  few  weeks 
later.  He  was  a  son  of  John  Oberlock  whose  children 
assumed  the  name  of  Lock.  The  same  year  Francis  Ken- 
dall died,  as  stated  by  Mr.  Cushing,  "on  his  way  from  the 
army." 

And  now  after  these  years  of  carnage  in  the  field  and  of 
denials  and  endurance  at  home,  the  curtain  falls  at  York- 
town.  The  campaign  of  1781  is  ended.  The  nation's  hope 
gleams  in  the  bayonet  and  flashes  in  the  sword  of  the  return- 
ing soldier,  while  the  hardships  of  the  campaign  are  witnessed 
in  his  weary  progress  and  the  results  of  an  exhaustive  war 
are  felt  on  every  hand. 

In  the  pursuit  of  the  narrative  through  the  foregoing 
pages,  the  burdens  of  taxation  and  other  incidents  of  the 
home  life  of  our  fathers  during  the  Revolution  have  been 
suffered  to  remain  for  mention  in  separate  paragraphs.  At 
the  beginning  of  the  war  the  colonists  were  not  Avithout 
resources  but  were  unskilled  in  the  art  of  finance.  The 
colonial  wars  in  which  the  people  had  been  engaged  had  been 
maintained  b^'  a  paper  currency  which  though  depreciated  in 


REVOLUTIONARY   HISTORY.  173 

some  measure  was  eventually  redeemed  by  allowances  from 
the  treasury  of  England  in  the  payments  for  service  rendered 
by  the  colonies.  The  paper  money  of  the  Revolution  had 
no  such  foundation.  After  a  brief  season  of  apparent 
solidity  it  gradually  depreciated  in  value  until  in  1781  it 
utterly  failed  and  suddenly  went  out  of  circulation  by 
general  consent.  The  experience  of  the  people  of  Ashburn- 
ham  from  this  source  was  probably  no  greater  and  certainly 
no  less  than  that  of  other  towns.  Sums  of  money  voted  by 
the  town  for  specific  purposes  so  rapidly  depreciated  in  value 
before  the  tax  could  be  assessed  and  collected  that  the  appro- 
priation became  inadequate  for  the  purposes  proposed  and 
frequent  disputes  concerning  balances  arose  between  the 
debtor  and  the  creditor.  Exi)lanatory  of  the  intrinsic  value 
ot  sums  of  money  mentioned  in  the  preceding  and  subse- 
quent pages,  the  following  table  commencing  with  the  year 
1777  when  the  depreciation  in  earnest  began  will  represent 
for  each  succeeding  month  the  number  of  pounds  that  were 
equivalent  to  one  hundred  pounds  of  standard  value  : 

1777  1778  1779  1780  1781 

January     .... 
February  .... 

March 

April 

May 

June 

July 

August 

September      .     .     . 
October      .... 
Novetuber .     .     . 
December  .     .     . 

The  burden  of  taxation  is  seen  in  the  following  excerpts 
from  the  town  records.  Other  sums  were  assessed  for  war 
purposes  under  command  of  the  General  Court,  of  which  no 
entry  was  made  in  the  cun-ent  volume  of  records. 


100 

325 

742 

2934 

7500 

104 

350 

868 

3322 

7500 

106 

375 

1000 

3736 

7500 

110 

400 

1104 

4000 

7500 

114 

400 

1215 

4800 

7500 

120 

400 

1342 

5700 

12000 

125 

425 

1477 

6000 

150 

450 

1630 

6300 

175 

475 

1800 

6500 

275 

500 

2030 

6700 

300 

545 

2308 

7000 

310 

634 

2393 

7300 

174 


HISTORY    OF    ASHBUENHAM. 


1778  December  16. 

1779  February   18. 
1779      August  30. 

1779  September  13. 

1780  January  27. 
1780  June  14. 
1780             June  27. 

1780  July  3. 

1781  March  5. 
1781          August  20. 


We  have  assessed  the  inhabitants  and  estates 
in  said  town  in  the  sum  of  £401-19-6  and 
have  committed  the  lists  to  the  constables 
for  collection. 
Town   and   county  rate  committed  for  col- 
lection £357-9-11. 
Voted   and   granted    £6150    to    defray    the 
charges  of  the  war. 
We  have  assessed  the  inhabitants  and  es- 
tates   in   Ashburnham    in   the    sum    of 
£26364-7-0  and  have  committed  the  same 
to  the  constables  for  collection. 
Committed  for  collection  state  and  county 
rate  amounting  to  the  sum  of  £4328-9-0. 
Voted  and  granted  £2500  to  defray  town 

charges. 
Committed  State  tax  for  collection  amount- 
ing to  £6966. 
Voted   and   granted   £7000   to  defray  the 
charges  of  the  war  and  that  the  committee 
give  security  for  any  money  that  may  be 
hired. 
Voted   that   each  man  be  allowed  fifteen 
pounds  per  day  for  labor  on  the  highway. 
Voted  and  granted  £300  silver  money  for 

town  charges. 
Voted  that  the  constables  take  four  shil- 
lings in  lieu  of  one  hundred  dollars  old 
emission  from  those  persons  who  are  be- 
hind in  rates. 


By  a  resolve  of  the  General  Court  adopted  in  September, 
1780,  Ashburnham  was  required  to  supply  the  ai-my  with 
three  thousand  one  hundred  and  twenty  pounds  of  beef. 
The  new  obligation  was  promptly  met  by  the  town. 


REVOLUTIONARY   HISTORY.  175 

1780  Octobers.     Voted  that  Amos  Lawrence  buy  3120  lbs. 

of  beef  for  the  armj*. 

In  December  following  the  General  Court  made  a  second 
requisition  for  beef  and  again  the  inhabitants  of  Ashburnham 
are  assembled  in  town  meeting  prepared  to  second  the  pro- 
visions of  the  Legislature  for  the  support  of  the  army. 

1780  December  27.     Voted  and  granted  £7200  for  buying  beef 

for  the  army. 

Probably  on  account  of  the  depreciation  of  the  currency, 
this  sum  proved  inadequate  for  the  purpose.  The  proportion 
of  Ashburnham  was  five  thousand  nine  hundred  and  ninety- 
two  pounds. 

1781  Januarj'  15.     Voted  and  granted  £1800  to  be  added   to 

£7200  granted  at  the  last  meeting  and  voted 
that  Capt.  Francis  Lane  purchase  the  beef. 

In  June  following  came  another  demand  fi-om  the  Legisla- 
ture and  another  town  meeting  was  the  natural  sequence. 
This  meeting  was  convened  July  11,  and  after  listening  to 
the  requisition ,  the  town  chose  Captain  Lane  "  to  buy  the 
beef  wanted,"  and  at  the  same  meeting  instructed  their  agent 
to  procure  the  beef  for  which  the  town  was  in  arrears  on  the 
former  requisitions.  Either  reminded  of  their  delinquency, 
or  prompted  by  a  sense  of  duty,  the  town  are  assembled 
again  in  August  and  pass  the  final  vote  on  the  subject  in 
choosing  Benjamin  Lane  to  buy  all  the  beef  that  is  wanted 
for  the  army.  The  last  requisition  was  for  twelve  thousand 
four  hundred  and  seventy-three  pounds. 

Among  the  cumulative  burdens  of  the  Revolution,  and 
another  item  in  the  extended  list  of  the  demands  upon  the 
resources  of  a  patriotic  and  uncomplaining  people,  was  a 
second  requisition  for  clothing  which  came  simultaneousl}' 


176  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

with  the  thu-d  and  last  requisition  for  beef.  It  was  a 
renewed  appeal  to  the  patriotism  of  the  times.  Our  worthies 
neither  faltered  nor  complained  but  promptly  paid  every 
demand  upon  their  slender  means  and  every. tithe  upon 
their  daily  toil.  In  addition  to  the  meeting  for  the  choice  of 
State  officers,  there  were  seven  town  meetings  in  the  year 
1781,  and  the  burden  of  them  all  was  to  raise  money  and 
consequently  to  increase  the  lien  upon  their  future  crops  and 
the  future  labor  of  themselves  and  their  families.  During 
the  closing  years  of  the  war  the  experience  of  the  patriot  at 
home,  oppressed  by  poverty  and  met  by  the  vigilant  demands 
of  increasing  taxation,  is  a  sublime  exhibition  of  patience 
and  courage.  Frequently  compelled  to  surrender  to  the  oft- 
returning  tax-gatherer  the  choicest  of  his  herds  and  the 
ripening  product  of  his  fields,  making  contributions  of  beef 
from  the  needs  of  his  family  and  dividing  his  garments  with 
the  soldier  in  the  field,  he  teaches  posterity  the  sacrifices 
made  and  the  price  paid  for  national  existence.  Ever 
prominent  in  the  annals  of  Ashburnham  and  seen  in  the 
light  of  the  lustre  of  the  achievements  in  the  field  will  be 
the  home  trials  and  the  sacrifices  which  attended  the  daily 
life  of  the  patriot  citizen. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

REVOLUTIOJiARY     HISTORY. CONTINUED. 

PERSONAL      NOTICES.  EBENEZER      MUNROE.  ABRAHAM      LOWE.  JOSEPH 

JEWETT.  — SAMUEL   KELTON.  —  REUBEN   TOWNSEND.  ISAAC   STEARNS. 

WILLIAM    STEARNS.  —  ISAAC    WHITMORE.  CHARLES     HASTINGS.  DAVID 

WALLIS. CTRUS    FAIRBANKS. EBENEZER  WALLIS.  THOMAS    GIBSON. 

JONAS     RICE.  REUBEN     RICE.  ELIAKIM      RICE.   JABEZ      MARBLE.  

LEMUEL     8TIMSON.  ABRAHAM     TOWNSEND.  —  JOHN     BOWMAN.  JOSHUA 

FLETCHER. JOSEPH  MERRIAM. ASA  BROCKLEBANK. JONATHAN  GATES. 

JONATHAN    SAMSON.  EZEKIEL    S.    METCALF. DAVID    CLARK.  DAVID 

CHAFFIN. EBENEZER  B.  DAVIS.  ISAAC  MERRIAM.  DAVID  MERRIAM. 

JOHN      WINTER.  WILLIAM       WARD.  EDWARD      WHITMORE.  REUBEN 

RICE. ABRAHAM     LOWE. JOSEPH     JEWETT.  — REUBEN     TOWNSEND.  

LEMUEL       STIMSON.  JONAS      RICE.  JABEZ      AND      OLIVER      MARBLE. 

THOilAS    GIBSON.  CHARLES    HASTINGS.  JOSEPH    GIBBS.  DAVID    WAL- 
LIS.—  CTRUS     FAIRBANKS.  JOSHUA    FLETCHER.  JOSEPH    MERRIAM.  

NAMES    OF    PENSIONERS    RESIDING    IN    ASHBURNHAM     1840. 

A  CONSIDERABLE  number  of  the  citizens  of  this  town  who 
removed  hither  during  the  last  years,  or  soon  after  the  close 
of  the  Revolution,  had  previously  served  in  the  army. 
While  their  service  constitutes  no  part  of  the  history  of  Ash- 
burnham  in  the  Revolution,  these  men  subsequently  became 
so  intimately  connected  with  the  aflairs  of  this  town  that  the 
events  of  their  lives  are  a  part  of  its  general  history  and 
their  service  in  the  war,  even  if  performed  while  they  were 
residing  elsewhere,  claims  admission  in  this  record  of  the 
lives  and  services  of  the  citizens  of  Ashburnham. 

Ebenezer  Munroe,  who  removed  to  this  town  about 
1782,  where  he  lived  highly  respected  until  his  death  May 


178  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

25,  1825,  was  a  prominent  actor  in  the  engagement  at 
Lexington,  which  is  clearly  established  by  the  depositions 
of  those  who  were  engaged  on  that  occasion.  Replying  to  a 
remark  made  by  a  comrade  as  the  British  began  firing  that 
they  only  fired  powder,  Ebenezer  Munroe  exclaimed,  "They 
have  fired  something  besides  powder  now  for  I  am  wounded 
in  the  arm."  He  then  discharged  his  gun  receiving  two 
balls  from  them  in  return,  but  neither  did  serious  harm. 
His  deposition  was  taken  April  2,.  1825,  only  a  short  time 
before  his  death  in  which  he  says,  "After  the  first  fire  (of 
the  regulars) ,  I  received  a  wound  in  my  arm  ;  as  I  turned  to 
run  I  discharged  my  gun  into  the  main  body  of  the  enemy. 
Another  ball  passed  between  my  arm  and  my  body  and  just 
marked  my  clothes,  one  ball  cut  off"  a  part  of  my  ear-locks 
which  were  pinned  up.  The  balls  flew  so  thick  I  thought 
there  was  no  chance  of  escape  and  that  I  might  as  well  fire 
my  gun  as  stand  still  and  do  nothing."  He  claimed  that  he 
fired  the  first  gun  on  the  American  side.  Being  wounded  he 
mounted  a  horse  and  rode  from  town  to  town  alarming  the 
people  and  carrying  with  him  the  convincing  proof  that  the 
war  in  earnest  had  begun. 

Abraham  Lowe,  while  a  resident  of  Lunenburg,  was  in 
the  service  two  months  at  the  siege  of  Boston,  two  months 
commencing  December  1,  1775,  and  five  months  in  New 
York  in  1776.  He  was  also  a  volunteer  at  the  Bennington 
alarm  in  1777. 

Joseph  Jewett,  then  residing  in  Bolton,  enlisted  for 
eight  months  in  the  spring  of  1778,  and  served  in  New  York. 
Enlisted  again  in  1779  in  Colonel  Denney's  regiment ;  also 
served  at  West  Point  three  months  in  1780  in  Colonel  Rand's 
regiment. 

Samuel  Kelton,  then  of  Needham,  was  a  sergeant  in 
Captain  Aaron  Smith's  company,  at  Lexington  alarm,  and  a 


KEVOLUTIONAIIY   HISTORY.  179 

captain  in  Colonel  Patterson's  regiment  in  the  siege  of 
Boston.  He  was  known  in  Ashburnhani  as  Captain  Kelton 
from  the  date  of  his  removal  hither. 

Reuben   Townsend,    then   a   citizen   of  Shrewsbury    in 

1776,  served  in  New  York  five  months  and  nine  months  in 

1777.  His  first  enlistment  was  in  Colonel  Smith's  regiment 
and  the  second  in  Colonel  Bigelow's  regiment. 

Isaac  Steakns,  previous  to  his  removal  from  Billerica, 
was  a  soldier  in  the  siege  of  Boston  eight  months  and  par- 
ticipated in  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill. 

William  Stearns,  a  brother  of  Isaac,  was  in  the  same 
company  and  for  the  same  length  of  time.  He  removed  to 
this  town  soon  after  this  service. 

Isaac  Whitmore,  while  a  resident  of  Leominster,  was  in 
Captain  Maxwell's  company  in  Colonel  William  Prescott's 
regiment  for  one  year  commencing  January  1,  1776,  and 
was  discharged  at  Peekskill,  New  York.  No  record  of 
service  after  his  removal  to  this  town  has  been  found.  The 
war  record  of  Edward  Whitmore,  being  performed  after  his 
removal  to  this  town,  is  found  in  the  preceding  chapter. 

Charles  Hastings,  then  living  in  Princeton,  served  two 
months  in  1776  in  Ehode  Island,  also  six  months  in  1777  in 
Colonel  Keyes'  regiment,  and  this  service  was  also  in  Rhode 
Island.  Enlisted  again  in  1778,  and  was  a  guard  over 
prisoners  from  Burgoyne's  army  at  Watertown  and  later  at 
Rutland.  This  service  was  three  or  four  months.  Immedi- 
ately after  he  enlisted  in  Colonel  Wade's  regiment  and  served 
six  months  again  in  Rhode  Island  and  was  in  the  engage- 
ment at  Newport ;  also  was  in  the  continental  anaiy  six 
months  commencing  July,  1780,  and  serving  a  part  of  the 
enlistment  in  Colonel  Greaton's  regiment  he  was  transferred 
to  Captain  Haskell's  company  of  Light  Infantry  under 
General  Lafayette.     This  service  was  at  West  Point. 


180  HISTORY    OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

David  Wallis,  then  a  resident  of  Lunenburg  and  a  youth 
of  seventeen  years,  was  in  the  service  one  month  in  Captain 
Bellows'  company  and  was  at  Fort  Edward.  In  1778  he 
was  three  months  at  Castle  William,  again  in  1779  he  served 
three  months  in  Captain  Martin's  company  stationed  at 
Governor's  island  and  Castle  William. 

Cyrus  Fairbanks,  then  residing  in  Harvard,  was  a  volun- 
teer at  the  Lexington  alarm  and  subsequently  a  drummer 
eight  months  in  Captain  Jonathan  Davis'  company ;  was 
stationed  at  Cambridge  and  at  Prospect  Hill.  In  1776  was 
a  drum-major  in  the  army  near  the  Hudson,  was  also  at  Fort 
Edward  one  month  in  1777. 

Ebenezer  Wallis,  at  the  age  of  fourteen  years,  was  in 
the  service  three  months  at  West  Point  in  1780.  The  fol- 
lowing year  he  enlisted  again  for  three  months  and  was  at  or 
near  West  Point.  The  first  service  was  in  Colonel  Rand's 
regiment  and  the  last  service  was  in  Colonel  Webb's  regi- 
ment. After  the  war  he  resided  in  Lunenburg  and  in 
Vermont,  removing  to  Ashburnham  about  1830.  In  1835 
he  started  for  New  York  and  died  on  the  way. 

Thomas  Gibson,  then  of  Fitchburg,  served  five  months 
in  the  siege  of  Boston  and  two  months  in  1776  in  New  York. 
In  1777  he  served  in  Captain  Thurlo's  company  and  in  1780 
he  again  enlisted  for  three  months  and  joined  the  Northern 
army  at  and  near  West  Point.  He  also  served  a  few  months 
at  Boston  harbor.  Removed  to  Ashburnham  very  soon  after 
his  last  term  of  service. 

Jonas  Rice,  then  residing  at  Salem,  was  a  volunteer  at 
the  alarm  at  Lexington  and  served  eight  months  in  the  siege 
of  Boston.  He  then  removed  to  Sterling  and  from  there 
enlisted  in  1776  for  five  months  and  was  assigned  to  the 
army  in  New  York.  In  1777  he  served  two  months  in 
Rhode  Island.     Removed  to  Ashburnham  in  1779. 


REVOLUTIONARY   HISTORY.  181 

Eeuben  Kice  was  drafted  at  Lancaster  December,  1776, 
for  a  term  of  three  months  and  served  the  time  in  New 
Jersey.  While  temporarily  residing  in  Winchendon  in  1777 
he  served  in  Captain  Boyn ton's  company  in  New  York.  In 
the  spring  of  1780  he  removed  to  this  town  and  was  subse- 
quently in  the  army  at  West  Point. 

Eliakim  Rice  removed  to  this  town  in  1779  or  1780. 
He  resided  here  several  years  and  removed  to  Hartland, 
Vermont.  While  a  resident  of  Salem  he  served  two  or  more 
enlistments.  He  was  at  the  siege  of  Boston  in  Colonel 
Bridge's  regiment.  His  company,  in  which  was  his  brother 
Jonas  Kice,  was  engaged  at  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill. 

Jabez  Marble,  then  of  Stow,  served  from  October,  1775, 
to  March,  1776,  at  the  siege  of  Boston  in  Captain  Brooks' 
company.  Colonel  Dyke's  regiment.  This  service  was  per- 
formed for  his  twin  brother  Oliver,  who  had  previously 
served  three  months  of  an  enlistment  for  eight  months. 
Only  the  name  of  Oliver  Marble  is  found,  as  Jabez  Marble 
answered  to  that  name  while  completing  the  term  of  his 
brother.  He  served  terms  of  two  months  each  in  1777  and 
1779,  both  in  Rhode  Island,  and  in  a  later  campaign  in  the 
same  locality  he  served  three  months  in  1780.  The  two 
brothers  removed  to  Ashburnham  from  Stow,  1780. 

Lemuel  Stimsox,  who  removed  to  this  town  near  the 
close  of  the  war,  had  previously  served  two  or  more  enlist- 
ments. He  was  in  the  siege  of  Boston  and  was  engaged  in 
the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill.  His  second  service  was  at 
Ticonderoga  in  1776.  He  was  a  native  of  Weston  and 
resided  in  that  town  until  he  removed  to  Ashburnham. 

Abraham  Townsexd  removed  to  this  town  about  1778, 
where  he  resided  many  years.  Later  he  removed  to  Berlin, 
Vermont.  He  was  in  the  service  eight  months  at  Fishkill 
in  1778.     No  further  record  has  been  found  and  there  is  no 


182  HISTORY   OF   ASBBURNHAM. 

reason  to  presume  that  he  was  not  in  the  service  at  other 
times  during  the  war. 

John  Bowmax,  who  resided  in  Lexington  until  after  the 
Eevolution,  removed  from  Andover  to  this  town  about  1810, 
served  four  enlistments  and  is  found  on  the  rolls  of  service 
in  New  York  and  Rhode  Island. 

Joshua  Fletcher,  then  of  Westford,  served  an  enlist- 
ment of  seven  months  in  Boston  harbor  and  again  three 
months  at  Boston.  He  then  in  February,  1777,  entered  the 
continental  army  for  three  years  and  was  in  Captain  Thomas' 
company,  Colonel  Marshall's  regiment.  He  was  at  the 
battle  of  Stillwater,  the  surrender  of  Burgoyne,  and  passed 
the  winter  at  Yalley  Forge.  Following  the  army  in  1778  to 
New  York  on  account  of  disability  he  was  granted  a  leave  of 
absence  August  29,  1778,  but  was  unable  to  rejoin  the  army. 
He  removed  to  Ashburnham  about  1810. 

Joseph  MERRiA:\r,  then  of  Lexington,  served  two  months 
in  Rhode  Island  in  1779.  In  the  following  year  he  was  one 
of  the  six  months'  recruits  in  the  continental  army,  being 
assigned  to  Colonel  Marshall's  regiment.  This  service  was 
in  New  York.  In  1781,  he  again  enlisted  by  agreement 
with  the  town  of  Bedford,  and  counted  on  the  quota  of  that 
town  and  was  again  assigned  to  the  Northern  army  on  the 
Hudson.  He  removed  to  Ashburnham  at  the  close  of  the 
war  and  subsequently  to  Templeton. 

Asa  Brocklebank,  while  residing  in  Rindge,  served  two 
enlistments.  He  removed  to  this  town  in  1777  and  returned 
to  Rindge  after  a  residence  here  of  several  years. 

It  is  possible,  and  the  conjecture  is  reasonable,  that  the 
names  of  some  revolutionary  soldiers,  who  resided  in  this 
town  during  the  war  or  soon  after  removed  hither,  are  not 
included  in  these  pages.  Indeed,  it  has  been  shown  that 
there   were    demands    for    men   and    quotas   were  filled    in 


REVOLUTIONARY   HISTORY.  183 

several  instances  where  only  a  part  of  the  names  could  be 
ascertained. 

The  fact  that  there  Avere  more  enlistments  than  are  here 
recorded  is  additional  credit  to  the  town  and  augments  its 
patriotic  record.  In  the  preceding  chapter  and  in  the  fore- 
going record  of  service,  nothing  has  been  assumed.  If 
service  in  the  army  was  not  sustained  by  the  record  it  has 
been  neither  disputed  nor  asserted.  It  has  now  become 
a  fact  that  the  men  of  the  Kevolution  who  did  not  win 
the  laurels  of  war  by  personal  service  have  had  them 
thrust  upon  them  by  the  generous  and  applauding  lips  of 
tradition.  The  missing  rolls  of  many  Massachusetts  regi- 
ments give  unusual  license  to  conjectural  statements,  but 
affirmative  testimony  is  the  prime  requisite  of  historical 
statement.  In  every  instance  an  honest  effort  has  been 
made  to  obtain  all  the  available  record  on  any  subject,  and 
while  employing  every  established  fact,  the  more  fanciful 
narrative  of  tradition  has  always  been  heard  with  many 
grains  of  allowance  ;  and  if  for  these  substantial  reasons  the 
history  of  Ashbuniham  is  not  as  extended  as  might  be 
desired,  it  is  mainly  correct. 

The  following  statements  made  by  the  actors  in  the  great 
drama  of  the  Eevolution  were  secured  through  the  generous 
favors  of  Hon.  Henry  W.  Blair,  United  States  Senator  from 
New  Hampshire.  These  papers  were  received  after  the 
material  for  the  preceding  chapter  collected  from  many 
sources  had  been  arranged  in  the  order  of  events.  Of  great 
interest  in  themselves  they  also  sustain  the  outlines  of  the 
narrative  to  which  they  are  subjoined.  These  papers,  being 
the  sworn  statements  of  the  revolutionary  soldiers  in  support 
of  their  several  applications  for  pension,  are  authentic 
accounts  of  their  service.  It  is  a  matter  of  regret  that  the 
personal  statement  of   all  who  bore  arms  in  the   war  for 


184  HISTORY   OF  ASHBURNHAM. 

independence  are  not  preserved.  It  is  suggested  at  once  that 
only  the  younger  soldiers  were  living  at  the  time  these  appli- 
cations for  pension  were  made.  It  also  appears  that  some 
of  the  applicants  gave  only  a  partial  account  of  the  service 
performed.  In  such  cases,  doubtless,  it  was  not  deemed 
necessary  to  assert  and  prove  more  than  one  or  two  enlist- 
ments, and,  seizing  upon  those  terms  of  service  which  could 
be  most  easily  proved,  no  mention  was  made  of  additional 
service.  Others,  it  will  be  observed,  present  a  full  account 
of  each  enlistment. 

Jonathan  Gates,  whose  affidavit  introduces  these  interest- 
ing accounts  of  personal  service,  was  a  son  of  Captain  Jona- 
than Gates.  When  an  infant,  and  previous  to  the  date  of 
incorporation,  the  famUy  removed  to  this  town.  September 
11,  1832,  at  the  age  of  seventy  years,  he  says  : 

I.  He  enlisted  at  Cambridge  in  April,  1775,  in  Captain  David 
Wilder's  company,  of  which  Jonathan  Gates,  Sen.,  was  lieutenant, 
in  Colonel  Asa  Whitcomb's  regiment,  and  marched  from  Cambridge 
to  Prospect  Hill  where  he  remained  during  the  eight  months  of  his 
enlistment,  and  after  the  expiration  of  his  time  he  volunteered  to 
stay  until  new  recruits  came,  and  stayed  there  three  months  longer, 
making  eleven  months  in  all. 

II.  In  September,  1777,  a  short  time  before  the  taking  of 
Burgoyne,  enlisted  at  Ashburuham  under  Captain  Jonathan  Gates, 
Sen.,  for  one  month.  Colonel  Bellows  commanded  the  regiment 
and  we  marched  for  the  place  when  Burgoyne  was  taken  near 
Beaman's  Heights. 

III.  Enlisted  at  Ashburnham  soon  after  the  taking  of  Bur- 
goyne, thinks  it  was  in  1777,  under  Captain  Whitney;  marched 
to  Castle  VVilliara  and  was  there  three  months  on  guard  over 
prisoners  from  Bargoyne's  army. 

IV.  Enlisted  at  Ashburnham  in  1778  or  1779  [it  was  in 
December,  1777]  for  three  months  under  Captain  Jonathan 
Gates,  Sen.,  marched  to  Bound  Brook,  New  Jersey,  and  remained 
there  for  the  full  terra  of  his  service. 


REVOLUTIONARY   HISTORY.  185 

V.  In  1780,  or  1781  [it  was  in  1779],  enlisted  for  six  months 
at  Ashburnham  in  Captain  Fiske's  company,  in  Colonel  Jackson's 
regiment  and  remained  there  for  his  term  of  service. 

In  1833  Mr.  Gates  gives  additional  particulars  of  his  last 
service  and  says,  "  That  orders  were  received  for  a  certain 
number  of  men  to  go  to  Ehode  Island  ;  thought  the  number 
required  of  Ashburnham  was  seven,  and  he  turned  out  as 
one  of  the  seven.  No  oflScer  but  a  sergeant  went  out  with 
them.  The  sergeant  was  Joseph  Stone.  When  they  reached 
Providence,  he  was  requested  to  go  into  Captain  Fiske's 
company.  He  thinks  that  Captain  Fiske's  first  name  was 
Jared.  He  was  not  sure  he  had  given  the  year  correctly 
but  it  was  when  the  British  lay  on  Ehode  Island.  After 
about  two  months'  service  he  was  detailed  with  seventeen 
others,  a  lieutenant,  one  corporal  and  sixteen  privates,  to  go 
on  board  a  prison  ship  in  which  were  thirty-two  British 
prisoners;  the  ship  lay  at  Fox  Point,  below  Providence. 
He  was  on  this  ship  about  six  weeks  and  received  a  wound 
on  his  head  by  the  breech  of  a  musket.  The  prisoners  rose 
upon  them  one  night  and  got  possession  of  some  of  the  guns. 
He  was  struck  on  the  head  in  coming  up  the  hatchway  and 
bore  the  marks  then  (1833)  of  the  blow.  They  succeeded 
in  getting  the  mastery  over  the  prisoners  without  the  loss  of 
any  lives  on  the  part  of  the  guard,  but  two  of  the  prisoners 
were  missing.  Soon  after  this  he  was  detailed  with  twenty 
others  to  go  to  Bristol  after  hay  for  the  continental  horses. 
The  hay  was  brought  upon  three  boats,  seven  men  to  a  boat, 
the  whole  under  command  of  Lieutenant  Nestle." 

He  further  alleges,  "that  he  was  born  at  Harvard  Septem- 
ber 27,  1762,  and  lived  at  Ashburnham  during  the  war." 
He  moved  to  Salisbury,  New  York,  1798,  to  Antwerp,  New 
York,  1815,  and  to  Champion,  New  York,  1818. 


186  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

Jonathan  Samsox,  eldest  son  of  Jonathan  Samson,  was 
born  at  Harvard,  May  7,  1759.  The  family  settled  in  this 
town  previous  to  date  of  incorporation.  His  statement  was 
made  in  this  town  September  G,  1832,  in  which  he  says  : 

I.  He  enlisted  in  December,  1775,  for  six  months  and  went  to 
Roxbury,  Massachusetts,  and  was  put  into  the  militia  company 
of  Captain  Hill  of  Harvard.  Thomas  McBride  of  Boston  was 
lieutenant  and  Samuel  Sawin  of  Westminster  was  ensign. 

II.  Again  enlisted  in  early  part  of  summer  of  1776  for  four 
and  a  half  months  and  went  to  Dorchester,  Massachusetts,  and 
was  put  into  militia  company  of  Captain  Manasseh  Sawyer  of 
Sterling.  Samuel  Sawin  of  Westminster  was  lieutenant  and  the 
ensign  was  Carter.  He  was  employed  the  whole  time  in  building 
forts  at  Dorchester  Heights. 

III.  Again  enlisted  in  December,  1776,  for  three  months  in 
the  last  named  company,  and  was  stationed  during  this  service  at 
Dorchester  Point  near  Boston. 

IV.  He  also  entered  the  service  in  July  or  August,  1777,  was 
called  out.  A  detachment  of  Burgoyne's  army  had  made  an  in- 
cursion into  Vermont  and  a  call  was  made  on  Ashburnham  for 
volunteers  to  go  to  oppose  this  force.  Says  he  marched  with 
about  twenty  others.  They  went  as  far  as  Charlemont,  Massa- 
chusetts, where  they  were  ordered  to  wait  further  orders  and  while 
there  the  company  was  dismissed.  They  volunteered  for  one 
month  but  were  out  only  about  three  weeks. 

V.  Again  enlisted  in  April,  1778,  for  three  months  iu  a  militia 
company  commanded  by  Captain  White  of  Lancaster,  Massa- 
chusetts, and  was  stationed  on  Castle  island  in  Boston  harbor. 

VI.  Again  enlisted  in  July,  1780,  for  three  months,  and 
marched  to  West  Point,  New  York,  and  on  his  arrival  there  was 
put  in  a  company  commanded  by  Captain  Reed.  The  lieutenant 
was  Brigham  of  Northborough,  Massachusetts.  Arnold  had  com- 
mand there  during  this  time  and  his  plot  to  surrender  to  the  enemy 
was  discovered  during  this  time. 


EEVOLUTIONARY   HISTORY.  187 

William  Ward,  of  Ashburnham,  says  "that  he  served  with 
the  claimant  dm-ing  the  last  enlistment." 

John  Hall,  of  Ashburnham,  says  that  "he  served  with  the 
claimant  during  the  fifth  service." 

EzEKiEL  Shattuck  Metcalf,  a  son  of  Joseph  Metcalf, 
was  born  in  Groton  October  13,  1759.  The  family  removed 
to  Ashburnham,  1770.  He  died  May  31,  1831.  In  support 
of  the  widow's  application  for  a  pension,  the  following  state- 
ments were  made  at  Ashburnham,  August  26,  1839  : 

Eunice  (Brooks)  Metcalf,  widow  of  Ezekiel  Shattuck  Metcalf, 
alleged  that  her  husband  served  as  an  orderly  sergeant  and  private 
in  the  war  of  the  Revolution,  She  thinks  that  he  served  thirteen 
or  fourteen  months  in  all ;  and  that  one  terra  was  in  Rhode  Island 
and  one  at  Roxbury,  and  that  one  of  said  services  was  rendered 
under  Captain  Gates  and  the  other  under  Captain  Jackson  of 
Gardner.  That  later  he  rendered  a  service  at  Bennington  at  the 
time  of  the  battle  there  in  Captain  Edgell's  company,  and  says  she 
was  in  the  field  with  her  father  and  while  there  Metcalf  came  lo 
the  field,  being  on  the  way  to  the  north  part  of  Ashburnham,  to 
warn  some  of  the  soldiers  to  go  to  Bennington.  Says  she  was  an 
inhabitant  of  Groton  at  the  time  when  Metcalf  rendered  his  first 
services,  but  that  he  resided  at  Ashburnham  from  early  childhood 
to  his  death. 

Margaret  (Metcalf)  Townsend,  widow  of  the  elder  Reuben 
Townsend,  September  10,  1839,  says  she  was  a  sister  of  Ezekiel 
Shattuck  Metcalf,  and  that  he  being  only  sixteen  years  old  served 
six  weeks  at  Roxbury.  Only  four  went  from  Ashburnham  and 
her  brother  and  her  father  were  two  of  them.  She  remembers  of 
preparing  clothing  for  her  brother  and  that  he  again  entered  the 
army  for  six  months  and  served  in  Rhode  Island.  He  left  home 
then  in  the  spring  and  while  gone  his  tent  was  burned  and  he  lost 
a  part  of  his  clothing  and  sent  home  for  a  new  supply  which  we 
prepared  and  sent  by  my  brother  Samuel.  He  was  an  orderly 
sergeant  in  this  service.     She  saj's  her  father  and  brother  left  for 


188  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHA.M 

Roxbury  on  the  six  weeks'  tour  in  the  month  of  November  or 
December,  and  that  her  father  was  a  sergeant  in  the  company  at 
home,  but  not  at  Roxbury. 

Chai-les  Hastings,  of  Ashburnham,  March  10,  1840,  alleges  that 
he  enlisted  from  Princeton,  that  he  served  six  weeks  in  Rhode 
Island  with  Metcalf  and  was  in  another  company  of  the  same  regi- 
ment, and  that  after  the  war  he  purchased  a  farm  near  Metcalf 
and  they  often  talked  over  their  service.  He  had  heard  Metcalf 
«ay  he  was  an  orderly  sergeant  in  that  service. 

On  file  with  these  afiidavits,  there  is  an  original  order 
which  was  put  in  as  evidence  in  the  case. 

Ashburnham  Jan'}^  15   1782. 
To  Mr.  Capt.  Benjamin  Edgeal, 

Sir  please  to  paj'  to  the  Barer  the  State  pay  for  the  sarvis  I  did 
in  your  company  in  the  year  1778  and  this  Resept  shall  be  your 
distorg  for  the  same. 

EZEKIEL   METCALF. 

Samuel  Metcalf,  a  brotlier  of  Ezekiel,  Avas  born  March 
15,  1761,  and  died  December  25,  1822.  The  widow  alleges 
"that  he  served  in  Captain  Gates'  company  of  Asa  Whit- 
comb's  regiment  at  the  alarm  April  19,  1775."  If  so,  he 
was  only  fourteen  years  of  age  and  his  name  does  not  appear 
on  the  rolls  of  the  company.  She  was  his  second  wife  and 
was  born  in  1776,  and  possibly  could  be  in  error  in  regard 
to  the  events  of  the  war.  In  the  case  are  filed  minutes  from 
muster  rolls  which  prove  service  of  Samuel  Metcalf  in 
Captain  Joseph  Sargeant's  company  in  Ehode  Island,  1777  ; 
in  Captain  Cowdin's  company  to  reenforce  the  continental 
army  in  1779  ;  and  his  name  appears  on  list  of  six  months' 
recruits  in  1780,  In  this  case  there  was  also  filed  an  original 
order,  as  follows  : 

Ashburnham  July  3  1784. 

Sir:  Please  to  pay  to  Sewill  Moore  the  whole  of  my  conti- 
nental wages  that  is  due  me  for  three  months  service  done  in  the 


REVOLUTIONARY   HISTORY.  189 

3'ear  1779  and  this  shall  be  your  sufficient  discharge  for  the  same 
as  will  appear  by  the  Captain's  books. 

SAMUEL   METCALF. 
Attest:  Rebecca  Metcalf 

Sarah   Winchester. 

It  was  represented  in  the  preceding  chapter  that  David. 
Clark  and  his  sons,  David  and  Benjamin,  were  in  the  service 
much  of  the  time  during  the  war.  The  family  removed  from 
Concord  to  Ashburnham  previous  to  1765. 

David  Clark,  Jr.,  under  date  of  April  14,  1818,  testifies 
to  one  term  of  service.  It  is  known  that  he  was  in  the  army 
at  other  times.  He  alleges  that  he  served  in  the  continental 
establishment  from  March,  1781,  to  December  24,  1783; 
first,  in  the  company  of  Captain  Kilby  Smith  in  the  Sixth 
Massachusetts  Kegiment,  and  then  in  the  same  company  in 
the  Second  Massachusetts  Regiment  after  the  reduction  of 
the  Sixth,  under  Major  Burnham,  commandant.  Clark's 
original  discharge,  signed  by  General  Henry  Knox,  is  on 
file,  with  his  application  for  pension.  In  July,  1820,  Clark 
made  an  additional  statement  in  which  he  asserts,  "he  is  a 
farmer  in  Ashburnham,  has  a  wife  Sarah,  aged  fifty-three 
years,  whose  health  is  good ;  a  daughter  Grata,  aged 
seventeen  years,  who  is  feeble  ;  a  daughter  Sally,  sixteen 
years,  who  is  in  good  health,  and  a  son  George  Washington, 
aged  eight  years.  These,"  he  says,  "are  all  the  children  who 
reside  with  me." 

David  Chaffin,  a  son  of  Timothy  ChalEn,  was  fourteen 
years  of  age  in  1775  when  the  family  removed  from  Harvard. 
Increasing  in  years  and  probably  in  stature,  he  became  a 
soldier  in  1777.     He  says  : 

I.  He  was  drafted  in  August,  1777,  at  Ashburnham  for  three 
months  [his  father  was  drafted  and  he  went  as  a  substitute],  and 
marched  to  Bennington,  thence  to  Stillwater  and  there  joined  the 


190  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNIIAM. 

main  army  and  remained  there  until  Burgoyne  surrendered  ;  then 
went  to  Half  Moon,  thence  to  Albany,  and  was  there  taken  sick 
and  was  discharged  by  Major  Rand  and  arrived  home  at  Ashburn- 
ham,  November  1. 

II.  In  June,  1778,  was  drafted  at  Ashburnham  for  six  months  ; 
marched  to  Providence,  and  from  there  into  the  Island,  thence  to 
Tiverton  where  he  was  discharged  bj'  Captain  Edgell  and  arrived 
home  January  4  or  5,  1779. 

III.  In  September,  1779,  at  Ashburnham,  enlisted  for  three 
months,  as  a  fatigue-man,  under  Captain  Henry,  marched  to 
Boston,  thence  to  Castle  island  and  Governor's  island,  where  he 
served  out  the  time. 

IV.  In  1780,  enlisted  at  Ashburnham  for  six  months  ;  marched 
under  Captain  King  to  Springfield  and  there  joined  the  regiment 
commanded  by  Colonel  Bradford  and  went  to  West  Point  and  was 
one  of  the  guard  and  within  ten  feet  of  Major  Andre  when  he  was 
executed.  Remained  there  until  discharged  and  reached  home  the 
last  of  December,  1780. 

Daniel  Bond,  then  of  Claremont,  New  Hampshire,  in  July, 
1833,  testifies  that  "he  served  with  Chafiin  at  Boston  in  1779 
and  also  says  that  at  one  time  Chaffin  went  for  his  father  who 
had  been  drafted." 

Chaffin  removed  to  Claremont,  New  Hampshire,  soon  after 
the  Revolution  and  was  residing  there  when  his  application 
for  pension  was  made. 

Ebenezer  Bennett  Davis,  son  of  Captain  Deliverance 
Davis,  was  born  in  Littleton  February  4,  1761.  In  his 
infancy  the  family  removed  to  this  town.  His  statement  is' 
In-ief  but  it  includes  three  years  of  time  and  the  service 
modestly  stated  was  severe  in  the  extreme.  April  14,  1818, 
he  alleges  that  "  he  enlisted  in  the  continental  establishment 
May  20,  1777,  and  served  until  May  26,  1780,  in  the 
company  of  Captain  Haffield  White  in  the  Fifth  Massachu- 


KEVOLUTIONARY   HISTORY.  191;- 


[xm   m 


setts  Regiment,  commanded  by  Colonel  Rufus  Putn 
General  Nixon's  brigade." 

His  original  discharge  is  on  file  with  his  application. 

This  certifies  that  Bennett  Davis  has  served  three  years  in  the 
fifth  Massachusetts  Regiment  Being  the  full  term  of  his  Inlist- 
ment.  Has  conducted  Himself  as  a  good  and  faithful  soldier  and 
is  hereby  Discharged  the  Service. 

Given  under  My  hand  at  Quarters  Soldiers  fortune  this  26  day 
of  May  1780. 

HAFFIELD    WHITE 

Capt.    Com'i' 

He  states  in  explanation  that  he  was  discharged  in  the 
Highlands  in  the  State  of  New  York  and  that  he  enlisted 
under  the  name  of  Bennett  Davis,  but  that  his  full  name  is 
Ebenezer  Bennett  Davis. 

Isaac  Merriam  came  to  Ashburnham  previous  to  1774 
and  remained  a  resident  of  this  town  until  after  the  Revolu- 
tion. In  1833,  then  a  resident  of  Northumberland,  New 
Hampshire,  alleges  that  he  enlisted  at  Ashburnham  and 
served  three  months  at  Boston  harbor,  does  not  remember 
the  date. 

II.  Again  in  1779  enlisted  at  Ashburnham  for  six  months  in 
Captain  Fiske's  companj^  in  Rhode  Island,  and  thinks  the  service 
commenced  in  the  spring.  When  he  had  served  three  months,  his 
brother  David  came  and  took  his  place  as  his  substitute. 

III.  Again  enlisted  at  Ashburnham,  he  thinks  in  1780,  for  six 
months  ;  did  not  remember  whether  he  was  then  in  the  Continental 
or  State  Service.  He  marched  to  Springfield  and  then  to  West 
Point  where  he  remained  about  a  month  and  then  marched  into 
the  Jerseys  and  was  there  when  Arnold  attempted  to  deliver  up 
West  Point  and  when  Major  Andre  was  hanged  ;  was  there  about 
a  month  or  more  and  while  there  marched  through  a  place  called 
Topon  or  Tampacin  and  a  place  called  English  Neighborhood,  also 


192  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

a  place  called  Haverstraw.  Afterwards  he  marched  back  to  West 
Point  and  was  there  discharged.  In  this  service  he  belonged  to 
General  Patterson's  brigade  and  Colonel  Bradford's  regiment. 
While  he  was  at  West  Point  two  men  were  sentenced  to  be  and 
were  shot,  he  does  not  recollect  for  what,  and  two  were  condemned 
to  run  the  gauntlet  for  forging  discharges  from  General  Poor  and 
deserting.     He  saw  the  sentence  executed. 

David  Merriam,  a  brother  of  Isaac  Merriam,  presents 
in  1832  the  evidence  of  several  enlistments.  He  was  then 
living  in  Brandon,  Vermont. 

I.  He  alleges  that  in  1776,  then  living  at  Ashburnham,  he 
enlisted  January  27,  and  marched  to  Dorchester  and  labored  on 
the  forts.  The  enem}'  killed  four  men  while  he  was  at  Dorchester. 
The  next  day  they  picked  up  one  thousand  four  hundred  balls. 
It  was  in  March,  a  few  days  before  they  evacuated  the  place. 
Was  discharged  at  Dorchester. 

II.  In  1777,  when  they  heard  of  Burgoyne's  approach,  he 
enlisted  for  two  [one]  months  in  Captain  Gates'  company  of 
Colonel  Bellows'  regiment.  We  marched  to  Bennington  but  did 
not  arrive  until  a  day  or  two  after  the  battle,  then  marched  to 
Fort  Edward  where  he  joined  the  Rangers  and  joined  the  main 
army  at  Stillwater.  He  was  again  at  Fort  Edward,  where  he  was 
discharged,  at  the  time  Burgoyne  surrendered. 

III.  In  1779,  he  again  enlisted  for  three  months  in  Captain 
Fiske's  company  and  marched  to  Providence,  thence  to  Bristol, 
and  when  the  enemy  left  Newport  they  marched  in.  Was  sick  part 
of  the  time  and  was  discharged  after  three  months'  service.  [The 
name  of  Isaac  Merriam  is  borne  on  the  rolls  from  July,  1779,  to 
January,  1780,  which  includes  the  service  of  the  two  brothers  in 
this  campaign.] 

It  also  appears  that  the  attention  of  the  claimant  was 
called  to  the  fact  that  in  the  first  service  at  Dorchester  his 
name  was  not  borne  on  the  roll  of  Captain  Manasseh  Sawyer's 


REVOLUTIONARY   HISTORY.  193 

company  after  the  last  day  of  February,  and  that  he  made  a 
subsequent  statement  in  which  he  alleges  : 

That  he  must  have  been  in  service  at  Dorchester  in  1776,  later 
than  the  last  daj'  of  February  and  that  'he  was  there  in  service 
when  the  British  left  Boston ;  he  saw  them  when  they  sailed  out 
of  the  harbor  and  saw  our  officers  enter  the  other  side  of  the  town  ; 
this  was  the  seventeenth  of  March.  He  might  have  been  assigned 
to  some  other  company  but  recollected  that  he  was  certainly  there 
then.  He  says  that  one  week  before  the  British  left  he  was  a 
party  of  three  hundred  to  go  at  night  and  build  a  fort  on  Dor- 
chester Point,  next  to  Boston,  and  that  the  British  discovered 
their  object  and  kept  up  a  constant  cannonade  all  night  and  four 
men  were  shot  dead  by  his  side. 

"  His  attorney,"  he  says,  "put  two  services  in  1777,  for  one 
month  each  together  and  called  it  one  service  of  two  months. 
That  at  the  time  of  the  battle  of  Bennington  he  was  out  one 
month  and  immediately  after  he  was  out  one  month  and  joined 
the  army  under  General  Gates,  and  that  his  captain  in  this  service 
was  Jonathan  Gates." 

In  support  of  the  statement  of  the  claimant  in  regard  to 
his  first  enlistment,  Jonathan  Samson  and  Ebenezer  Bennett 
Davis,  "both  of  Ashburnham,  alleged  that  they  served  with 
and  were  messmates  of  David  Merriam  at  Dorchester  in 
1776  in  the  company  of  Captain  Manasseh  Sawyer  of 
Colonel  Dyke's  regiment." 

John  Winter,  a  son  of  Andrew  Winter,  a  name  written 
Windrow  in  the  early  records  of  the  town,  was  born  March 
1,  1756,  about  two  years  before  the  family  with  other  Ger- 
mans settled  in  Ashburnham.  He  died  in  this  town  June 
19,  1811.  The  widow  made  application  for  pension,  pro- 
ducing copies  from  muster  rolls  to  prove  that  he  was  in  the 
continental  army  three  years,  having  served  in  Captain  Haf- 
field  White's  company  of  Colonel  Putnam's  regiment  from 

13 


194  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

May  26,  1777,  to  December  31,  1779,  and  continuously  in 
the  Light  Infantry  until  May  26,  1780.  The  principal 
witness  Margaret  (Metcalf)  Townsend  alleges  in  1846, 
"  that  she  well  recollects  when  John  Winter  went  into  the 
army  as  he  was  a  near  neighbor  of  her  father  and  says  that 
he  with  others  who  were  going  into  the  service  attended  ser- 
vice the  Sabbath  before  they  left  for  the  army  and  asked 
prayers  in  their  behalf  as  was  the  custom  of  the  time,  and 
that  when  the  said  John  Winter  with  Timothy  Johnson, 
Ebenezer  Bennett  Davis  and  Thomas  Koss  returned  from 
their  three  years'  service,  they  again  attended  church  and 
their  names  were  read  and  thanks  returned  for  their  safe 
return  which  was  customary  at  that  time." 

William  Ward  was  born  in  Waltham  June  5,  1757,  and 
came  to  this  town  when  fifteen  years  of  age  with  his  older 
brother  Caleb  Ward.  A  few  years  later  he  purchased  land 
in  the  northeast  part  of  the  town  where  he  resided  until  his 
death.  In  the  preceding  chapter  it  appears  that  he  com- 
pleted seven  terms  of  service  during  the  war.  In  his  appli- 
cations for  pension  made  in  1818,  1830  and  1833,  he  does 
not  refer  to  his  last  enlistment  and  service  under  Captain 
Sibley  in  1781,  but  his  name  appears  on  the  muster  roll. 
Mr.  Ward  and  other  soldiers  in  the  company  of  Captain 
Gates  in  1777  affirm  that  they  were  in  the  regiment  of 
Colonel  Benjamin  Bellows,  a  New  Hampshire  regiment.  It 
appears  that  this  statement  of  Mr.  Ward  was  questioned 
and  he  explains,  at  length,  the  circumstances  of  the  case. 
This  company  from  Ashburnham  is  not  found  in  the  rolls  of 
Colonel  Bellows'  regiment.  It  is  probable  that  Captain 
Gates'  company,  being  suddenly  called  into  the  field,  was 
not  included  in  any  regimental  organization  but  was  more 
closely  allied  to  Colonel  Bellows'  regiment  than  to  any 
other. 


REVOLUTIONARY  HISTORY.  195 

I.  Mr.  Ward  alleges  that  be  enlisted  May,  1776,  for  two 
months  and  served  in  a  militia  company  commanded  by  Captain 
Sergeant  of  Princeton  ;  marched  to  Providence,  thence  to  Boston 
Neck,  thence  back  to  Providence  where  he  was  discharged ;  that 
while  at  Providence  he  labored  on  a  fort  at  Beacon  Hill. 

II.  That  in  July,  he  thinks,  1777,  he  volunteered  to  oppose  a 
detachment  of  the  British  army  that  was  defeated  at  Bennington 
and  at  this  time  marched  from  Ashburnham  to  Charlemont, 
Massachusetts,  where  he  remained  about  one  month.  He  cannot 
recollect  his  officers  for  this  tour  of  duty.  [This  service  was 
under  Captaia  Jonathan  Gates.] 

III.  That  in  September,  he  thinks,  1777,  he  again  enlisted  at 
Ashburnham  for  one  month  and  served  in  a  company  of  militia 
commanded  by  Captain  Gates  of  Ashburnham  in  the  regiment  of 
Colonel  Bellows  of  Walpole,  New  Hampshire ;  marched  through 
Charlemont,  Williamstown,  Massachusetts,  and  Bennington, 
Vermont,  to  Fort  Edward,  New  York,  where  he  remained  until 
his  discharge,  and  where  he  was  at  the  time  of  Burgoyne's 
surrender. 

TV.  That  in  the  spring  of  1778,  April,  he  thinks,  he  enlisted 
for  one  month  and  served  at  Prospect  Hill,  near  Boston,  that  he 
was  engaged  during  this  term  in  guarding  prisoners,  'a,  part  of 
Burgoyne's  army,  who  were  kept  in  the  barracks  at  Prospect  Hill. 
He  did  not  remember  his  officers  at  this  time. 

V.  That  he  enlisted  about  the  first  of  June,  1778,  for  a  service 
of  nine  months  in  Captain  William  Warner's  company  of  Colonel 
Marshall's  regiment  of  General  Patterson's  brigade  of  Massachu- 
setts line  and  was  discharged  March  7,  1779. 

VI.  That  in  the  month  of  September,  1779,  he  thinks,  he 
again  entered  the  service  for  three  months  under  the  following 
circumstances :  Francis  Lane  and  Oliver  Willard,  two  of  the 
principal  inhabitants  of  Ashburnham,  requested  him  to  enlist  and 
as  an  inducement  engaged  to  clear  four  acres  of  new  land  for  him. 
He  thinks  that  they  were  authorized  by  the  town  to  offer  such  in- 
ducements. He  served  the  three  months  at  West  Point  in  a  com- 
pany commanded  by  Captain  Burt  of  Harvard  and  Lieutenant 


196  HISTORY   OF  ASHBURNHAM. 

Annanias  Rand.  Lieutenant  Rand  was  cashiered,  he  thinks,  for 
larceny.  They  marched  from  Ashburnham  through  Springfield 
and  Hartford  to  West  Point,  New  York. 

In  the  last  statement  explaining  how  he  remembers  about 
his  service  of  thirty  days  at  the  time  of  the  capture  of 
Burgoyne  in  1777  and  how  he  remembers  the  name  of 
Colonel  Bellows  of  Walpole,  New  Hampshire,  "I  have 
good  -reason  for  remembering  the  name "  which  is  as 
follows  : 

"  On  the  night  previous  to  the  surrender  of  Burgoyne,  I  was  on 
guard  with  a  young  man,  about  my  own  age,  in  the  woods  nearly 
half  a  mile  from  Fort  Edward,  at  a  quarter  where  it  was  feared 
the  Indians  might  make  an  attack.  In  the  course  of  the  night  I 
swapt  guns  with  said  young  man.  The  next  morning  he  came  to 
see  me  wishing  to  '  swap  back,'  which  I  declined  and  he  left  me  ; 
but  feai'ing  I  might  lose  a  good  bargain  I  immediately  exchanged 
the  gun  with  one  Gates,  a  brother  of  my  captain.  It  was  not  long 
before  this  young  man  came  with  an  officer  who  desired  me  to 
return  the  gun,  and  not  being  pleased  with  the  replies  I  made,  he 
left,  and  in  a  few  minutes  returned  with  a  file  of  men  and  ordered 
me  to  the  guard-house.  This  I  remember  was  early  in  the  after- 
noon and  the  news  of  Burgoyne's  surrender  was  received  while  I 
was  thus  confined.  Our  company  was  immediately  dismissed  and 
I  was  relieved  from  confinement  by  order  of  Major  Bridge.  The 
officer  who  came  with  the  young  man  aforesaid,  was  Colonel  Bel- 
lows, and  he  it  was  who  ordered  me  to  the  guard-house.  When 
we  arrived  at  Fort  Edward,  Captain  Gates  told  us  we  were  to 
serve  under  New  Hampshire  officers  and  that  the  Colonel's  name 
was  Bellows.  We  were  quartered  in  brush  huts  a  short  distance 
from  Fort  Edward,  and  were  allowed  to  follow  our  inclinations 
with  a  few  salutary  restraints.  I  cannot  remember  that  we  were 
ever  paraded  or  exercised  with  Colonel  Bellows'  regiment." 

Charles  Hastings  of  Ashburnham,  1832,  corroborates  the 
statement  of  Ward  in  regard  to  the  service  in  Captain  Sar- 


KEVOLUTIONARY   HISTORY.  197 

gent's  company  in  177G  and  says  that  he  (Hastings)  served 
in  the  same  compan3^ 

Jonathan  Samson  of  Ashbiirnham,  1832,  corroborates  as 
to  the  last  service  of  William  Ward  and  says  that  he  served 
at  the  same  time  and  adds  that  about  twenty  men  then 
volunteered  from  Ashburnham  and  served  without  pay  or 
rations,  volunteered  for  one  month  but  served  only  about 
three  weeks. 

Nicholas  Whiteman  of  Ashburnham,  1832,  corroborates 
the  statement  as  to  service  at  Fort  Edward  in  1777  under 
Captain  Jonathan  Gates,  and  says  he  (Whiteman)  was  in 
the  same  service,  and  also  corroborates  Ward's  last  state- 
ment and  adds  that  he  thinks  about  thirty  volunteered  from 
Ashburnham ;  also  says  that  they  were  paraded  before 
Colonel  Bellows  and  Major  Bridge  who  furnished  them  with 
refreshments,  said  to  have  been  taken  from  Burgoyne's 
boats  as  they  were  attempting  to  pass  down  the  river. 

Edward  Whitmore,  youngest  son  of  Joseph  Whitmore, 
was  born  in  Leominster,  August  12,  1763. 

Soon  after  the  removal  of  the  family  to  this  town  he 
entered  the  army  at  the  age  of  sixteen  years.  In  the 
following  statement  he  has  given  an  intelligent  account  of 
his  service. 

He  says  that  in  September  or  October,  1779,  he  enlisted  at 
Ashburnham  for  three  months  with  William  Kendall,  David 
Chaffin  and  Abraham  Samson  [it  was  probably  Nathaniel  Kendall 
and  David  Samson],  being  the  number  called  for  from  Ashburn- 
ham. He  marched  directly  to  Boston  with  written  instructions 
from  his  captain  or  from  the  selectmen  (he  could  not  say  which) , 
to  go  to  the  State  House  in  Boston  ;  when  they  arrived  there  they 
were  ordered  to  Castle  island  ;  there  remained  a  short  time,  then 
went  to  Governor's  island  in  the  harbor  of  Boston,  there  employed 
in  repairing  the  fort  on  Castle  William  and  clearing  the  trenches 


198  HISTORY    OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

at  Governor's  island  under  the  command  of  Captain  Wilson.  The 
engineer's  name  who  had  charge  of  the  works  was  Burbanks.  He 
next  enlisted  for  six  months  with  six  others,  David  Chaffln,  Samuel 
Metcalf,  Isaac  Merriam,  Jacob  Eodiman,  Simon  Rodiman  and 
Elijah  Mason,  in  the  month  of  June,  1780,  marched  from  Ashburn- 
bam  to  Leicester  ;  there  mustered,  from  thence  to  Springfield ;  again 
mustered  and  put  under  command  of  one  Captain  Parker ;  from 
thence  to  West  Point ;  there  stationed  a  few  days  and  then  divided 
and  sent  to  the  several  companies  in  which  they  were  to  serve. 
He  was  put  into  Captain  King's  company,  Colonel  Bradford  and 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Bassett,  Fourteenth  Massachusetts  Regiment, 
Major  Smith,  General  Patterson's  brigade.  Soon  after  he  was 
placed  under  Captain  King,  the  troops  were  called  for  to  march  to 
White  Plains,  cross  from  White  Plains  to  Robinson's  Farm  ;  there 
received  counter-orders,  and  from  thence  to  Verplank's  Point, 
there  one  or  two  days,  and  from  there  across  King's  Ferry  to 
Orangetown,  he  thinks ;  from  there  to  Totoway,  Tunic  Plains, 
Peramus  and  other  places,  and  in  the  month  of  October  or 
November  marched  to  a  place  called  New  Windsor,  above  AVest 
Point ;  there  emploj^ed  in  taking  care  of  what  was  called  the  Park, 
military  stores  and  arms  ;  there  about  one  month  and  then  joined 
his  regiment  at  the  Highlands  ;  remained  there  about  one  week 
and  then  received  his  discharge.  He  well  recollects  Arnold's 
leaving  West  Point.  Saw  Major  Andre  executed,  which  he  thinks 
took  place  at  Paramiis. 

Isaac  AVhitmore  of  Asliburnliam,  a  brother  of  Edward 
Whitmore,  says  that  Edward  left  their  father's  family  in 
June,  1780,  to  join  the  continental  army,  and  that  about  the 
first  of  January,  1781,  "I  went  from  home  for  the  purpose 
of  assisting  my  brother  on  his  return  to  my  father's  and  met 
him  at  Simsbury,  Connecticut,  as  near  as  I  can  recollect." 

Reuben  Rice  was  born  in  Lancaster,  now  Boylston, 
August  10,  1757.  He  served  one  term  in  the  army  after 
his  removal  to  this  town  in  1780. 


EEVOLUTIONARY   HISTORV.  199 

I.  He  alleges  he  was  drafted  at  Lancaster  in  November  or 
December,  1776,  for  three  months  and  served  in  the  company  of 
Captain  Eager  of  Sterling.  They  proceeded  to  Bound  Brook, 
New  Jersey,  by  way  of  Worcester,  Danbury  and  Morristown, 
crossing  the  river  at  King's  Ferry.  That  their  duty  was  to  protect 
the  person  and  property  of  the  inhabitants  from  plunder  and  insult 
by  detachments  from  the  British  army  which  lay  near  by.  They 
also  had  about  a  dozen  prisoners  of  war  under  guard. 

II.  In  September,  1777,  again  enlisted  in  the  militia  company 
of  Captain  Boynton  of  Winchendon,  where  he  then  resided,  for 
the  term  of  one  month.  They  marched  to  Saratoga  by  way  of 
Northfield  and  Bennington,  then  went  up  the  river  to  Fort 
Edward,  then  down  the  river  a  few  miles.  This  last  move  was 
near  the  time  of  Burgoyne's  surrender.  He  saw  the  arms  of  the 
enemy  stacked  on  the  field  after  they  had  marched  off  and  saw  a 
party  of  Canadians  start  for  Canada  after  the  surrender. 

III.  In  July,  1780,  again  enlisted  in  a  militia  company  of 
Captain  Boutelle  of  Leominster,  of  Colonel  Rand's  regiment. 
Marched  to  West  Point  where  he  remained  during  this  term  of 
three  months'  service.  During  this  service,  Arnold  attempted  to 
betray  the  American  army. 

Eliakim  Rice  of  HartLaiid,  Yermont,  a  brother  of  Eeuben 
Rice,  testifies  that  "  both  were  in  tlie  service  at  about  the 
same  time  but  not  in  the  same  company." 

Thomas  Gibson  of  Ashburnham  testifies  to  service  with 
Reuben  Rice  at  West  Point  in  Captain  Boutelle's  company. 

Dr.  Abraham  Lowe  gives  an  intelligent  outline  of  his 
service  under  date  of  October  16,  1832. 

I.  He  alleges  that  about  December  1,  1775,  he  entered  service 
as  a  volunteer  in  the  militia  company  of  Captain  William  Pope, 
the  lieutenant  being  Thomas  Hartwell,  he  thinks.  He  enlisted 
from  Lunenburg  and  marched  to  Dorchester  and  remained  in  that 
service  for  two  months,  although  the  enlistment  was  for  six  weeks 
only. 


200  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

II.  He  enlisted  about  July  1,  1776,  for  five  mouths,  from 
Lunenburg  in  militia  company  of  Captain  Jabez  Keep  of  Harvard. 
He  marched  to  New  Haven,  went  thence  by  water  to  New  York 
city  ;  was  there  when  the  city  was  taken  by  the  British  under  com- 
mand of  General  Fellows.  He  was  on  guard  near  the  Bower}'  on 
the  morning  when  the  British  landed  above  there  and  took  pos- 
session of  the  city.  General  Putnam  came  to  their  assistance  and 
took  them  away.     He  was  discharged  about  December  1,  1776. 

III.  In  summer  of  1777,  it  being  reported  that  the  Hessian 
troops  were  marching  on  Bennington,  he  volunteered  under  Daniel 
or  David  Carlisle  of  Lunenburg.  They  marched  to  Charlemont, 
where  they  heard  of  the  battle  of  Bennington  and  went  no  farther. 
After  a  service  of  about  a  month,  he  returned  home. 

Joseph  Jewett  in  his  application  for  pension  onl}^  asserts 

one  enlistment   and   that  in    concise    terms.     He  says  that 

while  residing  in  Bolton  he  enlisted  in  the  month  of  May  or 

June,   1778,  in  Captain  John  Drury's  company  of  Colonel 

Woods'   regiment.     He  proceeded  to  White  Plains  with   a 

small  party  and  there  joined  his  company ;  was  on  duty  at 

Fishkill  and  White  Plains  and  employed  during  the  winter 

in   building   baiTacks   and   drawing   timber.     He  was    dis- 
cs o 

missed  at  Peekskill  after  he  had  completed  his  tour  of  eight 
months. 

After  his  death  the  widow  made  a  renewed  application  for 
pension  and  said  her  husband  did  not  state  all  of  his  service 
when  he  applied  for  pension.  At  that  time  she  presented 
proof  of  other  service  which  is  stated  in  a  former  paragraph. 

Reuben  Townsend  was  born  in  Shrewsbury  August  23, 
1758,  where  he  continued  to  reside  until  he  removed  to  this 
town  about  1780. 

I.  He  alleges  that  in  June  or  July,  1776,  he  enlisted  in  Cap- 
tain Newton's  company  of  Colonel  Smith's  regiment,  for  five 
months,  and  was  discharged  at  Philips  Manor,  New  York,  in 
December,  1776,  or  January,  1777. 


REVOLUTIONARY   HISTORY.  201 

II.  In  1777,  he  enlisted  in  Captain  William  Gates'  company 
of  Colonel  Bigelow's  regiment  —  the  Fifteenth  Massachusetts  — 
for  eight  months,  and  was  discharged  at  Valley  Forge  with  an 
allowance  for  [:>ay  for  nine  months. 

Lieutenant  Joseph  Pierce  certifies  that  he  enlisted  Reuben 
Townsend  about  the  first  of  May,  1777,  in  the  continental 
service  for  the  term  of  eight  months  and  that  he  was  allowed 
one  month's  extra  pay  for  helping  build  the  barracks  at 
Valley  Forge  and  that  after  discharge  the  said  Townsend 
had  to  march  nearly  four  hundred  miles  before  he  reached 
his  home. 

Lemuel  Stimsox  was  born  in  Weston,  July  11,  1758, 
and  removed  to  this  town  in  1780.  In  his  application  for 
pension  dated  October  16,  1832, — 

He  alleges  that  he  enlisted  while  residing  in  "Weston,  in  May, 
1775,  for  eight  months,  in  the  company  of  Nathan  Fuller  of  New- 
ton, in  Colonel  Gardner's  regiment ;  that  he  was  stationed  at 
Cambridge  during  the  entire  service,  and  was  engaged  in  the 
battle  of  Bunker  Hill,  and  that  Colonel  Gardner  was  wounded 
in  said  battle  and  died  the  third  day  after,  and  Colonel  Bond  of 
Watertown  succeeded  Colonel  Gardner. 

II.  He  enlisted  again  in  .Tune  or  July,  1776,  for  five  months,  in 
the  company  of  Captain  Charles  Miles  of  Concord,  in  Colonel 
Reed's  regiment,  and  marched  to  Ticonderoga,  by  way  of  Fitch- 
burg,  Winchendon,  Keene,  Charlestown  (No.  4)  and  Rutland ; 
was  stationed  at  Ticonderoga  nearly  all  of  the  service,  often  em- 
ployed in  transporting  wood  across  the  lake  for  the  use  of  the 
army,  and  was  discharged  at  Albany  in  November,  was  also 
residing  at  Weston  at  time  of  last  service. 

Jonas  Rice,  a  son  of  Zebulon  Rice  and  a  brother  of 
Reuben  and  Eliakim  Rice,  was  born  in  Lancaster,  now 
Boylston,  February  16,  1754.  At  the  time  of  his  first  ser- 
vice he  was  residing  in   Salem  and  the   subsequent  service 


202  HISTORY    OF    ASHBURNHAM. 

was  performed  while  he  was  a  resident  of  Sterling.      He 
removed  to  this  town,  1779. 

I.  He  alleges  that  he  enlisted  April  19,  1775,  in  a  company  of 
volunteers,  at  Salem,  commanded  by  Captain  Derby  and  marched 
to  Cambridge.  After  a  week  of  service  he  enlisted  at  Cambridge 
for  eight  months  in  the  company  of  Captain  John  Bachelor  of 
Colonel  Bridge's  regiment.  [This  company  was  engaged  in  the 
battle  of  Bunker  Hill.]  He  was  stationed  during  all  of  this  ser- 
vice on  Cambridge  common  at  the  house  of  one  Hastings  ;  that  he 
was  employed  under  General  Putnam  in  an  attempt  to  construct  a 
fort  on  Lechmere  Point,  from  which  they  were  driven  by  British 
ships. 

II.  He  again  enlisted  in  the  summer  of  1776,  for  five  months 
in  militia  company  of  Captain  Samuel  Sawyer.  Marched  from 
Sterling  through  Worcester,  Hartford  and  New  Haven  to  New 
York  city  ;  remained  a  few  days  in  New  York  and  then  moved  up 
the  Hudson  about  two  miles  ;  was  on  duty  at  Fort  Prescot  when 
the  city  of  New  York  was  given  up  to  the  British.  He  then 
moved  up  to  Harlem  Heights  where  he  remained  through  the  rest 
of  this  service. 

III.  He  again  enlisted  about  July  1,  1777,  for  six  months  in 
militia  company  of  Captain  Francis  Willson  of  Holden,  Colonel 
Ke^'es'  regiment.  He  marched  to  Leicester,  thence  to  Providence, 
thence  to  a  place  about  two  miles  south  of  Greenwich,  thence 
through  Warren  to  Tiverton  and  thence  back  to  Providence. 
During  this  term  of  service  he  went  to  Point  Judith  to  assist  in 
collecting  boats  to  be  used  in  an  attack  on  Newport.  In  sailing 
around  the  point  many  of  the  boats  were  destroyed,  eight  men 
drowned  and  the  contemplated  attack  was  abandoned. 

Eliakim  Kice,  brother  of  Jonas,  of  Hartland,  Vermont, 
but  formerly  of  Salem,  testifies  that  he  served  with  his 
brother  in  the  first  service  named  commencing  April  19, 
1775. 


REVOLUTIONARY   HISTORY.  203 

Jabez  and  Oliver  Marble  were  twins  and  their  service 
in  the  army  partook  of  the  close  alliance  of  their  lives. 
They  were  born  in  Stow  September  15,  1755,  and  removed 
to  Ashburnham  1789. 

I.  Jabez  Marble  alleges  that  in  the  fall  after  the  British  left 
Boston  he  went  to  Roxbury  and  took  the  place  of  his  brother  as  a 
private  soldier  in  Captain  Caleb  Brooks'  company  of  Colonel 
Benjamin  Dyke's  regiment,  and  served  a  tour  of  three  months  at 
Boston  and  was  verball}^  discharged  on  the  seventh  of  March, 
1777. 

II.  In  May,  1777,  he  enlisted  for  two  months  in  Captain  John 
Oleason's  company.  Marched  from  Stow  to  Providence  where  he 
was  stationed  until  about  seventeen  days  before  his  time  was  out, 
when  his  company  and  Captain  Hodgman's  marched  to  Greenwich 
for  the  defence  of  the  coast ;  remained  there  about  two  weeks  and 
then  returned  to  Providence  where  he  was  discharged. 

III.  He  again  enlisted  at  Stow  in  August,  1780,  in  company 
of  Captain  Moses  Briutnall  of  Sudbury,  Colonel  Howe's  regiment. 
He  went  to  Rhode  Island  and  was  stationed  the  entire  three 
months  at  Butt's  Hill  and  was  employed  on  fatigue  duty  building 
a  fort. 

In  a  subsequent  statement  explaining  his  service  as  sub- 
stitute for  his  brother  he  says  that  his  brother's  name  was 
Oliver  Marble  ;  they  were  twins  and  that  about  two  months 
prior  to  the  end  of  Oliver's  term  of  service  his  brother 
became  sick  and  he  took  his  place  for  the  balance  of  the 
term  and  always  answered  to  his  brother  Oliver's  name 
when  it  was  called. 

Thomas  Gibsox  was  born  in  Lunenburg,  now  Fitchburg, 
1753,  and  resided  there  until  the  close  of  the  war.  After  a 
temporary  residence  in  Ashby  he  removed  to  this  town,  pre- 
vious to  1787. 

I.  He  alleges  that  he  enlisted  in  the  spring  of  1775,  for  five 
months  in  Captain  Stearns'  militia  company  in  Colonel  Doolittle's 


204  HISTORY    OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

regiment.  He  lived  at  Fitehbnrg  and  marched  tljence  to  Winter 
Hill  near  Charlestown  where  he  remained  during  the  term  of 
service.     There  were  also  continental  troops  at  Winter  Hill. 

II.  He  again  enlisted  in  September,  1776,  at  Fitchburg  for 
two  months  in  Captain  Jonathan  Woods'  militia  company  of 
Colonel  Converse's  regiment.  He  marched  to  Dobb's  Ferry,  near 
West  Point,  passing  through  New  Haven.  Made  several  marches 
from  Dobb's  Ferry,  one  to  Fairfield,  Connecticut,  towards  New 
York  city,  etc.  There  were  continental  troops  at  Dobb's  Ferry  a 
part  of  the  time  while  he  was  there.  He  remembers  that  on  one 
occasion  they  brought  a  field-piece  to  bear  upon  a  vessel  at  anchor 
off  Dobb's  Ferry  and  drove  her  down  the  river. 

III.  Again  in  July,  1780,  he  enlisted  at  Fitchburg  for  three 
months  in  the  militia  company  of  Captain  Boutelle  of  Leominster 
of  Colonel  Rand's  regiment.  Marched  through  Worcester, 
Hartford  and  Fairfield  to  West  Point.  Arnold's  treachery  was 
discovered  during  this  term  of  service,  which  enables  him  to  fix 
the  year  as  1780.  He  saw  Washington  at  West  Point  shortly 
after  Arnold's  treason  was  made  known,  that  he  was  on  guard 
when  Washington  rode  up. 

IV.  In  September,  1777,  he  thinks,  he  enlisted  and  served 
thirty  days  at  the  taking  of  Burgoyne  in  the  militia  company  of 
Captain  Thurlow  of  Fitchburg ;  was  posted  first  at  Batterskill  and 
after  at  Fort  Edward  to  prevent  the  British  crossing  the  Hudson. 

V.  In  April  or  May,  the  year  he  does  not  recollect,  but  thinks 
it  was  towards  the  close  of  the  war,  he  enlisted  for  three  months 
in  the  militia  company  of  Captain  Joshua  Martin  of  Lunenburg 
and  served  at  Castle  William  in  Boston  harbor,  in  the  regiment  of 
Colonel  Jones.  There  were  continental  troops  on  the  island  who 
were  quartered  in  the  fort  and  militia  were  outside  in  barracks. 

Reuben  Rice  of  Ashliurnham  testifies  that  he  served  with 
Thomas  Gibson  from  July,  1780,  in  Captain  Boutelle's  com- 
pany. 

Ebenezer  Wallis  of  Ashburnham  testifies  that  he  served 
with  Thomas  Gibson  in  the  tour  from  September,  1780,  at 
West  Point. 


REVOLUTIONARY   HISTORY.  205 

Charles  Hastings  was  born  in  Princeton,  November  2(), 
1760,  and  removed  to  this  town,  1783.  While  a  resident  of 
Princeton,  he  entered  the  army  five  times.  September  6, 
1832,  he  gave  the  following  intelligent  account  of  his 
service  : 

I.  He  alleges  that  he  enlisted  in  May,  1776,  for  two  months 
in  a  militia  company  commanded  by  Captain  Sargeant  of  Princeton 
in  the  regiment  of  Colonel  Josiah  Whitney.  He  marched  to 
Leicester,  thence  to  Providence,  thence  to  Greenwich,  Rhode 
Island,  thence  to  Boston  Neck,  and  thence  back  to  Providence. 

II.  He  again  enlisted  at  Leicester  in  June,  1777,  for  six 
months  in  Captain  Willson's  company  of  Colonel  Keyes'  regiment. 
He  marched  to  Providence,  thence  to  Greenwich,  he  thinks,  thence 
to  Bissell's  mill,  about  two  miles  from  Providence,  and  thence 
back  to  Providence.  That  during  these  two  terms,  there  were 
only  a  few  troops  in  Rhode  Island  and  they  were  employed  in 
guarding  the  coast. 

III.  He  again  enlisted  about  April  1,  1778,  in  militia  company 
of  Captain  Nathan  Harrington.  Marched  to  Roxbury  and  thence 
to  Watertown  where  they  were  employed  in  guarding  a  part  of  the 
prisoners  from  Burgoyne's  army.  Marched  from  Watertown  with 
prisoners  to  Rutland,  where  the3^  remained  guarding  said  prisoners 
to  July,  1778,  when  he  was  discharged.  The  guard  was  com- 
manded by  Major  Reuben  Reed. 

IV.  He  again  immediately  enlisted  July,  1778,  for  six  months, 
in  the  militia  company  of  Captain  Belknap  of  Colonel  Wade's 
regiment.  Marched  to  Providence,  thence  to  Obdike  Newtown, 
or  a  place  of  some  similar  name  ;  thence  to  Newport  where  they 
joined  a  continental  brigade.  Engaged  in  the  battle  of  Newport 
in  October,  1778,  and  retired  from  there  to  Tiverton,  thence  to 
Obdike  Newtown  and  thence  to  Providence. 

V.  He  again  enlisted  about  July  1,  1780,  for  six  months  for 
service  in  continental  army.  He  was  ordered  to  Springfield  and 
then   marched  to  West  Point  and  joined  a  company  in  Colonel 


206  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

Greaton's  regimeut  of  General  Nixon's  brigade.  Soon  after  was 
transferred  to  the  Liglat  Infantry  under  General  Lafayette,  Cap- 
tain Haskell's  company  and  Colonel  Gimmatt's  regiment  with 
which  he  continued  to  the  fall  of  1780,  when  he  returned  to  his 
former  company  from  which  he  was  discharged. 

William  Ward  testifies  to  service  with  Charles  Hastings 
from  May,  177(3,  in  Captain  Sargent's  company. 

Jonas  Rice  of  Ashburnham  testifies  to  service  with  Charles 
Hastings  in  Captain  Willson's  company  from  June,  1777. 
Says  that  while  at  Providence  they  were  quartered  in  the 
college. 

Joseph  Gibbs,  son  of  Joseph  and  Hannah  (Howe)  Gibbs, 
was  born  October  12,  1756.  During  the  Revolution,  he 
resided  in  Princeton  and  removed  to  this  town  previous  to 
1786.  Commencing  in  May,  1775,  he  served  eight  months 
in  the  siege  of  Boston  in  the  company  of  Captain  Adam 
AVlieeler  in  Colonel  Doolittle's  regiment.  Seven  companies 
of  Colonel  Doolittle's  regiment,  including  the  company  of 
Captain  Wheeler,  were  engaged  in  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill, 
and  of  the  regiment  nine  were  wounded.  The  name  of 
Joseph  Gibbs,  of  Princeton,  is  borne  on  the  rolls  of  those 
who  served  eight  months  in  the  siege  of  Boston.  Many  in 
this  service  reenlisted  and  served  under  Washington  at  New 
York,  but  the  date  of  his  return  to  Princeton  does  not  appear. 
In  July,  1780,  he  enlisted  for  three  months  in  the  company 
of  Captain  Ephraim  Stearns  in  Colonel  John  Rand's  regiment. 
This  service  was  at  West  Point  and  King's  Ferry  and  a  part 
of  the  time  under  the  immediate  command  of  Washington. 
In  the  same  service  was  Jonathan  Samson,  Andrew  Winter, 
Jr.,  Thomas  Gibson,  Ebenezer  Wallis  and  Reuben  Rice,  who 
were  subsequently  his  neighbors  in  Ashburnham. 

David  Wallis  was  born  in  Lunenburg  October  15,  1760. 
He  removed  to  this  town  about  1795,  where  he  resided  until 
his  death. 


REVOLUTIONARY   HISTORY.  207 

I.  He  alleges  that  in  September,  1777,  he  enlisted  in  a  com- 
pany of  militia  under  Captain  Bellows  and  he  thinks  Colonel 
Bellows  of  Walpole,  New  Hampshire,  was  in  command  of  the 
regiment.  He  enlisted  for  one  month,  marched  to  Fort  P^dward 
via  Northfield  and  Bennington  and  was  there  when  Burgoyue 
surrendered. 

II.  In  April,  1778,  he  enlisted  at  Lunenburg  in  militia  com- 
pany of  Captain  Merick  of  Princeton  of  Colonel  Stearns'  regi- 
ment for  three  months.  Marched  to  Dorchester  and  then  to 
Castle  William  in  Boston  harbor.  There  were  two  companies  of 
militia  and  one  of  continental  artillery  on  the  island. 

III.  In  Api'il,  1779,  he  enlisted  at  Lunenburg  for  three 
months  in  Captain  Joshua  Martin's  company  of  Colonel  Jones' 
regiment  and  served  at  Castle  William.  They  were  employed  in 
building  fortifications.  During  this  service  the  artillery  company 
was  ordered  to  Rhode  Island  for  a  few  days.  He  was  ordered 
several  times  to  Governor's  Island. 

Nicholas  Whiteman  of  Ashburnham  testifies  that  he  served 
with  David  Wallis,  on  Castle  island  from  April,  1778. 

Thomas  Gibson  of  Ashburnham  testifies  to  service  with 
David  Wallis  in  Captain  Martin's  company  in  1779  at  Castle 
William. 

Cyrus  Fairbanks  was  born  in  Harvard,  May  29,  1752, 
and  removed  to  Ashburnham,  1788,  where  he  died  at  the 
advanced  age  of  one  hundred  years,  June  18,  1852.  He 
gives  an  account  of  three  terms  of  service  while  residino-  in 
Harvard. 

I.  He  alleges  that  on  April  19,  1775,  then  residing  in  Harvard, 
he  volunteered  to  oppose  the  British  then  marching  on  Concord. 
He  proceeded  to  Concord  and  thence  to  Cambridge.  After 
remaining  there  about  a  week  enlisted  as  a  drummer  for  eight 
months  in  the  Massachusetts  militia  company  of  Captain  Jonathan 
Davis  in  Colonel  Asa  Whitcomb's  regiment  and  served  out  full 


208  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

term.     He  was  first  quartered  on  Cambridge  river  about  a  mile 
from  the  college  and  afterward  on  Prospect  Hill. 

II.  In  the  month  of  September,  1776,  he  again  enlisted  at 
Harvard  for  two  months  as  a  drummer  in  the  militia  company  of 
Captain  Hill  of  Colonel  Converse's  regiment.  Marched  via  Worces- 
ter, New  Haven,  Fairfield  and  White  Plains  to  Dobb's  Ferry, 
where  he  remained  until  his  time  was  out.  He  says  he  served  as 
drum-major  during  this  term.  The  regiment  was  employed  in 
transporting  supplies  up  the  river. 

III.  In  the  month  of  September,  1777,  when  Burgoyne  was 
advancing  he  enlisted  at  Harvard  for  one  month.  Marched  to 
Petersham  where  his  company  was  organized  and  he  chosen 
corporal  in  militia  company  of  Captain  Hill,  he  thought.  He 
marched  to  Fort  Edward  passing  through  Bennington ;  remained 
in  service  entire  term  of  his  enlistment. 

Joshua  Fletcher  was  born  in  Westford  February  22, 
1760,  and  removed  to  this  town  about  1810.  He  was  a 
resident  of  Westford  durins^  the  followino'  service  : 

I.  He  alleges  that  he  first  entered  service  for  seven  months 
in  Captain  Abisha  Brown's  company  of  Colonel  Whitney's  regi- 
ment of  Massachusetts  forces  and  served  at  Nantasket  island  in 
the  harbor  of  Boston  to  the  end  of  his  term. 

II.  He  next  served  at  Boston  three  months  under  Captain 
John  Minot. 

III.  He  next  entered  the  army  on  the  continental  establish- 
ment, February,  1777,  for  three  years  and  was  mustered  at 
Boston  and  proceeded  in  Captain  Philip  Thomas'  company  of 
Colonel  Marshall's  regiment  of  Massachusetts  line  to  Ticonderoga 
and  was  at  Fort  Miller,  Saratoga,  Valley  Forge  and  White  Plains, 
He  served  one  year  and  eight  months  when  he  was  taken  sick 
with  a  fever  and  a  sore  on  his  breast  and  was  furloughed  until  he 
should  recover.  He  did  not  recover  until  after  the  close  of  the 
war  and  was  never  able  to  rejoin  the  army.  The  following  is  a 
copy  of  the  leave  granted. 


REVOLUTIONARY   HISTORY.  209 

Camp  at  White  Plains,  August  29,  1778. 
His  excellency  approves  that  Joshua  Fletcher,  soldier  in  Col. 
Thomas  Marshall's  regiment   of   Massachusetts   Bay  State  shall 
have  leave  of  absence  until  the  recovery  of  his  health  and  spirits 
and  then  to  return  to  his  duty. 

The  Baron  de  Kalb 
M.  G'. 

Joseph  Merriam  was  born  in  Woburn  February  3,  1763, 
and  lived  in  Lexington  and  Bedford  during  the  war.  It 
appears  that  he  removed  from  Bedford  to  Ashburnham  1784, 
and  remained  several  years  when  he  removed  to  Templeton 
and  subsequently  returned  to  Ashburnham. 

I.  He  alleges  that  in  the  fall  of  1779  he  enlisted  for  two 
months  in  company  of  Captain  Samuel  Heald  of  Carlisle  in 
Colonel  John  Jacob's  regiment.  He  marched  to  Providence 
where  they  encamped  about  three  weeks  and  then  marched  to 
Tiverton  and  when  the  British  left  Rhode  Island  they  went  over 
Howlaud's  Ferry  to  Butt's  Hill  where  he  remained  until  dis- 
charged in  November,  1779. 

II.  In  1780  he  enlisted  for  six  months  in  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Thompson's  company  as  it  was  called,  but  it  was  commanded  by 
Ensign  Thayer,  in  Colonel  Marshall's  regiment — the  Tenth  Massa- 
chusetts. He  joined  the  regiment  at  West  Point  where  they  were 
encamped  for  nearly  three  weeks,  when  he  was  detached  with 
several  others  to  King's  Ferry  and  put  under  the  orders  of 
Colonel  Brewer  and  employed  in  conveying  troops  and  baggage 
over  the  river,  after  which  he  joined  his  regiment  at  Verplank's 
Point  and  proceeded  with  his  regiment  to  New  Jersey  and  after 
serving  out  his  six  months  was  discharged  at  West  Point  in 
January,  1781. 

III.  In  1781  the  town  of  Bedford  hired  him  to  go  into  the 
continental  service  for  three  months.  He  was  mustered  in,  he 
thinks,  by  Colonel  Brown  of  Tewksbury  and  then  proceeded  to 
New  York  State  and  joined  the  army  at  Gallows  Hill.     He  was 

14 


210 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


immediately  put  under  orders  of  Colonel  Procter,  a  militia  officer, 
and  went  about  seven  miles  to  one  Captain  Knapp's  farm  to 
guard  cattle,  where  he  remained  about  three  weeks  when  he 
returned  to  camp  and  was  taken  by  Major  Keyes,  who  was  a 
deputy-quartermaster-general  in  care  of  forage,  as  his  waiter.  He 
was  stationed  at  Peekskill  and  his  quarters  were  near  General 
Heath's.  He  remained  on  this  dut}^  during  the  remainder  of  his 
service. 

Some  of  the  revolutionary  soldiers  to  w^hom  pensions  were 
granted  had  died  before  the  date  of  any  complete  list  that  has 
been  discovered.  In  1840  there  were  remaining  in  this  town 
thirteen  revolutionary  soldiers  and  three  widows  of  soldiers 
who  were  pensioned. 

Cyrus  Fairbanks  survived  his  venerable  associates. 


Lemuel  Stimson 

died  September  22, 

,  1840 

Charlotte  Lowe,  widow  of  Dr.  Lowe, 

a 

May  5, 

1841 

Thomas  Gibson 

a 

June  11, 

1841 

David  Clark 

" 

July  5, 

1841 

Joshua  Fletcher 

u 

April  14, 

1843 

Jabez  Marble 

a 

December  23, 

1843 

Joseph  Jewett 

a 

May  3, 

1847 

Zilpah  Rice,  widow  of  Jonas  Rice, 

ii 

July  22, 

1847 

John  Bowman 

a 

October  22, 

1847 

William  Ward 

u 

December  3, 

1847 

Jonathan  Samson 

(( 

December  9, 

1847 

Margaret  Townsend,  widow  of  Reuben 

Townseud, 

Cc 

March  20, 

1848 

Isaac  Whitmore 

(( 

May  2, 

1848 

Joseph  Merriam 

(( 

April  4, 

1849 

Charles  Hastings 

C( 

November  28, 

,1850 

Cyrus  Fairbanks 

(( 

June  18, 

1852 

CHAPTER   VII. 

STATE    RELATIONS,    POLITICS,    TOWN    OFFICERS. 

A  SEASON    OF     DISQUIETODE. SHAYS'    REVOLT.  THE     LOYAL    SENTIMENT    OF 

ASHBURNHAM. VOLUNTEERS  TO  SUPPRESS  THE  REVOLT. ISAAC  STEARNS' 

DIARY.  A    BLOODLESS     CAMPAIGN.  CONSTITUTIONAL     CONVENTIONS.  

REPRESENTATION    IN    THE    LEGISLATURE.  VOTE    OF   THE    TOWN   FOR  GOV- 
ERNOR.  PROPOSED      DIVISIONS       OF      THE      COUNTY.  A     LIST     OF    TOWN 

OFFICERS. 

At  the  close  of  the  Revolution  the  situation  of  the  country 
was  perilous  and  critical.  The  difficulties  of  a  public  nature 
were  changed  in  character  by  the  close  of  the  war  but  were 
not  removed  and  peace  brought  no  immediate  relief  to  the 
financial  difficulties  which  had  attended  the  prosecution  of 
the  war.  The  resources  of  the  State  were  exhausted  while 
the  towns  were  groaning  under  the  burden  of  debt.  In  the 
extremity  of  the  hour,  the  most  oppressive  systems  of  taxa- 
tion were  adopted,  and  if  strenuous  measures  were  demanded 
by  the  necessities  of  the  times  they  did  not  put  money  in  the 
purse  of  the  tax-payer.  In  continued  efforts  to  pay  the  taxes 
incident  to  the  times,  individuals  had  suffered  their  liabilities 
to  accumulate  and  creditors,  seizing  upon  the  agency  of  new 
laws  and  reestablished  courts,  resorted  to  legal  process  in  the 
collection  of  debts.  The  tax  collector  had  scarcely  drained 
the  scanty  income  of  the  farm  before  the  sheriff  armed  with 
executions  demanded  the  remaining  cow  and  fi-equently  the 
homestead.  For  a  season  the  wisdom  of  statesmen  and  a 
multitude  of  laws  brought  no  relief. 

211 


212  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

During  the  contiuuance  of  the  war,  without  matured  forms 
of  government  or  systems  of  laws,  the  people  had  been 
united  and  held  together  in  a  common  purpose.  With  free- 
dom came  new  responsibilities  and  grave  embarrassments. 
The  government  was  new  and  unfamiliar  to  the  people,  and 
at  first  they  came  in  contact  with  the  harsher  and  more 
exacting  features  of  the  laws.  To  them  the  new  laws  were 
little  more  than  a  code  for  the  collection  of  debts  and  the 
courts  were  an  agency  for  the  oppression  of  the  poor.  Feel- 
ing the  weight  of  their  burdens  and  not  apprehending  their 
cause,  the  people  became  dissatisfied  with  their  government 
and  the  oflScers  chosen  to  administer  it.  The  murmur  of 
discontent  was  heard  on  every  hand,  but  the  unsatisfactory 
state  of  public  affairs  and  the  uncertainty  of  the  future  were 
only  shadows  in  the  deeper  gloom  of  the  poverty  and  debt  in 
their  homes.  The  people  had  bravely  endured  extreme 
hardships  and  now  victorious  in  the  field  they  were  sadly 
disappointed  with  the  early  fruits  of  a  freedom  which  had 
been  secured  by  their  service  and  sacrifice.  For  a  season  the 
destiny  of  the  republic  was  evenly  balanced  between  revolt 
inviting  anarchy  and  liberty  restrained  by  law.  In  common 
with  the  people  at  large  the  inhabitants  of  this  town  shared 
in  the  gloom  and  burdens  of  the  hour,  but  through  discour- 
agement they  did  not  lose  faith  in  the  final  success  of  the 
government  or  countenance  any  disorderly  conduct.  The 
revolt  under  the  leadership  of  Shays,  Day  and  Shattuck  was 
encouraged  by  the  active  and  open  support  of  many  in  this 
vicinity,  but  there  is  no  evidence  that  any  citizen  of  this  town 
was  ever  found  within  the  ranks  of  open  revolt. 

The  theatre  of  Shays'  rebellion  was  wholly  outside  of 
Ashburnham.  A  complete  history  of  that  ill-advised  and 
irrational  revolt  would  contain  little,  if  any,  reference  to  the 
people  or  the  sentiment  of  this  town.     The  compliment  is 


STATE   RELATIONS,   POLITICS,    TOWN   OFFICERS.        213 

almost  reciprocal,  and  these  pages  would  contain  no  refer- 
ence to  the  riotous  proceedings  if  it  could  be  shown  that  the 
inhabitants  of  Ashburnham,  surrounded  by  the  same  diffi- 
culties and  suftering  the  same  hardships,  did  not  give  any 
expression  of  sympathy  to  the  movement,  or  utter  any  com- 
plaints against  the  heavy  burdens  which  oppressed  the 
Commonwealth.  It  is  reasonably  certain  that  none  from 
this  town  joined  the  revolt.  And  while  there  is  no  proof 
that  any  considerable  portion  of  the  inhabitants  were  in 
sympathy  with  it,  there  is  evidence  that  they  seriously 
considered  the  state  of  existing  affiiirs.  Yet  their  voice  was 
not  raised  until  the  rebellion  was  crushed  and  the  govern- 
ment left  at  liberty  to  answer  their  complaint.  On  the 
fourteenth  of  :March,  1787,  a  full  month  after,  the  only 
remaining  remnant  of  the  revolt  was  dispersed  at  Petersham, 
the  town  met  in  a  legal  meeting. 

To  see  if  the  town  will  take  any  method  to  become  acquainted 
with  the  minds  of  our  fellow  citizens  in  this  commonwealth  con- 
cerning the  choice  of  our  officers  to  be  employed  in  government 
the  present  year  or  pass  any  vote  or  votes  that  the  town  shall 
think  proper  under  said  article. 

To  see  if  it  is  any  mind  of  the  town  that  there  is  any  matter  of 
grievance  worthy  of  notice  which  we  suffer  by  reason  of  the 
present  administration  of  government,  and  if  it  is  the  minds  of 
the  town  that  there  is  matter  of  grievance  to  see  what  method  the 
town  will  take  for  redress  of  said  grievance. 

Voted  to  send  a  man  to  Worcester  to  meet  other  towns  and 
chose  M'  Jacob  Willard. 

It  was  moved  to  see  if  it  was  the  mind  of  the  town  that  there  is 
matter  of  grievance  that  the  people  labor  under  and  it  passed  in 
the  affirmative. 

The  town  having  chosen  Jacob  Willard  to  represent  them 
at  the  approaching  session  of  the  General  Court,  met  again 


214  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNIIAM. 

in  May  to  give  their  representative  instruction,  whereupon 
it  was  ordered  that  he  be  instructed  : 

1''    To  have  the  general  court  moved  out  of  Boston. 

2^  To  Endeavor  that  the  Courts  of  Common  Pleas  be 
abolished. 

3*^      To  Endeavor  that  the  salary  men  be  lowered. 

4"^    To  prevent  if  possible  a  paper  currency. 

5*"^     To  continue  the  Tender  Act  for  another  year. 

6*  To  Endeavor  that  a  free  pardon  be  held  out  to  all  those 
persons  that  have  taken  up  arms  against  the  government. 

These  instructions  are  simpl}^  a  brief  statement  of  the 
most  prominent  measures  that  were  being  advanced  by 
many  as  a  remedy  for  existing  grievances.  And  while  the 
Legislature  was  not  removed  from  Boston,  the  salary  of  one 
officer,  the  governor,  was  reduced  and  a  bill  providing  for 
a  new  emission  of  paper  money  was  defeated.  On  the  last 
of  these  instructions  the  town  again  took  action  at  the  next 
meeting.  "  Chose  Jacob  Willard,  Joshua  Holden  and 
Captain  Daniel  Putnam  to  draft  a  petition  requesting  the 
governor  and  council  to  further  reprieve  or  pardon  Captain 
Job  Shattuck  and  others  now  under  sentence  of  death  and 
that  the  petition  be  signed  by  the  inhabitants  individually." 
There  were  fourteen  persons  under  sentence  of  death  and 
among  them  Job  Shattuck  who  was  captured  in  the  early 
progress  of  the  revolt  at  his  home  in  Groton. 

In  all  of  these  proceedings  of  the  town  there  is  no  exhibit 
of  temper  nor  any  apparent  failure  of  candid  consideration. 
The  instructions  to  their  representative  are  moderate  and 
from  their  standpoint  not  unreasonable,  and  their  request 
for  an  amelioration  of  the  sentence  of  Shattuck  and  others 
mio-ht   have    been   attended  with   censure    of  their   riotous 

o 

conduct.     At  all  events  the   persons   under   sentence  were 


STATE   RELATIONS,    POLITICS,    TOWN    OFFICERS.        215 

pardoned  by  those  who  had  less  reason  for  the  exercise  of 
clemency. 

In  the  records  for  the  year  1787  and  again  the  following 
year  is  entered  at  length  the  formal  oath  of  allegiance  pre- 
scribed in  the  Constitution  of  the  State  and  to  it  is  sub- 
scribed the  names  of  the  selectmen,  assessors,  treasurer  and 
constables  of  each  year.  The  town  that  took  this  precaution 
to  restrain  insubordination  and  to  secure  a  firmer  loyalty  to 
the  State  and  the  men  who  voluntarily  subscribed  their 
names  to  that  form  of  an  oath  will  never  be  suspected  of 
being  in  sympathy  with  the  revolt.  If  they  petitioned  for 
the  pardon  of  the  rebels  it  was  more  in  the  spirit  of  forgive- 
ness and  charity  than  from  any  existing  or  former  approval 
of  their  conduct.  The  vote  of  the  town  for  governor  for 
four  years  commencing  1783  was  substantially  unanimous 
for  James  Bowdoin  who  was  the  representative  of  the  law 
and  order  party.  During  these  disturbances  it  is  evident 
that  the  controlling  element  and  the  voice  and  influence  of 
the  town  did  not  fail  in  the  maintenance  of  an  orderly  con- 
duct and  of  a  firm  loyalty  to  the  State.  While  the  revolt 
was  sustained  in  other  places  our  fathers  assembled  in  the 
mieeting-house  Wednesday,  January  17,  1787,  and  listened 
to  a  sermon  by  Mr.  Gushing  from  the  text,  "That  there  be 
no  breaking  in  nor  going  out,  that  there  be  no  complaining 
in  our  streets.     Happy  is  that  people  that  is  in  such  a  case." 

This  was  a  season  of  great  excitement.  The  laws  were 
openly  violated  and  defied  in  many  places.  The  inhabitants 
•of  Ashburnham,  impatient  of  the  delay  of  a  legal  meeting, 
held  informal  meetings  the  following  Friday  and  Monday. 
A  company  of  thirteen  men  marched  to  the  assistance  of 
the  militia.  The  details  of  this  voluntary  service  are 
recorded  in  a  diary  kept  many  years  by  Isaac  Stearns  from 
which  the  folio  wins;  extracts  are  transcribed. 


216  HISTORY    OF    ASHBURNHAM. 

TImrsday,  January  Is,  1787.  I  went  to  town  to  training  or 
rather  to  try  to  get  men  to  go  to  Worcester. 

Friday.     I  went  up  to  town  meeting. 

Monday.     I  went  to  town  meeting. 

TJmrsday.  I  went  to  fown  to  see  about  getting  men  to  go 
against  the  insurgents. 

Friday,  January  26,  1787.  I  set  out  with  thirteen  men  and 
lodged  at  Richardson's  in  Leominster. 

Saturday.     Lodged  at  Patch's  in  Worcester. 

Sabbath  night.     Lodged  in  Spencer  at  one  Jenks. 

Monday  night.     At  Bugbee's  in  Brimfleld. 

Tuesday  night.     At  Burt's  in  Springfield  and 

Wednesday  night,  also  at  Burt's. 

Thursday,  February  1.  We  marched  through  Chicopee,  a 
parish  of  Springfield,  to  South  Hadley  and  lodged  at  one 
Preston's, 

Friday  night.     I  was  on  guard. 

Saturday  night.  About  ten  o'clock  we  marched  from  South 
Hadley  to  Amherst  and  made  a  little  halt. 

Sabbath,  Yoby  4.  Marched  through  South  Barre  and  lodged 
in  Petersham. 

Monday.     Marched  to  Barre  and  lodged  at  Capt.  Henry's. 

Tuesday.     Marched  to  Oakham  and  back  to  Henry's  in  Barre. 

Wednesday.     We  exercised. 

Thursday.     I  went  about  four  miles  after  insurgents. 

Friday.  I  chopped  wood  for  Capt.  Henry,  at  night  I  mounted 
guard. 

Saturday.     Came  off  guard.     Afterwards  did  some  writing. 

Sabbath,  February  11.  I  went  to  Barre  meeting.  Mr.  Dana 
preached  from  Psalms  97:1.  In  the  afternoon  we  marched  from 
Capt.  Henry's  to  Dr.  Strickland's  who  lived  in  one  Nurse's  house 
in  Barre. 

Monday.     I  walked  down  to  Esqr  Caldwell's. 

Tuesday.     I  went  on  guard. 

Wednesday.  I  came  from  guard.  At  eight  o'clock  at  night 
we  marched  from  Barre  to  Hardwick  in  water  up  mid  leg  and  in 


STATE   RELATIONS,    POLITICS,    TOWN   OFFICERS.       217 

the  rain  and  came  to  one  Haskell's  in  Hardwick  and  there  remain- 
ing part  of  the  night,  tarried  Thursday ;  and  Friday  in  the  fore- 
noon I  chopped  wood  for  Mr.  Haskell.  In  the  afternoon  we 
marched  back  to  Barre. 

Saturday.     I  looked  after  Dr.  Strickland's  cattle. 

Sabbath,  February  18.     I  went  on  guard  ;  came  off  Monday. 

Tuesday.  I  went  to  Esqr  Caldwell's  and  read  in  Worcester 
Magazine ;  afterwards  drinked  some  cider  and  returned  to  my 
quarters. 

Wednesday.  We  marched  to  Rutland ;  there  we  were  dis- 
missed, about  noon  we  set  out  and  came  through  Princeton,  a 
part  of  Hubbardston  and  through  Westminster  to  Col.  Rand's 
where  the  men  lodged,  but  I  came  to  Lieut.  Munroe's  in 
Ashburnham. 

Thursday.     I  came  home. 


This  was  a  bloodless  yet  an  industrious  campaign.  From 
a  military  standpoint  the  results,  so  far  as  we  know,  were 
not  particularly  decisive,  but  as  an  exponent  of  the  prevail- 
ing sentiment  of  the  town  at  a  season  of  discontent  our  little 
army  of  invasion  made  a  most  cheerful  campaign,  and  as 
volunteers  in  the  cause  of  law  and  order  their  service  must 
be  accredited  to  a  patriotic  impulse  which  commands  our 
willing  esteem. 

In  1778  a  Constitution  for  "the  State  of  Massachusetts 
Bay  "  was  submitted  for  the  approval  of  the  people  and  by 
them  rejected.  The  necessity  for  a  more  stable  and  com- 
prehensive form  of  government  remained.  In  1779  the 
General  Court  passed  a  resolve  calling  upon  the  voters  to 
decide  whether  they  would  instruct  their  representatives  to 
call  a  State  convention  to  prepare  and  submit  for  their 
approval  a  form  of  Constitution.  A  convention  was  ordered 
and  the  Constitution  then  prepared  was  ratified  by  the  people 
in  1780.  In  these  proceedings  the  following  votes  will 
reflect  the  sentiment  of  this  town. 


218  HISTORY    OF    ASHBURNHAM. 

May  7,  1779.  Voted  to  have  a  new  form  of  government  as 
soon  as  may  be.  Also  that  our  representative  vote  to  have  a 
State  convention  called  for  that  purpose. 

William  Whitcomb  was  the  representative  at  the  time  this 
vote  was  passed.  There  is  no  record  of  the  choice  of  a  dele- 
gate to  the  constitutional  convention. 

May  31,  1780.  Voted  to  accept  of  the  form  of  government  as 
it  now  stands  all  except  three  articles.  Accepted  unanimously. 
The  articles  accepted  against  are  the  following :  The  third  in  the 
bill  of  rights,  forty-seven  for  it  as  it  now  stands,  and  twelve 
against;  —  Chapter  2,  Section  first,  article  seventh,  accepted  with 
this  amendment :  —  That  the  Governor  by  advice  of  his  council 
have  power  to  march  the  militia  to  any  one  of  the  neighboring  or 
adjoining  States  in  case  of  invasion  in  the  recess  of  the  General 
Court.  Chapter  first,  section  third,  article  fourth  :  —  Two  persons 
against  it  as  it  now  stands. 

The  persons  dissatisfied  with  the  third  article  of  the  bill 
of  rights  were  the  Baptists  who  contended  that  there  was 
injustice  in  the  conditions  which  required  them  to  contribute 
to  the  support  of  the  standing  or  Congregational  order  unless 
they  were  members  of  some  other  society. 

A  convention  of  delegates  was  assembled  in  Boston  in 
January,  1788,  to  cast  the  vote  of  Massachusetts  on  the 
question  of  the  acceptance  of  the  Constitution  of  the  United 
States.  The  town  of  Ashburnham  was  represented  in  that 
distinguished  body  by  Jacob  Willard.  While  a  majority  of 
the  convention  finally  cast  the  vote  of  Massachusetts  in  favor 
of  the  adoption  of  the  Constitution,  only  seven  of  the  fifty 
delegates  from  Worcester  county  voted  in  the  affirmative. 
The  name  of  Mr.  Willard  is  found  with  the  majority  from 
this  county. 


STATE   RELATIONS,   POLITICS,   TOWN   OFFICERS.        219 

In  1795,  the  town  voted  unanimously  that  it  was  inex- 
pedient to  revise  the  Constitution  of  the  State,  but  in  1820, 
the  town  by  a  vote  of  sixty-three  to  seventeen  deemed 
it  expedient  to  call  a  convention  for  revision.  In  both 
instances  the  town  voted  with  a  majority  of  the  whole  vote 
of  the  State.  In  the  convention  which  was  assembled  at  this 
time  the  town  was  represented  by  Silas  Willard.  Of  the 
fourteen  proposed  amendments  the  people  of  the  State  ratified 
nine.  They  are  the  numbers  I  to  IX  of  amendments  to  the 
Constitution.  The  town  of  Ashburnham  voted  in  the  affirma- 
tive on  all  the  proposed  amendments  except  the  fifth.  This 
was  one  of  the  five  which  was  rejected.  The  amendments, 
numbered  X,  XI,  XII  and  XIII,  were  proposed  by  the 
Legislature  and  ratified  by  the  people  without  the  interven- 
tion of  a  convention.  The  votes  of  the  people  of  this  town 
were  as  follows  : 


X. 

1831. 

Affirmative,  104 

Negative,    2 

XL 

1833. 

115 

1 

XII. 

1836. 

49 

5 

XIII. 

1840. 

145 

38 

In  1851,  a  proposition  to  call  a  convention  for  revision 
was  submitted  to  the  people  and  defeated.  The  vote  of  this 
town  was  183  in  favor  of  a  convention  and  138  opposed. 
The  third  convention  of  delegates  was  assembled  1853.  In 
the  preliminary  vote  220  desired  to  call  the  convention  and 
118  were  willing  to  continue  the  constitution  without  change. 
The  measure  having  received  a  sufficient  number  of  votes, 
the  town  was  called  upon  to  make  choice  of  a  delegate. 
Simeon  Merritt  was  elected,  receiving  153  votes  to  118  for 
Reuben  Townsend.  This  convention  submitted  to  the  people 
eight  propositions.  None  of  them  were  ratified.  The  vote 
of  Ashburnham  was  203  in  favor  and  146  opposed.     By  a  light 


220  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

vote  the  town  voted  with  the  majority  in  the  State  in  ratify- 
ing the  six  amendments  that  were  added  in  1855  and  no 
subsequent  amendment  has  elicited  a  full  vote  or  a  very 
decided  expression  of  opinion.  In  later  years,  the  sentiment 
of  the  town  has  been  expressed  by  printed  ballots.  But  on 
the  pending  amendments  in  1820,  the  vote  was  taken  in  a 
more  captious  manner.  The  warrant  calling  upon  the  inhabi- 
tants of  Ashburnham  to  assemble  announced  that  the  vote 
would  be  taken  in  the  following  manner  :  "All  the  voters  to 
be  seated  and  when  called  upon  to  vote  then  all  that  vote  to 
rise  and  stand  up  with  their  heads  uncovered  until  they  are 
counted  and  then  sit  down  in  their  seats  again  with  their 
heads  covered."  It  was  a  rare  display  of  brains  both  in  the 
record  and  in  the  vote. 

The  relations  of  Ashburnham  to  the  temporary  forms  of 
government,  existing  from  1774  to  1780,  have  been  noticed 
in  the  Kevolutionary  History  of  the  town.  The  first  election 
under  the  Constitution  in  the  autumn  of  1780  was  for  a  short 
term.  At  this  election  the  town  voted  not  to  send  a  repre- 
sentative and  continued  of  the  same  mind  at  the  annual 
election  the  next  spring.  In  fact,  until  the  close  of  the 
century,  Ashburnham  was  represented  in  only  eight  sessions 
of  the  Legislature,  having  voted  thirteen  times  "not  to  send 
a  representative  this  year."  It  should  be  borne  in  mind  that 
until  1831,  the  State  officers  and  the  Legislature  were  elected 
in  the  spring,  and  that  the  General  Court  was  convened  the 
last  Wednesday  in  May.  To  Jacob  Willard  was  reserved 
the  honor  of  being  the  first  representative  from  this  town 
under  the  Constitution.  He  was  elected  in  1782  and  again 
in  1787, 1791  and  1792  ;  William  Whitcomb  1783  and  Samuel 
Wilder  1788,  1796  and  1798.  Every  other  year  the  town 
was  not  represented  in  the  popular  branch  of  the  Legislature, 
and  in  1798  Mr.  Wilder  died  before  the  Legislature  con- 
vened. 


STATE    RELATIONS,    POLITICS,   TOWN   OFFICERS.       221 

Beginning  with  the  present  century,  Jacob  Willard  was 
again  elected  in  1801,  and  following  a  familiar  precedent  the 
next  seven  years  the  town  voted  not  to  send  a  representative. 
In  1809,  Joseph  Jewett  was  first  chosen  and  reelected  in 
1812,  1813,  1814,  181G,  1821,  1829.  He  was  also  elected 
in  1810,  but  immediately  after  the  declaration  of  the  vote 
the  town  from  a  chronic  habit  "  voted  not  to  send  a  repre- 
sentative this  year."  Notwithstanding  the  vote  of  the  town, 
Mr.  Jewett,  having  been  elected,  assumed  the  duties  of  the 
office.  Elisha  White  represented  the  town  1815  ;  Stephen 
Corey  1819  ;  Ivers  Jewett  1824 ;  Abraham  T.  Lowe  1825  ; 
Charles  Barrett  1828  ;  Nathaniel  Pierce  1830. 

Simultaneous  with  the  amendment  of  the  Constitution  in 
1831,  changing  the  time  of  election  from  the  spring  to 
November  and  continuing  until  the  amendment  of  1840,  the 
town  having  375  or  more  ratable  polls  was  entitled  to  send 
two  representatives.  Commencing  with  the  fall  elections 
and  winter  sessions  and  continuing  until  the  adoption  of  the 
district  system  in  1857,  the  town  failed  ten  times  to  be 
represented. 

The  earlier  failures  to  elect  a  representative  arose  as  much 
from  a  sentiment  of  indifierence  as  from  any  other  cause, 
but  at  this  time  there  was  a  livelier  interest  in  political  affairs 
and  party  lines  were  sharply  defined.  The  attempt  was 
annually  made  and  an  election  failed  only  when  the  combined 
vote  of  the  Democrats  and  anti-slavery  party  defeated  the 
Whigs  in  securing  a  majority  which  was  then  necessary  to 
elect.  In  1850  the  Whigs  were  not  only  prevented  from 
sending  a  representative  but  witnessed  the  election  of  a 
political  opponent.  During  this  period  the  following  persons 
were  elected  for  the  session  of  the  years  ensuing  : 

1831.  Nathaniel  Pierce,  Hosea  Stone. 

1832.  Nathaniel  Pierce,  Hosea  Stone. 

1833.  Hosea  Stone,  Asahel  Corey. 


222 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


1834. 

Asahel  Corey, 

Kilburn  Harwood. 

1835. 

Asahel  Corey, 

Kilburn  Harwood. 

1836. 

Asahel  Corey, 

Reuben  Townsend. 

1837. 

Reuben  Townsend, 

Stephen  Cashing. 

1838. 

Reuben  Townsend, 

No  choice. 

1840. 

George  G-.  Parker. 

1841. 

George  G.  Parker. 

1845. 

John  C.  Glazier. 

1850.' 

Ivers  Adams. 

1851. 

Joel  Litch. 

1854. 

Edward  S.  Flint.      • 

1855. 

Ohio  Whitney,  Jr. 

1856. 

Joseph  P.  Rice. 

In  the  district  system  of  representation  Ashburnham  was 
classed  with  Winchendon  until  1876.  The  representatives 
have  been  as  follows  : 


1857.  Jacob  B.  Harris 

1858.  Josiah  D.  Crosby 

1859.  William  Murdock 

1860.  Albert  H.  Andrews 

1861.  Nelson  D.  White 

1862.  Thomas  Boutelle 

1863.  Giles  H.  Whitney 

1864.  George  C.  Winchester 

1865.  Giles  H.  Whitney 

1866.  George  E.  Fisher 

1867.  Windsor  N.  White 

1868.  George  H.  Barrett 

1869.  WiUiam  L.  Woodcock 

1870.  Orlando  Mason 

1871.  Albert  G.  Sinclair 

1872.  Austin  Whitney 

1873.  Charles  A.  Loud 

1874.  Wilbur  F.  Whitney 

1875.  Charles  A.  Loud 


of  Winchendon. 
of  Ashburnham. 
of  Winchendon. 
of  Ashburnham. 
of  Winchendon. 
of  Ashburnham. 
of  Winchendon. 
of  Ashburnham. 
of  Winchendon. 
of  Ashburnham. 
of  Winchendon. 
of  Ashburnham. 
of  Winchendon. 
of  Winchendon. 
of  Winchendon. 
of  Ashburnham. 
of  Winchendon. 
of  Ashburnham. 
of  Winchendon. 


STATE  RELATIONS,    POLITICS,    TOWN   OFFICERS.        223 

Under  a  revision  of  the  districts  Ashburnhtim  was  classed 
with  Gardner,  Winchendon,  Westminster  and  Princeton  and 
privileged  to  send  two  representatives. 

1876.  Simeon  Merritt  of  Ashburnbam  and  Wilder  P.  Clark  of 

Winchendon. 

1877.  C.  Webster  Bush  of  Gardner  and  Artemas  Merriam  of 

Westminster. 

1878.  Wilder  P.  Clark  of  Winchendon  and  William  H.  Brown 

of  Princeton. 

1879.  Edwin  J.  Cashing    of  Gardner  and  George  W.  Eddy  of 

Ashburnham. 

1880.  Giles  H.  Whitney  of  Winchendon  and  J.  Henry  Miller  of 

Westminster. 

1881.  John  D.  Edgell  of  Gardner  and  John  B.  Fay  of  Princeton. 

1882.  Walter  O.  Parker  of  Ashburnham  and  Wilder  P.  Clark  of 

Winchendon. 

1883.  Roderick  R.  Bent  of  Gardner  and  Edwin  L.  Burnham  of 

Westminster. 

1884.  Roderick   R.    Bent   of    Gardner  and  Charles  J.  Rice  of 

Winchendon. 

1885.  Charles  J.  Rice  of  Winchendon  and  Herbert  S.  Stratton 

of  Gardner. 

The  vote  for  governor  at  one  hundred  and  five  elections 
presents  many  suggestions  concerning  the  growth  and  senti- 
ment of  the  town.  The  vote  for  presidential  electors  being 
substantially  a  repetition  of  the  vote  for  governor  the  same 
year  afibrds  no  additional  information.  If,  for  a  few  years 
early  in  the  present  century,  the  town  evinced  an  unsteadi- 
ness of  purpose,  the  political  sentiment  of  Ashburnham  has 
been  mainly  in  sympathy  with  the  Federal,  Whig  and  Re- 
publican parties. 


224 


HISTORY  OF  ASHBURNHAM. 


Year 

Name  of 

o  S 

Name  of 

o| 

Name  of 

°l 

Name  of 

"ss 

Candidate 

il 

Candidate 

l> 

Candidate 

l> 

Candidate 

ll 

1780 

Hancock 

25 

Bowdoin 

10 

1781 

Hancock 

22 

Bowdoin 

2 

1782 

No  record 
of  a  vote. 

1783 

Bowdoin 

14 

Lincoln 

2 

Hancock 

0 

1784 

Bowdoin 

22 

Hancock 

1 

1785 

Bowdoin 

24 

1786 

Bowdoin 

31 

1787 

Hancock 

84 

Lincoln 

4 

1788 

Hancock 

29 

Gerry 

32 

1789 

Hancock 

48 

Lincoln 

7 

Bowdoin 

1 

1790 

Hancock 

37 

1791 

Hancock 

45 

1792 

Hancock 

25 

Phillips 

9 

1793 

Hancock 

46 

1794 

Adams 

57 

Sximner 

10 

1795 

Adams 

46 

Gushing 

Scattering 

1 

1796 

Sumner 

38 

Adams 

18 

J797 

Sumner 

47 

Sullivan 

31 

1798 

Sumner 

48 

1799 

Sullivan 

49 

1800 

Gerry- 

86 

Strong 

25 

1801 

Strong 

33 

Gerry 

60 

1802 

Strong 

63 

Gerry 

44 

Scattering 

1 

1803 

Strong 

64 

Gerry 

32 

1804 

Strong 

61 

Sullivan 

31 

1805 

Strong 

68 

Sullivan 

59 

Scattering 

1 

1806 

Strong 

75 

Sullivan 

75 

1807 

Strong 

84 

Sullivan 

59 

Scattering 

1 

1808 

Gore 

86 

Sullivan 

51 

Scattering 

4 

1809 

Gore 

92 

Lincoln 

47 

1810 

Gore 

98 

Gerry 

50 

Scattering 

1 

1811 

Gore 

89 

Gerry 

54 

1812 

Strong 

122 

Gerry 

50 

Scattering 

1 

1813 

Strong 

117 

Varnum 

49 

1814 

Strong 

117 

Dexter 

47 

1815 

Strang 

119 

Dexter 

54 

1816 

Brooks 

131 

Dexter 

56 

1817 

Brooks 

122 

Dearborn 

42 

Scattering 

1 

1818 

Brooks 

107 

Crownin- 
shield 

29 

1819 

Brooks 

111 

Crownin- 
shield 

33 

Scattering 

1 

1820 

Brooks 

119 

Eustis 

48 

1821 

Brooks 

110 

Eustis 

37 

1822 

Brooks 

104 

Eustis 

42 

1823 

Otis 

116 

Eustis 

75 

1824 

Lathrop 

119 

Eustis 

95 

1825 

Lincoln 

139 

Scattering 

6 

1826 

Lincoln 

113 

Lloyd 

7 

Scattering 

4 

1827 

Lincoln 

133 

Scattering 

1 

1828 

Lincoln 

116 

Morton 

10 

1829 

Lincoln 

90 

Morton 

41 

1830 

Lincoln 

77 

Morton 

65 

Scattering 

4 

STATE  RELATIONS,  POLITICS,  TOWN  OFFICERS. 


225 


Year 

Name  of 
Candidate 

Name  of 
Candidate 

o    g 

0 

Name  of 
Candidate     ^ 

11 

Name  of 
Candidate 

il 

1S31 

Lincoln 

101 

Morton 

53 

Scattering 

1 

1831 

Lincoln 

103 

Morton 

52 

Scattering 

3 

1832 

Lincoln 

152 

Morton 

74 

1833 

Davis 

87 

Morton 

66 

Scattering 

16 

1834 

Lincoln 

127 

Fisher 

59 

1835 

Everett 

98 

Morton 

75 

183G 

Everett 

139 

Morton 

95 

1837 

Everett 

141 

Morton 

74 

1838 

Everett 

157 

Morton 

106 

Scattering 

15 

1839 

Everett 

162 

Morton 

152 

1840 

Davis 

204 

Morton 

139 

Scattering 

12 

1841 

Davis 

160 

Morton 

111 

Boltwood 

28 

1842 

Davis 

160 

Morton 

133 

Sewall 

31 

1843 

Briggs 

159 

Morton 

138 

Sewall 

41 

1844 

Briggs 

164 

Bancroft 

126 

Sewall 

46 

1845 

Briggs 

130 

Davis 

83 

Sewall 

37 

184G 

Briggs 

127 

Davis 

86 

Sewall 

35 

1847 

Briggs 

123 

Cushing 

77 

Sewall 

37 

1848 

Briggs 

102 

Gushing 

69 

Phillips 

88 

1849 

Briggs 

124 

Boutwell 

79 

Phillips 

58 

1850 

Briggs 

95 

Boutwell 

90 

Phillips 

91 

1851 

Witithrop 

128 

Boutwell 

111 

Palfrey 

97 

1852 

Clifford 

122 

Bishop 

120 

Mann 

112 

1853 

Washburn 

136 

Bishop 

106 

Wilson 

101 

1854 

Gardner 

134 

Bishop 

38 

Wilson 

59 

Washburn 

63 

1855 

Rockwell 

164 

Beach 

96 

Gardner 

108 

Walley 

18 

1856 

Gardner 

251 

Beach 

85 

Scattering 

10 

1857 

Banks 

176 

Gardner 

91 

Beach 

73 

Scattering 

5 

1858 

Banks 

182 

Lawrence 

56 

Beach 

64 

1859 

Banks 

125 

Butler 

98 

1860 

Andrew 

282 

Beach 

99 

1861 

Andrew 

184 

Davis 

59 

1862 

Andrew 

210 

Devens 

109 

1863 

Andrew 

160 

Paine 

39 

1864 

Andrew 

278 

Paine 

83 

1865 

Bullock 

185 

Couch 

32 

1866 

Bullock 

234 

Sweetser 

40 

1867 

Bullock 

253 

Adams 

130 

1868 

Claflin 

295 

Adams 

89 

1869 

Claflin 

169 

Adams 

81 

1870 

Claflin 

233 

Adams 

111 

1871 

Washburn 

144 

Pitman 

39 

1872 

Washburn 

268 

Bird 

71 

1873 

Washburn 

105 

Gaston 

97 

1874 

Talbot 

215 

Gaston 

154 

1875 

Rice 

157 

Gaston 

136 

1876 

Rice 

186 

Adams 

107 

Baker 

61 

1877 

Rice 

108 

Gaston 

77 

1878 

Talbot 

185 

Butler 

96 

1879 

Long 

181 

Butler 

80 

1880 

Long 

227 

Thompson 

65 

1881 

Long 

113 

Thompson 

24 

1882 

Bishop 

178 

Butler 

97 

1883 

Robinson 

210 

Butler 

133 

1884 

Robinson 

219 

Endicott 

96 

1885 

Robinson 

149 

Prince 

67 

Lothrop 

15 

226  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

The  county  of  Worcester  was  incorporated  when  the 
territory  of  Ashburnham  was  an  unnamed  wilderness.  The 
relations  of  this  town  to  the  county  was  an  inheritance  in 
which  the  inhabitants  had  no  voice,  but  they  did  not  long 
remain  silent  after  they  became  members  of  the  corporation. 
Situated  on  the  borders  of  the  county  and  remote  from  the 
shire  town,  the  voters  of  Ashburnham  have  debated  many 
projects  concerning  a  change  of  county  lines  or  the  creation 
of  a  new  county.  Some  of  these  have  been  entertained  with 
considerable  favor.  The  discussion  began  one  hundred  years 
ago  and  has  been  renewed  at  frequent  intervals.  The  old 
county  remains  unchanged  and  so  do  the  advocates  of  a  new 
one.  One  movement  began  in  1784  and  extended  through 
several  years.  To  the  first  convention  this  town  voted  not 
to  send  a  delegate,  but  in  a  convention  held  in  Lunenburg 
in  1785,  the  town  was  represented  by  Samuel  Wilder.  At 
this  time  it  was  finally  proposed  to  create  a  new  county 
comprising  towns  in  Worcester  and  Middlesex  counties. 
To  this  proposal  Ashburnham  finally  dissented  and  withdrew 
from  the  movement. 

In  1786,  the  town  voted  not  to  join  with  the  petitioners 
of  Petersham  for  a  new  county  but  were  found  ready  to 
encourage  the  movement  for  a  division  of  Worcester  county 
which  occurred  soon  after.  To  a  convention  held  in  Leom- 
inster in  1794  the  town  sent  Samuel  Wilder.  The  con- 
vention recommended  the  creation  of  a  new  county  and  this 
town  chose  Abraham  Lowe,  Samuel  Wilder  and  Jacob 
Willard  to  petition  the  General  Court.  As  a  result  of  the 
solicitation  of  this  and  other  towns  the  General  Court  in  1798 
submitted  the  question  to  the  voters  of  the  county.  The 
vote  of  this  town  was  sixty-four  in  favor  of  a  division  of  the 
county  and  five  opposed.  Immediately  after  the  vote  was 
taken  in  the  county  a  convention  was  held  in  Templeton  in 


STATE   RELATIONS,    POLITICS,   TOWN   OFFICERS.       227 

which  the  town  was  represented  by  Joseph  Jewett,  but  the 
measure  in  the  mean  time  was  defeated  and  the  town  took  no 
action  on  the  report  of  the  delegate  to  the  convention.  Con- 
cerning the  subsequent  efforts  that  have  been  made  to  divide 
the  county  of  Worcester  the  sentiment  of  the  town  of  Ash- 
burnham  was  divided  but  the  county  remains  with  its 
generous  domain  and  extensive  boundaries. 

Magistrates. — In  colonial  times  the  Justices  of  the  Peace 
were  commissioned  in  the  name  of  the  king  and  the  ofBce 
was  regarded  as  one  of  marked  distinction.  Upon  the 
adoption  of  the  State  Constitution  the  appointment  was 
vested  in  the  governor,  yet  the  duties  and  prerogatives  of 
the  office  were  not  materially  changed  and  a  peculiar  dignity 
continued  to  attend  the  office.  In  later  years,  appointments 
have  been  bestowed  with  greater  freedom  and  the  number  of 
persons  qualified  for  the  position,  both  by  education  and  a 
knowledge  of  legal  forms  and  proceedings,  is  so  numerous 
that  the  magistrates  of  the  present  time,  surrounded  by  men 
of  equal  influence  and  eminence,  do  not  enjoy  the  distinction 
that  once  attended  the  position.  The  only  person  appointed 
to  this  office  in  this  town  by  royal  favor,  was  Samuel  Wilder. 
For  many  years  he  was  the  only  magistrate  in  Ashburnham. 
Joshua  Smith,  who  came  to  this  town  in  1785,  was  styled 
Esquire  Smith  and  before  he  removed  hither  he  had  been  a 
Justice  of  the  Peace  in  Southborough,  but  no  record  of  his 
appointment  after  his  removal  to  this  town  has  been  found. 
In  the  following  list  of  the  Justices  of  the  Peace  the  first 
column  gives  the  date  of  the  first  appointment.  At  the  close 
of  seven  years  the  commissions  generally  have  been  renewed. 

1772.  Samuel  Wilder  died  May  9,  1798 

1796.  Jacob  Willard  died  February  22,  1808 

1798.  Abraham  Lowe  died  October  23,  1834 

1811.  George  R.  Gushing  died  February  2,  1851 


228 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


1813. 

Joseph  Jewett 

died  May  3,  1846 

1814. 

Elisha  White 

died  June  14,  1817 

1820. 

Stephen  Corey 

died  October  7,  1823 

1821. 

Ivers  Jewett 

removed  from  town  1827 

1825. 

Silas  Willard 

commission  expired  October  1,  1852 

1826. 

Henry  Adams 

removed  from  town  1830 

1827. 

Hosea  Stone 

commission  expired  February  1,  1841 

1830. 

Nathaniel  Pierce 

"                "             June  12,  1851 

1837. 

George  G.  Parker 

died  December  14,  1852 

1839. 

Kilburn  Harwood 

removed  from  town  1845 

1839. 

Reuben  Townsend 

commission  expired  Feb.  3,  1860 

1844. 

Enoch  Whitmore 

died  September  13,  1860 

1847. 

Charles  Stearns 

died  July  11,  1874 

1850. 

John  Petts — Trial  Justice               commission  expired  1857 

1853. 

Jerome  W.  Foster 

died  March  23,  1871 

1853. 

George  Rock  wood 

died  December  20,  1864 

1855. 

John  L.  Curamings 

1857. 
1857. 

Charles  W.  Burrage 
William  P.  Ellis 

removed  from  town  1859 

1857. 

Albert  H.  Andrews 

entered  army  1861 

1857. 

Daniels  Ellis,  Jr. 

1858. 

Ohio  Whitney,  Jr. 

died  February  6,  1879 

1858. 

Ivers  Adams 

commission  expired  May  16,  1872 

1859. 

William  F.  Burrage 

removed  from  town  1867 

1862. 

Alfred  Miller 

removed  from  town  1863 

1864. 

Wilbur  F.  Whitney 

1867. 

Alfred  Whitmore 

died  January  4,  1873 

1869. 

Marshall  Wetherbee 

1871. 

George  W.  Eddy 

1873. 

Austin  Whitney 

commission  expired  January  7,  1880 

1873. 

Melvin  0.  Adams 

removed  from  town  1876 

1873. 

John  H.  Wilkins,  Notary  Public 

1877. 

S.  Joseph  Bradlee 

removed  from  town  1884 

1878. 

Samuel  G.  Newton 

died  July  23,  1884 

1880. 

George  C.  Foster 

STATE   KELATIONS,    POLITICS,    TOWN   OFFICERS.        229 

A  list  of  Moderators  of  the  Annual  March  meeting,  Toivn  Clerks, 
Selectmen  and  Assessors,  from  the  incorporation  of  the  town 
to  the  present  time. 

1765.  Moderator,  Samuel  Fellows.      Clerk,  William  Whitcomb. 
Selectmen,  Samuel  Fellows,  Tristram  Cheney,  John  Rich, 

James  Coleman,  Jonathan  Gates. 
Assessors,  Samuel  Wilder,  William  Joyner,  John  Bates. 

1766.  Moderator,  Samuel  Fellows.       Clerk,  William  Whitcomb. 
Selectmen,  William    Whitcomb,  Tristram  Cheney,   John 

Rich,  Elisha  Coolidge,  John  Jones. 
Assessors,  the  Selectmen. 

1767.  Moderator,  Tristram  Cheney.  Clerk,  William  Joyner. 
Selectmen,  Tristram  Cheney,  Jona.  Gates,  John  Kiblingen 

John  Jones,  Samuel  Wilder. 
Assessors,  William  Whitcomb,  Samuel    Wilder,  Tristram 
Cheney. 

1768.  Moderator,  Samuel  Fellows.  Clerk,  William  Joyner. 
Selectmen,  Tristram   Cheney,  William  Whitcomb,  Samuel 

Fellows. 
Assessors,  the  Selectmen. 

1769.  Moderator,  Samuel  Fellows.  Clerk,  Samuel  Wilder. 
Selectmen,  John   Kiblinger,  Nathan  Melvin,  Samuel  Fel- 
lows. 

Assessors,    Samuel     Wilder,  William    Joyner,    William 
Whitcomb. 

1770.  Moderator,  Samuel  Fellows.  Clerk,  Samuel  Wilder. 
Selectmen,    Samuel    Fellows,  John    Kiblinger,    Ephraim 

Stone. 
Assessors,    Samuel  Wilder,  William    Whitcomb,    Nathan 
Melvin. 

1771.  Moderator,  Samuel  Fellows.  Clerk,  Samuel  Wilder. 
Selectmen,  Ephraim   Stone,   Samuel    Wilder,  John   Kib- 
linger. 

Assessors,  Samuel   Wilder,  William  Whitcomb,   Nathan 
Melvin. 


230  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

1772.  Moderator,  William  Whitcomb.  Clerk,  Samuel  Wilder. 
Selectmen,  Samuel  Wilder,    Ephraim    Stone,   John  Kib- 

linger. 
Assessors,    Samuel    Wilder,    William    Whitcomb,    John 
Willard. 

1773.  Moderator,  William  Whitcomb.  Clerk,  Samuel  Wilder. 
Selectmen,   Samuel  Wilder,    Ephraim    Stone,   John  Kib- 

linger. 
Assessors,  Samuel  Wilder,  William  Whitcomb,  Jonathan 
Taylor. 

1774.  Moderator,  William  Whitcomb.  Clerk,  Samuel  Wilder. 
Selectmen,  Samuel  Wilder,  John  Willard,  Jonathan  Taylor. 
Assessors,  the  Selectmen. 

1775.  Moderator,  Deliverance  Davis.  Clerk,  Jacob  Willard. 
Selectmen,  John   Kiblinger,  Samuel    Nichols,    Jonathan 

Gates,  Oliver  Stone,  Amos  Kendell. 
Assessors,  John  Adams,   John  Conn,  Ebenezer   Hemen- 
way. 

1776.  Moderator,  William  Whitcomb.  Clerk,  Samuel  Wilder. 
Selectmen,   William   Whitcomb,    John   Kiblinger,   Oliver 

Willard. 
Assessors,  Samuel  Wilder,  Jacob  Willard,  John  Adams. 

1777.  Moderator,  William  Whitcomb.         Clerk,  Samuel  Wilder. 
Selectmen,  Samuel  Wilder,  John  Willard,  Jonathan  Sam- 
son, Jonathan  Taylor,  Abijah  Joslin. 

Assessors,  Samuel  Wilder,  William  Wilder,  Enos  Jones, 
Joseph  Metcalf,  Francis  Lane. 

1778.  Moderator,  William  Whitcomb.  Clerk,  Samuel  Wilder. 
Selectmen,  John  Conn,  Oliver  Willard,  William  Benjamin. 
Assessors,    Samuel    Wilder,   William    Whitcomb,    John 

Adams. 

1779.  Moderator,  William  Whitcomb.  Clerk,  Samuel  Wilder. 
Selectmen,  John  Conn,  Oliver  Willard,  Amos  Dickerson. 
Assessors,    Samuel    Wilder,    William    Whitcomb,    Jacob 

Harris. 

1780.  Moderator,  Joseph  Whitmore.  Clerk,  Samuel  Wilder. 
Selectmen,  Samuel  Wilder,  Isaac  Merriam,  Francis  Lane. 


STATE   RELATIONS,   POLITICS,    TOWN   OFFICERS.       231 

Assessors,  Samuel  Wilder,  Jacob  Harris,  William  Pollard. 

1781.  INIoderator,  George  Dana.  Clerk,  Samuel  Wilder. 
Selectmen,  Jacob  Harris,  Hezekiah  Corey,  Enos  Jones. 
Assessors,  David  Stedman,  Jacob  Harris,  William  Pollard. 

1782.  Moderator,  Jacob  Willard.  Clerk,  Samuel  Wilder. 
Selectmen,   Samuel   Wilder,   Hezekiah   Corey,    Ebeuezer 

Conant. 
Assessors,  Jacob  Harris,  Samuel  Wilder,  David  Stedman. 

1783.  Moderator,  Jacob  Willard.  Clerk,  Samuel  Wilder. 
Selectmen,  Samuel  Wilder,  Hezekiah  Corey,  Jacob  Wil- 
lard. 

Assessors,  Samuel  Wilder,  Jacob  Harris,  William  Pollard. 

1784.  Moderator,  Jacob  W^illard.  Clerk,  Samuel  Wilder. 
Selectmen,    Samuel    Wilder,    Hezekiah    Corey,    Francis 

Lane. 
Assessors,  Samuel  Wilder,  Francis  Lane,  Jacob  Harris. 

1785.  Moderator,  Jacob  Willard.  Clerk,  Samuel  Wilder. 
Selectmen,  Samuel  Wilder,  Samuel  Foster,  John  Conn. 
Assessors,  Jacob  Harris,  William  Pollard,  Jacob  "Willard. 

1786.  Moderator,  Jacob  Willard.  Clerk,  Samuel  Wilder. 
Selectmen,  Joshua  Smith,  Samuel  Wilder,  Samuel  Foster. 
Assessors,  Jacob  Harris,  William  Pollard,  Oliver  Hough- 
ton. 

1787.  Moderator,  Jacob  Willard.  Clerk,  Samuel  Wilder. 
Selectmen,  John  Adams,  Amos  Dickerson,  Jacob  Kiblinger. 
Assessors,  Jacob  Willard,  Jacob  Harris,  John  Adams. 

1788.  Moderator,  Joshua  Smith.  Clerk,  Samuel  Wilder. 
Selectmen,  John  Adams,  Jacob  Kiblinger,  Samuel  Foster. 
Assessors,  John  Adams,  John  Abbott,  Oliver  Houghton. 

1789.  Moderator,  Jacob  Willard.  Clerk,  Samuel  Wilder. 
Selectmen,  John  Adams,  Jacob  Kiblinger,  Samuel  Foster. 
Assessors,  John  Adams,  Jacob  Harris,  Jacob  Willard. 

1790.  Moderator,  Jacob  Willard.  Clerk,  Samuel  Wilder. 
Selectmen,  Samuel  Foster,  Samuel  Wilder,  Jacob  Willard. 
Assessors,  the  Selectmen. 


232  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

1791.  Moderator,  Jacob  Willard.  Clerk,  Samuel  AVilder. 
Selectmen,  Jacob  Willard,  Joha  Gates,  Jacob  Kibliuger. 
Assessors,  Jacob  Willard,  Jacob  Harris,  Jacob  Kiblinger. 

1792.  Moderator,  Jacob  Willard.  Clerk,  Abraham  Lowe* 
Selectmen,  Samuel  Foster,  Francis  Lane,  Enos  Jones. 
Assessors,  Jacob  Harris,  Samuel  Wilder,  William  Pollard. 

1793.  Moderator,  Samuel  Wilder.  Clerk,  Abraham  Lowe. 
Selectmen,    Samuel   Wilder,  Joseph    Jewett,  Jacob  Kib- 
linger. 

Assessors,  the  Selectmen. 

1794.  Moderator,  Samuel  Wilder.  Clerk,  Abraham  Lowe. 
Selectmen,  Francis  Lane,  Enos  Jones,  Ebenezer  Munroe. 
Assessors,  Samuel  Wilder,  Jacob  Harris,  Jacob  Willard. 

1795.  Moderator,  Jacob  Willard.  Clerk,  Abraham  Lowe. 
Selectmen,  Jacob  Kiblinger,  Joseph  Jewett,  John  Conn. 
Assessors,   Matthias    Mossman,    Joseph    Jewett,    Caleb 

Ward. 

1796.  Moderator,  Jacob  Harris.  Clerk,  Abraham  Lowe. 
Selectmen,  Jacob  Willard,  Samuel  Wilder,  Caleb  Ward. 
Assessors,  Matthias  Mossman,  Jacob  Harris,  John  Adams. 

1797.  Moderator,  Jacob  Willard.  Clerk,  Abraham  Lowe. 
Selectmen,  Jacob  Kiblinger,  John  Gates,  William  Stearns. 
Assessors,    Matthias   Mossman,   Abraham   Lowe,    Elisha 

White. 

1798.  Moderator,  Jacob  Willard.  Clerk,  Abraham  Lowe. 
Selectmen,  John  Gates,  William  Stearns,  Abraham  Lowe. 
Assessors,  Samuel  Wilder,  Joseph  Jewett,  Jacob  Harris. 

1799.  Moderator,  Joseph  Jewett.  Clerk,  Elisha  White. 
Selectmen,  Elisha  White,  David  Cushing,  Jacob  Kiblinger. 
Assessors,  David  Cushing,    Joseph   Jewett,  Jacob    Kib- 
linger. 

1800.  Moderator,  Joseph  Jewett.  Clerk,  Joseph  Jewett. 
Selectmen,  Joseph  Jewett,  Jacob  Kiblinger,  John  Adams, 

Hezekiah  Corey,  Caleb  Ward. 
Assessors,  Joseph  Jewett,  John  Adams,  Jacob  Kiblinger. 


STATE   RELATIONS,   POLITICS,   TOWN    OFFICERS.       233 

1801.  Moderator,  Jacob  Willard.  Clerk,  Joseph  Jewett. 
Selectmen,  Jacob  Willard,  Ebeuezer  Munroe,  Jacob  Con- 

stantine. 
Assessors,    Jacob    "Willard,    Jacob    Constantine,    Elisba 
White. 

1802.  Moderator,  Ebenezer  Munroe.  Clerk,  Joseph  Jewett. 
Selectmen,  Ebenezer  Munroe,  John  Gates,  David  Cushing. 
Assessors,  Joseph  Jewett,  David  Cushing,  Samuel  Getting. 

1803.  Moderator,  P^benezer  Munroe.  Clerk,  Joseph  Jewett. 
Selectmen,  David  Cushing,  John  Gates,  Caleb  Ward. 
Assessors,  Joseph  Jewett,  David  Cushing,  John  Adams. 

1804.  Moderator,  Ebenezer  Munroe.  Clerk,  Joseph  Jewett. 
Selectmen,   Ebenezer    Munroe,    Amos   Pierce,   Hezekiah 

Corey,  Jr. 
Assessors,    Elisha    White,    Hezekiah    Corey,    Jr.,    Silas 
Willard. 

1805.  Moderator,  Jacob  Willard.  Clerk,  Joseph  Jewett. 
Selectmen,  Amos  Pierce,  Hezekiah   Corey,  Jr.,  Thomas 

Hobart. 
Assessors,  Elisha  White,  David  Cushing,  Samuel  Gates. 

1806.  Moderator,  Jacob  Willard.  Clerk,  Joseph  Jewett. 
Selectmen,    Thomas    Hobart,    Joseph     Jewett,    Lemuel 

Stimson. 
Assessors,  Elisha  White,  Silas  Willard,  Samuel  Gates. 

1807.  Moderator,  Jacob  Willard.  Clerk,  Joseph  Jewett. 
Selectmen,    Thomas     Hobart,    Joseph     Jewett,    Lemuel 

Stimson. 
Assessors,  Elisha  White,  Silas  Willard,  John  Adams,  Jr. 

1808.  Moderator,  Caleb  Wilder.  Clerk,  Joseph  Jewett. 
Selectmen,    Joseph    Jewett,    Thomas     Hobart,     Lemuel 

Stimson. 
Assessors,  Elisha  White,  Silas  Willard,  John  Adams,  Jr. 

1809.  Moderator,  Elisha  White.  Clerk,  Joseph  Jewett. 
Selectmen,    Joseph     Jewett,    Thomas     Hobart,    Lemuel 

Stimson. 
Assessors,  Elisha  White,  Silas  Willard,  John  Adams,  Jr. 


234  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

1810.  Moderator,  Caleb  Wilder.  Clerk,  Joseph  Jewett. 
Selectmen,  Elisha  White,  Silas  Willard,  Samuel  Gates. 
Assessors,  the  Selectmen. 

1811.  Moderator,  Elisha  White.  Clerk,  Joseph  Jewett. 
Selectmen,  Elisha  White,  Silas  Willard,  Stephen  Corey. 
Assessors,     Joseph     Jewett,     Silas     Willard,     Ebenezer 

Munroe. 

1812.  Moderator,  Caleb  Wilder.  Clerk,  Joseph  Jewett. 
Selectmen,  Joseph  Jewett,  Silas  Willard,  Stephen  Corey. 
Assessors,  the  Selectmen. 

1813.  Moderator,  Caleb  Wilder.  Clerk,  Joseph  Jewett. 
Selectmen,  Silas  Willard,  John  Willard,  Asa  Woods. 
Assessors,  the  Selectmen. 

1814.  Moderator,  Caleb  Wilder.  Clerk,  Joseph  Jewett. 
Selectmen,    Elisha    White,     John    Willard,    William   J. 

Lawrence. 
Assessors,  the  Selectmen. 

1815.  Moderator,  George  R.  dishing.  Clerk,  Joseph  Jewett. 
Selectmen,  Joseph  Jewett,  John  Willard,  John  Adams,  Jr. 
Assessors,  Elisha  White,  Silas  Willard,  Stephen   Corey. 

1816.  Moderator,  Caleb  Wilder.  Clerk,  Ivers  Jewett. 
Selectmen,  Joseph  Jewett,  John  Willard,  John  Adams,  Jr. 
Assessors,  Elisha  White,  Stephen  Corey,  Jacob  Harris,  Jr. 

1817.  Moderator,  Caleb  Wilder.  Clerk,  Ivers  Jewett. 
Selectmen,   John   Willard,    John    Adams,   Jr.,    Stephen 

Corey. 
Assessors,  Elisha  White,  Stephen  Corej^,  Jacob  Harris,  Jr. 

1818.  Moderator,  George  R.  Cashing.  Clerk,  Ivers  Jewett. 
Selectmen,  Joseph  Jewett,  Stephen  Corey,  John  Adams,  Jr. 
Assessors,  the  Selectmen. 

1819.  Moderator,  Joseph  Jewett.  Clerk,  Ivers  Jewett. 
Selectmen,    Stephen   Corey,  John   Adams,    Jr.,    Thomas 

Hobart. 
Assessors,  Stephen  Corey,  Silas  Willard,  Joel  Foster. 

1820.  Moderator,  George  R.  Cashing.  Clerk,  Ivers  Jewett. 
Selectmen,      Joseph     Jewett,      Thomas     Hobart,     John 

Adams,  Jr. 


STATE   RELATIONS,   POLITICS,   TOWN   OFFICERS.       235 

Assessors,  Joseph  Jewett,  John  Adams,  Jr.,  Silas  Willard. 

1821.  Moderator,  Joseph  Jewett.  Clerk,  Ivers  Jewett. 
Selectmen,     Joseph     Jewett,     Thomas     Hobart,     John 

Adams,  Jr. 
Assessors,  Joseph  Jewett,  Silas  Willard,  Hezekiah  Corey. 

1822.  Moderator,  Joseph  Jewett.  Clerk,  Ivers  Jewett. 
Selectmen,    John    Adams,    Jr.,    Hosea    Stone,    Timothy 

Stearns. 
Assessors,  the  Selectmen. 

1823.  Moderator,  George  R.  Cashing.  Clerk,  Ivers  Jewett. 
Selectmen,  Joseph  Jewett,  Silas  Willard,  Reuben  Town- 
send,  Jr. 

Assessors,  the  Selectmen. 

1824.  Moderator,  Joseph  Jewett.  Clerk,  Joseph  Jewett. 
Selectmen,     Silas      Willard,      Hezekiah      Corej'',     John 

Adams,  Jr. 
Assessors,     Silas    Willard,     John    Adams,     Jr.,    Enoch 
Whitraore. 

1825.  Moderator,  George  R.  Cashing.  Clei'k,  Hosea  Stone. 
Selectmen,  Charles  Barrett,  Elias  Lane,  Oliver  Marble. 
Assessors,  Joseph  Jewett,  Hosea  Stone,  Benjamin  Barrett. 

1826.  Moderator,  George  R.  Cashing.  Clerk,  Hosea  Stone. 
Selectmen,  Charles  Barrett,  Elias  Lane,  Samuel  Dunster. 
Assessors,    Hosea   Stone,    Enoch   Whitmore,   John   Wil- 
lard, Jr. 

1827.  Moderator,  Joseph  Jewett.  Clerk,  Hosea  Stone. 
Selectmen,  Charles  Bai-rett,  Reuben  Townsend,  Jr.,  Enoch 

Whitmore. 
Assessors,  the  Selectmen. 

1828.  Moderator,  Joseph  Jewett.  Clerk,  Hosea  Stone. 
Selectmen,     Charles     Barrett,     Reuben    Townsend,    Jr., 

Asahel  Corey. 
Assessors,  the  Selectmen. 

1829.  Moderator,  Joseph  Jewett.  Clerk,  Hosea  Stone. 
Selectmen,  Asahel  Corey,  Thomas  Bennett,  Joseph  Jewett. 


236 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


Clerk,  Hosea  Stone. 
Pierce,   Jr.,    Charles 


Clerk,  Hosea  Stone. 
Amos    Pierce,    Jr.,    Charles 


Amos 


Clerk,  Hosea  Stone. 
Pierce,   Jr.,    Charles 


Jr. 


Clerk,  Charles  Stearns. 
Jehiel   Watkias,  Kilburn 


Assessors,  the  Selectmen. 

1830.  Moderator,  George  R.  Cashing. 
Selectmen,    Asahel    Corey,    Amos 

Stearns. 
Assessors,  the  Selectmen. 

1831.  Moderator,  Ebenezer  Frost. 
Selectmen,    Asahel    Core}', 

Stearns. 
Assessors,  the  Selectmen. 

1832.  Moderator,  Ebenezer  Frost. 
Selectmen,   Asahel    Corey, 

Stearns, 
Assessors,  the  Selectmen. 

1833.  Moderator,  Ebenezer  Frost. 
Selectmen,    Amos   Pierce, 

Harwood. 
Assessors,    Asahel     Corey,    Amos    Pierce,    Jr.,    Charles 
Stearns. 

1834.  Moderator,  Ebenezer  Frost.  Clerk,  Charles  Stearns. 
Selectmen,    Kilburn    Harwood,    Reuben   Townsend,   Jr., 

Charles  Davis. 
Assessors,  the  Selectmen. 

1835.  Moderator,  George  R.  Gushing.  Clerk,  Charles  Stearns. 
Selectmen,  Asahel  Corey,  Charles  Davis,  Ebenezer  Frost. 
Assessors,  the  Selectmen. 

1886.  Moderator,  Kilburn  Harwood.  Clerk,  Charles  Stearns. 
Selectmen,  Asahel  Corey,  Ebenezer  Frost,  Jehiel  Watkins . 
Assessors,  the  Selectmen. 

1837.  Moderator,  Kilburn  Harwood.  Clerk,  Charles  Stearns. 
Selectmen,    Asahel    Corey,    Kilburn    Harwood,    Charles 

Barrett. 
Assessors,  the  Selectmen. 

1838.  Moderator,  Kilburn  Harwood.  Clerk,  Charles  Stearns. 
Selectmen,  Kilburn  Harwood,  Reuben  Townsend,  John  C. 

Glazier. 
Assessors,    Nathaniel    Pierce,   Ebenezer  Frost,   Stephen 
Corey. 


STATE   RELATIONS,    POLITICS,    TOWN   OFFICERS.        237 

1839.  Moderator,  Kilburn  Harwood.         Clerk,  Charles  Stearns. 
Selectmen,  John  C.  Glazier,  Ebenezer  Frost,  Ohio  Whit- 
ney. 

Assessors,  the  Selectmen. 

1840.  Moderator,  Reuben  Townsend.  Clerk,  Charles  Stearns. 
Selectmen,   George  G.  Parker,  Reuben  Townsend,  Elias 

Lane. 
Assessors,  the  Selectmen. 

1841.  Moderator,  Reuben  Townsend.  Clerk,  Charles  Stearns. 
Selectmen,  George  G.  Parker,  Reuben  Townsend,  Elias 

Lane. 
Assessors,  the  Selectmen. 

1842.  Moderator,  Kilburn  Harwood.  Clerk,  Charles  Stearns. 
Selectmen,  George  G.  Parker,  Elias  Lane,  Harvey  Brooks. 
Assessors,  the  Selectmen. 

1843.  Moderator,  Ebenezer  Frost.  Clerk,  Charles  Stearns. 
Selectmen,  Harvey  Brooks,  John  C.  Davis,  Charles  Bar- 
rett. 

Assessors,   Hosea    Green,    Walter    Russell,   Jerome  W. 
Foster. 

1844.  Moderator,  Ebenezer  Frost.  Clerk,  Charles  Stearns. 
Selectmen,  Charles  Barrett,  Kilburn  Harwood,  Ohio  Whit- 
ney. 

Assessors,  the  Selectmen. 

1845.  Moderator,  Ebenezer  Frost.  Clerk,  Charles  Stearns. 
Selectmen,  George  G.  Parker,  Ohio  Whitney,  Emery  Fair- 
banks. 

Assessors,  the  Selectmen. 

1846.  Moderator,  Oilman  Jones.  Clerk,  Charles  Stearns. 
Selectmen,   Emery  Fairbanks,  Ohio  Whitney,  George  G. 

Parker. 
Assessors,  the  Selectmen. 

1847.  Moderator,  Ebenezer  Frost.  Clerk,  Charles  Stearns. 
Selectmen,  George  G.  Parker,  Ohio  Whitney,  Jerome  W. 

Foster. 
Assessors,  the  Selectmen. 


238  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

1848.  Moderator,  Ohio  Whitney,  Jr.  Clerk,  Charles  Stearns. 
Selectmen,  Jerome  W.  Foster,  Charles   Stearns,  Antipas 

Maynard. 
Assessors,  the  Selectmen. 

1849.  Moderator,  Ohio  Whitney,  Jr.  Clerk,  Charles  Stearns. 
Selectmen,  Jerome  W.  Foster,  Antipas  Maynard,  John  A. 

Conn. 
Assessors,  the  Selectmen. 

1850.  Moderator,  Enoch  Whitmore.  Clerk,  Charles  Stearns. 
Selectmen,  George  G.  Parker,  John  A.  Conn,  Ivers  Adams. 
Assessors,  Ohio  Whitney,  Enoch  Whitmore,  Pyam  Burr. 

1851.  Moderator,  Ohio  Whitney,  Jr.  Clerk,  Charles  Stearns. 
Selectmen,  George  G.  Parker,  Ivers  Adams,  Jerome  W. 

Foster. 
Assessors,  the  Selectmen. 

1852.  Moderator,  Ohio  Whitney,  Jr.  Clerk,  Charles  Stearns. 
Selectmen,    Antipas    Maynard,    Joseph   P.  Rice,  Walter 

Russell. 
Assessors,  the  Selectmen. 

1853.  Moderator,  Enoch  Whitmore.  Clerk,  Charles  Stearns. 
Selectmen,   Antipas   Maynard,  Joseph   P.    Rice,   Jerome 

W.  Foster. 
Assessors,  the  Selectmen. 

1854.  Moderator,  Enoch  Whitmore.  Clerk,  Charles  Stearns. 
Selectmen,  Jerome  W.  Foster,  John  A.  Conn,  Ohio  Whit- 
ney, Jr. 

Assessors,  the  Selectmen. 

1855.  Moderator,  Ohio  Whitney,  Jr.  Clerk,  Charles  Stearns. 
Selectmen,  Jerome  W.  Foster,  Ohio  Whitney,  Jr.,  Henry 

Lawrence. 
Assessors,  the  Selectmen. 

1856.  Moderator,  Joel  H.  Litch.  Clerk,  Charles  Stearns. 
Selectmen,  John  A.  Conn,  Elliot  Moore,  Ohio  Whitney, 

Jr. 
Assessors,  the  Selectmen. 


STATE  RELATIONS,    POLITICS,   TOWN   OFFICERS.        239 

1857.  Moderator,  Enoch  Whitmore.         Clerk,  William  P.  Ellis. 
Selectmen,    Elliot    Moore,  George    S.    Barrage,    George 

Rock  wood. 
Assessors,  John  A.  Conn,  Daniels  Ellis,  Jr.,  Ezra  Randall. 

1858.  Moderator,  Ohio  Whitney,  Jr.  Clerk,  William  P.  Ellis. 
Selectmen,  George  S.  Burrage,  Joel  H.  Litch,  Addison  A. 

Walker. 
Assessors,  John  A.  Conn,  Joel  H.  Litch,  Perley  Howe. 

1859.  Moderator,  Ohio  Whitney,  Jr.  Clerk,  William  P.  Ellis. 
Selectmen,  Addison  A.   Walker,  Elliot   Moore,  Leonard 

Foster. 
Assessors,  John  A.  Conn,  Perley  Howe,  John  G.  Wood- 
ward. 

1860.  Moderator,  Ohio  Whitney,  Jr.  Clerk,  Jerome  W.  Foster. 
Selectmen,  Addison  A.  Walker,  Leonard  Foster,  Simeon 

Merritt. 
Assessors,   Perley    Howe,   Jerome   W.    Foster,  John  G. 
Woodward. 

1861.  Moderator,  Ohio  Whitney,  Jr.  Clerk,  Jerome  W.  Foster. 
Selectmen,  Simeon  Merritt,  Jesse  Parker,  Isaac  D.  Ward. 
Assessors,    Jerome    W.    Foster,    Perley   Howe,    Charles 

Winchester. 

1862.  Moderator,  Ohio  Whitney,  Jr.  Clerk,  Jerome  W.  Foster. 
Selectmen,   Jesse   Parker,    Isaac   D.    Ward,   William  P. 

Ellis. 
Assessors,  the  Selectmen. 

1863.  Moderator,  Ohio  Whitney,  Jr.  Clerk,  Jerome  W.  Foster. 
Selectmen,  Isaac  D.  Ward,  Perley  Howe,  Elbridge  Stim- 

son. 
Assessors,  the  Selectmen. 

1864.  Moderator,  Ohio  Whitney,  Jr.  Clerk,  Jerome  W.  Foster. 
Selectmen,    Ohio    Whitney,    Jr.,    Marshall    Wetherbee, 

Nathaniel  L.  Eaton. 
Assessors,  William  P.  Ellis,  Joel  H.  Litch,  Perley  Howe. 

1865.  Moderator,  Joel  H.  Litch.  Clerk,  Jerome  W.  Foster. 


240  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

Selectmen,   Charles   F.  Rockwood,   William  F.  Barrage, 

John  G.  Woodward. 
Assessors,  Perley  Howe,  Joel  H.  Litch,  Joel  F.  Metcalf. 

1866.  Moderator,  Ohio  Whitne}',  Jr.      Clerk,  Jerome  W.  Foster. 
Selectmen,    Charles  F.    Rockwood,   William  F.  Barrage, 

John  G-.  Woodward. 
Assessors    Joel    H.    Litch,   Joel    F.    Metcalf,    Marshall 
Wetherbee. 

1867.  Moderator,  Harvey  D.  Jillson.     Clerk,  Jerome  W.  Foster. 
Selectmen,    Charles    F.    Rockwood,    Elbridge    Stimson, 

Francis  A.  Whitney. 
Assessors,   Joel   H.  Litch,  William  P.  Ellis,  Europe  H. 
Fairbanks. 

1868.  Moderator,  Ohio  Whitney,  Jr.     Clerk,  Jerome  W.  Foster. 
Selectmen,  Elbridge  Stimson,  Jerome  W.  Foster,  Addison 

A.  Walker. 
Assessors,   John   L.  Cummings,    Austin    Whitney,   Luke 
Marble. 

1869.  Moderator,    John    B.    Thompson.      Clerk,    Jerome    W. 

Foster. 
Selectmen,  Franklin  Russell,  Simeon  Merritt,  Nathaniel  L. 

Eaton . 
Assessors,  Newton  Hayden,  John  L.  Cummings,  Theodore 

Greenwood . 

1870.  Moderator,  Ohio  Whitney,  Jr.     Clerk,  Jerome  W.  Foster. 
Selectmen,  Franklin   Russell,  Jesse  Parker,  Addison  A. 

Walker. 
Assessors,  Austin  Whitney,  John  L.  Cummings,  Theodore 
Greenwood. 

1871.  Moderator,  Ohio  Whitney.  Clerk,  Jerome  W.  Foster. 
Selectmen,    Franklin   Russell,    Jesse   Parker,  George  E. 

Davis. 
Assessors,  Austin  Whitney,  John  L.  Cummings,  Theodore 
Greenwood. 

1872.  Moderator,  Ohio  Whitney.  Clerk,  Newton  Hayden, 
Selectmen,  Simeon  Merritt,  George  E.  Davis,  Addison  A. 

Walker. 


STATE   RELATIONS,    POLITICS,  TOWN   OFFICERS.       241 

Assessors,    John   L.  Cummings,     Theodore    Greenwood, 
George  C.  Foster. 

1873.  Moderator,  Ohio  Whitney.  Clerk,  Newton  Ha3'den. 
Selectmen,  Simeon  Merritt,  John  L.  Cummings,  George  E. 

Davis. 
Assessors,    John    L.    Cummings,   Theodore   Greenwood, 
Jesse  Parker, 

1874.  Moderator,  Melvin  0.  Adams.        Clerk,  Newton  Hayden. 
Selectmen,   Simeon    Merritt,  Austin  Whitney,  Martin  B. 

Lane. 
Assessors,  Austin  Whitney,  Walter  R.  Adams,  Marshall 
Wetherbee. 

1875.  Moderator,  Melvin  O.  Adams.        Clerk,  Newton  Hayden. 
Selectmen,   Simeon  Merritt,  Austin  Whitnej^,  Martin  B. 

Lane. 
Assessors,  Walter  R.  Adams,  Marshall  Wetherbee,  John 
L.  Cummings. 

1876.  Moderator,  Melvin  O.  Adams.        Clerk,  Neveton  Hayden. 
Selectmen,  Simeon  Merritt,  Nathaniel  Pierce,  Benjamin  E. 

Wetherbee. 
Assessors,    John    L.    Cummings,    Marshall    Wetherbee, 
Franklin  Russell. 

1877.  Moderator,  John  H.  Wilkins.     Clerk,  George  F.  Stevens. 
Selectmen,  John  L.  Cummings,  Nathaniel  Pierce,  Benja- 
min E.  Wetherbee. 

Assessors,  the  Selectmen. 

1878.  Moderator,  John  H.  Wilkins.     Clerk,  George  F.  Stevens. 
Selectmen,  John  L.  Cummings,  Nathaniel  Pierce,  Benja- 
min E.  Wetherbee. 

Assessors,  the  Selectmen. 

1879.  Moderator,  John  H.  Wilkins.     Clerk,  George  F.  Stevens. 
Selectmen,  John  L.  Cummings,  Nathaniel  Pierce,  Benja- 
min E.  Wetherbee. 

Assessors,  the  Selectmen. 

1880.  Moderator,  John  H.  Wilkins.     Clerk,  George  F.  Stevens. 


242  HISTORY   OF  ASHBURNHAM. 

Selectmen,    Simeon   Merritt,   Charles   T.    Litch,    Orange 

Whitne}'. 
Assessors,  Walter  R.  Adams,  Francis  A.  Whitney,  Charles 

W.  Whitney,  2d. 

1881.  Moderator,  John  H.  Wilkins.     Clerk,  George  F.  Stevens. 
Selectmen,  Simeon  Merritt,   Charles  T.  Litch,  John   M. 

Pratt. 
Assessors,  Walter  R.  Adams,  Francis  A.  Whitney,  Charles 
W.  Whitney,  2d. 

1882.  Moderator,  John  H.  Wilkins.      Clerk,  George  F.  Stevens. 
Selectmen,  Simeon  Merritt,    Charles   T.   Litch,  John  M. 

Pratt. 
Assessors,   Francis  A.   Whitney,  Charles  F.  Rockwood. 
Charles  E.  Woodward. 

1883.  Moderator,  John  H.  Wilkins.     Clerk,  George  F.  Stevens, 
Selectmen,  Charles  T.  Litch,  Edward  S.  Flint,  Charles  H. 

Pratt. 
Assessors,    Benjamin   E.  Wetherbee,  Daniels   Ellis,  Jr., 
Charles  E.  Woodward. 

1884.  Moderator,  John  H.  Wilkins.     Clerk,  George  F.  Stevens. 
Selectmen,  Charles  T.  Litch.  Edward  S.  Flint,  Charles  H. 

Pratt. 
Assessors,  John  L.  Cummings,  Walter  R.  Adams,  Henry 
C.  Newell. 

1885.  Moderator,  John  H.  Wilkins.      Clerk,  George  F.  Stevens. 
Selectmen,  Charles  T.  Litch,  Charles  H.  Pratt,  Edward  S. 

Flint. 
Assessors,  John  L.  Cummings,  Walter  R.  Adams,  Henry 
C.  Newell. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

ECCLESIASTICAL    HISTORY. 

EARLX     MEASURES    TO    SECURE     PREACHING. REV.    ELISHA     HARDING. CALL 

AND      ORDINATION      OF      REV.     JONATHAN     WINCHESTER. A     CHURCH     EM- 
BODIED.    THE     COVENANT.   ORIGINAL     MEMBERSHIP.  ADDITIONS.  

THE  FIRST  DEACONS.  DEATH  OF  MR.  WINCHESTER.  HIS  CHARACTER.  

CALL  AND  ORDINATION  OF  REV.  JOHN  CUSHING. A  LONG  AND  SUCCESSFUL 

MINISTRY. AN    ERA    OF    CONCORD.  DISCIPLINE    WITHOUT     ASPERITY.  

HALF    WAY     COVENANT.  DEATH    OF    MR.    CUSHING.  HIS    CHARACTER. 

CALL     AND     ORDINATION     OP   REV.    GEORGE    PERKINS.  INSTALLATION     OF 

REV.     GEORGE     GOODYEAR.  —  REV.    EDWIN    JENNISON.  —  REV.     ELNATHAN 

DAVIS.  REV.    FREDERICK    A.  FISKB.  REV.  ELBRIDGE  G.   LITTLE.  REV. 

THOMAS  BOUTELLE.  REV.  GEORGE  E.   FISHER. REV.  MOODY  A.   STEVENS. 

—  REV.    LEONARD    S.    PARKER. REV.    DANIEL    E.    ADAMS.  REV.    JOSIAH 

D.    CROSBY. A  VACANCY.  THE    DEACONS. 

Twenty  years  the  meeting-house  in  Dorchester  Canada 
invited  occupancy  before  there  was  a  settled  minister. 
During  this  period  there  were  occasional  supplies  but  more 
frequently  the  settlers  attended  church  in  Lunenburg,  where 
Moses  Foster,  James  Coleman,  Unity  Brown,  John  Bates, 
Thomas  Wheeler  and  others  were  in  full  or  covenant  rela- 
tions. The  church  records  of  Lunenburg  represent  that 
many  of  the  children  ])orn  in  Dorchester  Canada  previous  to 
1760  were  baptized  there.  It  is  not  known  who  preached 
or  who  assembled  to  hear  the  first  sermon  in  the  township 
and  previous  to  the  advent  of  Mr.  Winchester  the  name  of 
only  one  minister  is  found  in  the  records.  It  is  probable 
that  the  settlers  sought  and  on  week  days  sometimes  enjoyed 
the  friendly  services  of  the  clergy  of  Lunenburg,  Townsend 

243 


244  HISTORY    OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

and  Westminster.  Any  other  supply  that  was  secured  by 
the  settlers  without  the  intervention  of  the  proprietors  would 
escape  mention  in  the  records. 

The  humble  plans  of  the  settlement  to  secure  preaching 
and  the  accumulating  purpose  reflected  in  the  successive 
votes  on  the  subject  afibrd  a  renewed  illustration  of  the  fact 
that  all  our  present  privileges  have  sprung  from  unpreten- 
tious beginnings.  Their  first  proposals  were  scarcely  more 
than  the  suggestion  of  a  prophecy  of  what  has  been  accom- 
plished. In  1750  the  proprietors  decide  "not  to  prosecute 
the  aflfair  of  calling  a  minister,"  but  the  following  year  they 
are  found  ready  to  order  "that  an  Orthodox  minister  be 
applied  to,  to  agree  to  preach  the  Gospel  every  four  weeks 
if  suitable  weather."  No  money  or  committee  was  provided 
to  carry  the  vote  into  efi"ect.  It  was  a  timid  proposition. 
Possibly  they  viewed  their  proceedings  in  this  light,  since 
in  1753,  an  earnest  purpose  is  reflected  in  the  vote  "that 
Mr.  Joseph  Wheelock,  Mr.  Caleb  Wilder  and  Mr.  Benja- 
min Bigelow  be  a  committee  to  see  that  a  Gospel  minister 
preach  in  said  township  until  further  orders  of  the  pro- 
priety." None  of  the  committee  resided  in  the  township 
and  it  is  quite  probable  that  they  failed  to  meet  the  desires 
of  the  proprietors  and  particularly  of  those  who  had  removed 
to  the  settlement.  At  the  succeeding  meeting  the  language 
becomes  more  emphatic.  It  assumes  the  dignity  of  a  com- 
mand. "  Voted  that  eighteen  pounds  be  put  into  the  hands 
of  Mr.  Foster  to  be  applied  by  him  to  secure  preaching." 
Moses  Foster  had  resided  in  the  township  several  years.  If 
he  did  not  secure  a  minister  it  was  not  through  a  failure  of 
personal  interest  or  of  his  instructions ;  but  to  provide 
against  every  emergency  there  was  a  supplementary  vote 
that  Nathan  Melvin,  also  a  resident,  cooperate  with  Mr. 
Foster.     In  1755  an    appropriation  was   made    for   current 


ECCLESIASTICAL    HISTORY.  245 

ex[)enses  inckiding  preaching  but  no  specitic  sum  was  set 
apart  for  this  purpose.  Betweei)  this  date  and  the  settle- 
ment of  Mr.  Winchester  several  payments  were  made  on 
this  account,  but  the  records  only  preserve  the  name  of 
Eev.  Elisha  Harding,  who  received  four  pounds  "  for  preach- 
ing in  Dorchester  Canada."  Mr.  Harding  was  settled  in 
Brookfield,  Massachusetts,  September  13,  1749,  and  dis- 
missed May  8,  1755.  In  May,  1759,  another  appropriation 
of  eighteen  pounds  was  made  and  Captain  Caleb  Dana  of 
Cambridge  and  John  Bates  and  Elisha  Coolidge  of  Dorches- 
ter Canada  were  selected  "to  provide  preaching  in  said 
township."  The  early  eftbrts  of  this  committee  introduced 
to  the  settlement  Rev.  Jonathan  Winchester.  The  candi- 
date was  favorably  received.  A  call  was  extended  Novem- 
ber 27,  1759,  and  he  was  ordained  April  23,  1760.  The 
story  of  the  call  and  the  ordination  is  briefly  outlined  in  the 
records. 

1759  Oct.  22.  To  appoint  a  committee  to  treat  and  agree  with 
Mr.  Jonathan  Winchester,  who  has  been 
preaching  the  Gospel  there  for  some  time 
past,  concerning  his  settling  in  the  work  of 
the  ministry  there. 

1759  Nov.  22.  Voted  that  their  should  be  twenty  shillings 
lawful  money  Laid  as  a  tax  upon  each  Com- 
mon Right  yearly  as  a  salary  for  Mr.  Jona- 
than Winchester  provided  he  shall  settle  in 
said  township  as  a  Gospel  minister.  One 
moitie  thereof  to  be  paid  at  the  end  of  six 
months  from  the  time  he  shall  be  agreed  with 
to  settle  there  and  the  other  moietie  in 
twelve  mouths,  annually,  for  the  term  of 
seven  years  or  till  such  time  as  said  town- 
ship shall  come  into  some  other  method  of 
Raising  said  sum  of  money  for  his  support. 


246  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

Voted  that  there  be  twenty  shillings  Lawfiill 
money  Laid  as  a  tax  upon  each  Common  Right 
as  a  Settlement  for  the  above  said  Winchester 
if  he  shall  settle  as  aforesaid,  and  to  be  paid 
to  the  treasurer  by  the  time  the  said  Win- 
chester shall  be  ordained  in  said  township. 

Voted  that  Cap*"  Caleb  Dana,  Nathan  Hey- 
wood.  Cap*"  Caleb  Wilder,  M""  John  MoflFat 
and  Mr.  Benj*^  Church  be  a  Committee  to 
treat  and  agree  with  Mr.  Winchester  con- 
cerning his  settling  in  said  township. 
1760  Feb.  18.  To  hear  the  Report  of  the  Committee  appointed 
to  treat  and  agree  with  M"'  Jonathan  Win- 
chester concerning  his  settling  in  the  work 
of  the  ministry  there. 

To  grant  and  raise  monej*  for  the  expense  of 
his  ordination  in  case  of  his  acceptance  of 
the  invitation  given  him. 
1760  March  25.  Voted  that  the  place  for  ordination  of  M"^  Win- 
chester shall  be  in  the  township  of  Dorches- 
ter Canada. 

Voted  the  time  for  ordaining  M""  Winchester 
shall  be  on  Wednesday  the  twenty-third  day 
of  April  next. 

Voted  that  we  apply  to  five  churches  to  assist 
in  ordaining  M"^  Winchester,  that  we  send 
to  the  first  Church  in  Cambridge,  to  the 
Church  in  Lunenburg,  to  the  Church  in 
Acton,  to  the  Church  in  Lancaster  and  to 
the  Church  in  Brookline  to  assist  in  said 
ordination. 

Voted  that  each  proprietor  pay  three  shillings 
to  defray  the  Cost  and  Charge  of  the  ordi- 
nation to  be  paid  forthwith  into  the  hands  of 
the  treasurer  or  other  person  or  persons  as 
the  proprietors  shall  appoint  to  receive  the 
same. 


ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY.  247 

Voted  that  M^  Moses  Foster,  Cap*^  Caleb 
Wilder  and  Cap'"  Samuel  Hunt  be  a  Com- 
mittee to  provide  for  said  ordination  in  as 
convenient  a  place  as  may  be  and  that  they 
or  any  of  them  be  impowered  to  receive  the 
money  granted  for  that  purpose. 

Voted  that  M""  Winchester  may  fence  in  and 
improve  the  meeting  House  Lot  being  forty 
rods  square  where  the  meeting  House  now 
stands,  provided  he  doth  not  incommode  the 
County  road  nor  obstruct  or  hinder  the 
Burrying  of  the  dead,  the  burying  place 
being  in  that  lot. 

The  ordination,  as  appears  in  these  votes,  was  arranged 
by  an  exterior  organization  but  the  minister  was  settled  over 
the  people.  If  the  proprietors  directed  the  proceedings  their 
duties  ended  with  them.  The  future  comprehended  only 
the  new  relations  between  the  pastor  and  his  flock.  An 
agreement  was  made  with  Mr.  Winchester  in  January. 
Probably  the  ordination  was  intentionally  deferred  until  the 
close  of  the  winter  season. 

Beyond  the  mention  of  the  churches  invited  there  is  no 
record  of  the  council.  The  records  of  the  church  in  Brook- 
line  contain  the  following  entry  under  date  of  "April  13, 
1760. —  Lord's  Day.  The  pastor  communicated  to  the 
church  a  letter  from  the  committee  of  Dorchester  Canada 
desiring  the  assistance  of  this  church  in  the  ordination  of 
Mr.  Jonathan  Winchester,  whereupon  the  church  voted  to 
comply  with  this  request  and  chose  Messrs.  White,  Aspin- 
wall.  Croft,  Isaac  and  Joseph  Winchester  to  represent  them. 

"Upon  the  request  of  Mr.  Winchester  the  church  dis- 
missed and  recommended  him  to  the  fellowship  of  the 
Church  in  Dorchester  Canada." 


248  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

The  pastor  of  the  Brookline  church  at  this  time  was  Rev. 
Joseph  Jackson.  tToseph  Winchester  was  a  brother  of  the 
candidate  and  Mr.  Croft,  probably,  was  a  relative  of  Mrs. 
Winchester.  Rev.  John  Swift,  pastor  of  the  church  in 
Acton,  was  one  of  the  proprietors  of  the  township.  The 
invitations  included  the  venerable  Rev.  Dr.  Nathaniel 
Appleton  of  Cambridge  and  Rev.  Timothy  Harrington  of 
Lancaster.  Caleb  Dana  was  a  member  of  the  church  in 
Cambridge  and  the  Wilders  of  the  church  in  Lancaster. 
The  records  of  the  churches  last  named  are  incomplete,  and 
while  they  contain  no  reference  to  the  ordination  of  Mr. 
Winchester  it  is  probable  that  all  the  churches  invited  were 
represented  on  the  occasion.  The  invitation  to  the  church 
in  Lunenburg  was  significant.  It  was  the  voice  of  the 
settlement.  Many  of  the  settlers  had  been  accustomed  to 
worship  there  and  Rev.  David  Stearns  was  the  only 
minister  they  had  known  for  many  years.  Without  his 
presence  the  council  would  have  been  incomplete.  The 
original  letter  of  Mr.  Winchester  accepting  the  invitation  of 
the  proprietors,  written  in  plain  round  characters,  is 
preserved. 

To  Messrs.  Caleb  Dana,  Caleb  Wilder,  Nathan  Haywood, 
John  Moffatt  and  Benjamin  Church,  a  committee  of  the 
proprietors  of  the  township  called  Dorchester  Canada  in  the 
county  of  Worcester,  to  communicate  to  said  proprietors  : 

Gentlemen^ 

Whereas  you  have  given  me,  the  subscriber,  the  most  unworthy 
and  undeserving,  an  invitation  and  call  to  settle  in  the  important 
work  of  the  Gospel  Ministry  at  Dorchester  Canada,  I  thank  you 
for  the  respect  and  favour  therein  discovered  to  me. 

After  due  consideration,  asking  advice,  and  especially  seeking 
to  the  great  Head  of  the  Church  for  direction  in  so  momentous 
and  weighty  an  affair,  esteeming  yowv  offers  for  my  settlement 


ECCLESIASTICAL    HISTORY.  249 

and  support  reasonable  and  generous  and  relying  upon  this 
(which  will  be  of  very  great  consequence  with  respect  to  my 
temporal  interests  and  the  comfortable  subsistance  of  my  family) 
viz. :  that  the  right  of  land,  which  the  first  settled  Gospel 
minister  in  the  place  is  entitled  to  by  the  grant  of  the  great  and 
general  court,  be  good  and  convenient  for  my  settlement  and  that 
if  the  lots  already  appropriated  to  that  purpose  are  not  so,  they  be 
changed  for  lands  more  commodious,  I  have  determined  to  accept 
your  call  and  hereby  do  manifest  my  acceptance  thereof.  Asking 
your  prayers  and  depending  on  Divine  Grace  for  assistance  that  I 
may  be  enabled  faithfully  to  discharge  so  important  a  trust  and 
that  my  settling  as  a  Gospel  minister  may  be  a  means  b}'  the 
blessing  of  heaven  of  furthering  the  growth  and  prosperity  of  the 
place  and  promoting  pure  and  undefiled  religion  in  the  hearts  and 
lives  of  the  inhabitants  is  the  desire  and  praj'er  of,  Gentlemen 
Your  devoted  and  most  humble  servant 

JONATHAN   WINCHESTER. 
Brookline,  January  23,  1760. 

The  church  was  embodied  the  same  day.  Endorsing  the 
prevailing  creed  of  N^ew  England  and  desiring  to  enjoy  the 
fellowship  of  the  churches,  it  became  necessary  to  adopt  a 
covenant  embracing  the  essential  features  of  their  faith.  It 
would  be  expected  that  common  forms  of  expression  would 
be  found  in  the  covenants,  but  it  further  appears  that  the 
covenant  approved  by  the  church  in  Gardner  in  1786  is 
substantially  a  copy  of  the  declaration  adopted  at  this  time. 
The  original  covenant  is  still  preserved  and  on  the  back  are 
written  the  names  of  the  thirteen  male  members,  who  were 
admitted  at  the  embodiment  of  the  church.  The  covenant 
and  the  names  are  as  follows  : 

COVENANT. 

We,  whose  names  are  hereunto  subscribed,  being  as  we  appre- 
hend called  of  God  to  enter  into  the  Church  State  of  the  Gospel 


250  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

for  the  free  and  constant  enjoyment  of  God's  Worship  and  Ordi- 
nances, do  in  the  first  place  acknowledge  our  unworthiness  to  be 
so  highly  favored  of  God  at  the  same  time  admiring  and  adoring 
the  rich  and  free  Grace  of  God  that  triumphs  over  so  great 
unworthiness,  with  a  humble  dependence  upon  the  Grace  of  God 
to  enable  us  to  do  our  duty,  we  would  thankfully  lay  hold  on  his 
Covenant  and  choose  the  things  that  please  Him. 

"We  declare  our  serious  and  hearty  belief  of  the  Christian 
Religion  as  contained  in  the  Sacred  Scriptures  and  as  usually 
embraced  by  the  faithful  in  the  Churches  of  New  England,  which 
is  sammarily  exhibited  (in  the  substance  of  it)  in  their  confession 
of  Faith ;  heartily  resolving  to  conform  our  lives  by  the  rule  of 
Christ's  holy  Religion  as  long  as  we  live  in  the  world. 

We  give  up  ourselves  to  the  Lord  Jehovah  who  is  the  Father, 
the  Son  and  Holy  Spirit,  we  vouch  him  this  day  to  be  our  God, 
our  Father  and  our  Savior  and  Leader  and  receive  him  as  our 
portion  forever. 

We  give  up  ourselves  to  the  Blessed  Jesus  acknowledging  His 
true  Deity  resolving  to  adhere  to  Him  as  the  head  of  his  people 
in  the  Covenant  of  Grace,  and  we  do  rely  upon  Him  as  our 
Prophet,  Priest  and  King  to  bring  us  to  eternal  blessedness. 

We  acknowledge  our  everlasting  and  indisputable  obligation  to 
glorify  God  in  all  the  Duties  of  a  sober  godly  life  and  very  par- 
ticularly in  the  duties  of  a  church  state  and  a  body  of  people 
associated  for  an  Obedience  to  Him  in  all  the  ordinances  of  the 
Gospel  and  we  hereupon  depend  on  his  Grace  as  sufficient  for  our 
faithful  discharge  of  the  Duties  thus  incumbent  upon  us. 

We  desire  and  also  promise  and  engage  with  assistance  to  walk 
together  as  a  church  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  the  Faith  and 
Order  of  the  Gospel,  so  far  as  we  do  know  the  same,  faithfully 
and  conscientiously  attending  the  Public  Worship  of  God  and  the 
Sacremeuts  of  the  New  Testament.  And  that  we  will  be  observ- 
ant of  the  rules  and  laws  of  Christ's  Kingdom  which  regard  the 
Discipline  and  Government  of  the  Church  as  they  have  in 
general  been  administered  among  the  churches  before  mentioned. 
And  that  we  will  attend  all  God's  holy  institutions  in  communion 


ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY.  251 

with  one  another,  watching  over  one  another  with  a  spirit  of 
meekness,  love  and  tenderness  carefully  avoiding  all  sinful 
stumbling  blocks,  strifes,  contentions  and  that  we  will  endeavor  to 
keep  the  unity  of  the  spirit  in  the  bond  of  Peace. 

We  do  also  present  our  Offspring  with  ourselves  unto  the  Lord 
resolving  with  Divine  Help  to  do  our  part  in  the  Method  of  a  Relig- 
ious Education,  that  they  may  be  the  Lords,  and  that  we  will 
particularly  be  careful  in  our  endeavor  dul}'  to  sauctiQe  the  Sab- 
bath and  to  keep  up  Religion  in  our  Families.  And  all  this  we  do 
flj'ing  to  the  Blood  of  the  everlasting  Covenant  for  the  pardon  of 
all  our  sins,  praying  the  glorious  Head  of  the  church  who  is  the 
great  Shepherd  of  the  Sheep  would  prepare  and  strengthen  us  for 
every  good  work  to  do  his  will  working  in  us  that  which  will  be 
pleasing  in  his  sight,  to  whom  be  glory  forever  and  ever. 

Jonathan  Winchester,  Pastor 

Philip  Vorback 

Christian  Wm.  Whiteman 

John  Rich 

Jacob  Schoffe 

John  Kiblinger 

Elisha  Coolidge 

Unity  Brown 

John  Oberlock 

Moses  Foster 

Thomas  Wheeler 

James  Coleman 

John  Bates 

In  the  transcript  of  the  covenant  and  signatures  made  by 
Mr.  Gushing  the  name  of  Unity  Brown  is  written  Unight 
Brown  probably  from  the  fact  that  his  Christian  name  was 
sometimes  written  Unite  and  incorrectly  pronounced  in  two 
syllables.  The  wives  of  the  original  members  united  with 
the  church  at  this  time  or  soon  after,  but  their  names  do  not 
appear  in  the  records.  Mr.  Winchester  and  his  wife  brought 
letters  from  the  church  in  Brookline.     Moses  Foster,  James 


252  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

Coleman,  Unity  Brown  and  their  wives  were  received  on 
letters  from  the  church  in  Lunenburg  where  they  had  main- 
tained relations  during  their  early  residence  in  the  settlement, 
and  it  is  probable  that  some  of  the  Germans  presented  letters 
from  churches  in  their  native  land. 

The  additions  to  the  church  during  the  ministry  of  Mr. 
Winchester  were  Jeremiah  Foster  by  profession,  1761  ; 
Samuel  Fellows  and  wife,  William  Whitcomb  and  wife  and 
Sarah  Dickerson  by  letters  from  church  in  Harvard  and 
Stephen  Ames  and  wife  by  profession,  1762 ;  Tristram 
Cheney  and  wife  and  Hannah  Joyner  by  letter  from  church 
in  Sudbury,  Ebenezer  Conaut  and  wife  from  church  in  Con- 
cord, 1763  ;  John  Martin  and  wife,  Samuel  Fellows,  Jr., 
and  wife  and  Ebenezer  Hemeuway  by  profession,  1764 ; 
Jeremiah  Foster,  Jr.,  and  Abraham  Smith  and  wife  by 
profession,  1765  ;  Deliverance  Davis  and  wife  and  Mary 
Whitman,  wife  of  John  Whitman,  by  profession,  1766 ; 
Daniel  Merrill  and  wife,  Sarah  Foster,  wife  of  Jeremiah 
Foster,  Jr.,  and  Job  Coleman  and  wife,  1767.  The  whole 
number  is  forty-two,  to  which  should  be  added  the  names  of 
the  females  who  were  received  at  the  organization  of  the 
church.  The  first  deacons  were  Moses  Foster  and  Samuel 
Fellows  but  a  record  of  their  election  is  not  found.  Beyond 
this  outline  of  the  results  of  his  ministry,  little  is  known  of 
the  labors  and  characteristics  of  Mr.  Winchester.  That  he 
secured  the  love  and  respect  of  his  people  and  was  regarded 
as  a  most  worthy  and  upright  man  is  reflected  in  the  measure 
of  their  sorrow  at  his  death.  The  proprietors  also  manifested 
their  esteem  in  a  vote  to  make  him  a  gratuity  in  addition  to 
his  stated  salary.  "Voted  that  the  proprietors  will  grant 
Rev.  Mr.  Winchester  £18  as  a  consideration  of  the  extraor- 
dinary expense,  he  has  been  put  to  for  two  years  past,  on 
account    of    the    high    price    of   provisions."      This    action 


ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTOKY.  253 

occurred  January  26,  1703,  and  is  suggestive  of  the  hard- 
ships and  trials  attending  both  the  pastor  and  his  people  in  a 
new  settlement. 

The  death  of  Mr.  Winchester,  which  occurred  on  Wednes- 
day, November  26,  1767,  was  a  serious  loss  to  the  young 
parish.  At  once  they  were  bereft  of  a  faithful  pastor,  a 
judicious  counsellor  and  a  sincere  friend.  Their  established 
relations,  their  nuitual  plans,  their  brightest  hopes  of  the 
future  were  ended  by  the  sad  event.  That  the  people 
realized  their  loss  and  gave  unmistakable  expression  of  the 
deepest  sorrow  is  announced  in  the  records  and  confirmed  by 
many  traditions.  The  widow  continued  to  reside  in  this 
town  where  she  died  July  27,  1794,  and  the  name  has  never 
faded  from  the  registers  of  the  town . 

Rev.  Jonathan  Winchester,  son  of  Henry  and  Frances 
Winchester  of  Brookline,  was  born  April  21,  1717.  He  was 
graduated  at  Harvard  University  1737,  and  for  several 
years  Was  a  school  teacher  in  Brookline.  He  married  May 
5,  1748,  Sarah  Crofts,  an  educated  and  talented  lady,  of 
Brookline,  where  six  of  their  ten  children  were  born.  If 
Mr.  Winchester  preached  anywhere  previous  to  his  removal 
to  this  town  the  fact  has  not  appeared.  When  he  began 
preaching  here  he  had  not  been  ordained  and  consequently 
this  was  his  first  settlement  in  the  ministry.  If  little  has 
been  found  concerning  the  life  and  characteristics  of  Mr. 
Winchester,  there  is  abundant  evidence  that  he  was  a  man 
of  singular  purity  of  character,  a  kind  neighbor  and  an 
earnest  and  effective  preacher.  That  he  was  respected  and 
greatly  beloved  by  his  people  is  clearly  reflected  in  the 
records,  and  that  he  was  a  man  of  earnest,  steadfast  pur- 
poses, of  generous  and  friendly  impulses,  restrained  by  a 
firm  adherence  to  the  commands  of  duty,  is  supported  by 
many  traditions. 


254  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

It  is  the  testimony  of  Dr.  Gushing  that  he  lived  in  peace 
and  was  respected  and  beloved  and  when  he  died  was  much 
lamented.  And  his  parish  soon  after  his  death  engraved 
upon  the  tablet  that  marks  his  grave  their  appreciation  of 
the  minister  whom  they  had  loved. 

THE    GENTLEMAN,    THE    SCHOLAR    AND    THE     CHRISTIAN    WERE    IN 

HIM  CONSPICUOUS.       AS  A  PREACHER,   HE  WAS  ACCEPTABLE  ; 

AS  A  HUSBAND,  TENDER  ;  AS  A  PARENT,  AFFECTIONATE  ; 

AS    A   NEIGHBOR,    KIND  ;     AS    A    FRIEND,    SINCERE  ; 

FOR      CANDOR,       MEEKNESS,      PATIENCE      AND 

MODESTY   REMARKABLE. 

Integer  vitoe,  scelerisque  pio'us. 

A  newspaper  of  the  time.  The  Boston  Post  Boy  and 
Advertiser^  in  the  issue  of  December  28,  1767,  announces 
the  death  of  Mr.  Winchester  in  these  terms  :  "  The  latter  end 
of  November  died  at  Ashburnham,  long  known  by  the  name 
of  Dorchester  Canada,  the  Eev.  Mr.  Jonathan  Winchester, 
Minister  of  the  church  in  that  town.  A  sensible,  worthy 
man." 

After  the  death  of  Mr.  Winchester,  the  church  "  chose 
Deacon  Moses  Foster  moderator  while  destitute  of  a  pastor." 
"June  16,  1768,  the  church  met  and  made  choice  of  John 
Cushing  for  the  minister  with  a  full  vote  and  chose  Deacons 
Foster  and  Fellows  and  Brother  Cheney  as  a  committee  to 
acquaint  him  of  it."  In  this  action  of  the  church  the  town 
on  the  fourth  of  July  unanimously  concurred.  "  September 
21,  1768,  the  church  met  and  voted  that  the  ordination  of 
the  pastor  elect,  John  Cushing,  should  be  on  the  second 
day  of  November  following,  and  voted  to  send  to  seven 
churches."  "Chose  Deacon  Fellows,  Elisha  Coolidge  and 
Tristram  Cheney  to  sign  the  letters  missive."  To  this 
decision  of  the  church  the  town  promptly  assented  and  made 
ample  arrangements  for  the  occasion. 


ECCLESIASTICAL   HISTORY.  255 

The  council,  if  all  the  invitations  were  accepted,  was  com- 
posed of  Kev.  Joseph  Sumner  of  Shrewsbury,  the  successor 
of  the  father  of  Mr.  Gushing ;  Rev.  Ebenezer  Morse,  pastor 
of  the  North  Parish,  now  Boylston ;  Rev.  Ebenezer  Park- 
man  of  Westboro',  the  father  of  the  future  wife  of  Mr. 
Gushing ;  Rev.  Jacob  Gushing  of  Waltham,  a  brother  of 
the  candidate ;  Rev.  Asaph  Rice  of  Westminster ;  Rev. 
Stephen  Farrar  of  New  Ipswich,  at  whose  ordination 
Mr.  Winchester  had  assisted  and  Rev.  John  Payson  of 
Fitchburg. 

In  full  sympathy  with  this  sombre  day  in  autumn  and 
with  hearts  heavy  Avith  sorrow  for  their  first  minister,  whom 
they  had  loved,  the  church  and  parish  look  to  his  successor 
with  hope  and  courage.  Many  trivial  afiairs  have  made 
more  display  on  the  pages  of  the  records  but  in  its  pervading 
and  salutary  influences  in  directing  and  moulding  the  senti- 
ment of  another  generation,  in  the  full  measure  of  its  results, 
the  ordination  of  Mr.  Gushing  was  a  most  memorable  event 
in  the  annals  of  Ashburnham.  The  minister,  in  the  robust 
strength  and  courage  of  early  manhood,  assumes  the  labors 
and  burdens  of  a  lifetime  ;  while  the  people,  entering  an 
era  of  concord,  willingly  comply  with  the  mild  yet  unyield- 
ing influences  of  his  faithful  ministrations. 

The  years  of  a  successful  ministry  crowned  with  the 
rewards  of  peace  and  harmony  are  only  the  links  in  a  con- 
tinuous chain  of  similar  events.  They  are  so  alike  in 
outline,  so  connected  in  record,  they  cannot  be  regarded 
separately.  The  labor  of  Mr.  Gushing  began  with  his 
ordination  and  ended  with  his  death.  It  admits  of  no 
divisions.  For  fifty-five  and  one-half  years  the  course  of 
his  labor,  like  the  flow  of  a  river,  was  uninterrupted  and 
onward.  To  measure  the  flood  emptied  into  the  sea  we 
must   notice   the    duration    as   well   as   the  volume    of  the 


256  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

current.  Before  his  allotted  work  was  scarce  begun  those 
aged  at  the  time  of  his  ordination  had  faded  away ;  the 
middle-aged  and  those  in  the  strength  of  early  .manhood 
grew  old  and  also  died ;  while  yet  with  vigor  unabated  he 
ministered  to  their  children  and  beneath  his  sight  the  youth 
he  first  beheld  passed  the  stages  of  life  and  sunk  beneath  the 
weight  of  years.  Without  a  change  of  scene  his  charge  and 
congregation  were  many  times  renewed. 

The  registers  of  the  church  during  his  ministry  are  a 
continued  record  of  wisdom  in  administration  and  freedom 
from  any  serious  contention.  At  the  beginning  the  town 
was  united  in  religious  opinions  and  in  harmony  with  the 
creed  of  the  church.  At  a  later  period  the  pastor  and  the 
church  found  frequent  employment  in  dealing  with  an 
increasing  number  of  dissenters.  First,  a  few  announcing  a 
change  of  opinion  on  the  doctrine  of  baptism  desired  to  with- 
draw and  unite  with  those  of  kindred  faith,  and  early  within 
the  present  century  a  larger  number  withdrew  and  united 
with  the  Methodists.  Compared  with  the  prevailing  usage 
and  practice  of  the  times  a  liberal  policy  was  pursued  and 
a  commendable  measure  of  forbearance  and  toleration  was 
exercised.  In  a  review  of  the  position  of  the  church  in 
these  proceedings  Mr.  Gushing  says,  —  "There  has  generally 
been  manifested  a  disposition  that  each  should  enjoy  liberty 
of  conscience.  I  have  uniformly  endeavored  to  exercise 
charity  towards  dissenters  and  to  avoid  asperity  and  cen- 
soriousness.  And  the  reflection  that  I  have  thus  endeavored 
affords  satisfaction.  In  exercising  the  discipline  of  Christ's 
kingdom  I  have  aimed  to  avoid  severity.  I  have  ofter 
thought  of  an  observation  of  the  bishop  of  St.  Asaph  as 
worthy  of  regard  :  '  The  art  of  government  consists  in  not 
governing  too  much.' " 

The  great  embarrassment  of  the  church  rested  in  the  fact 
that   each  measure  of  discipline    on  questions  of  faith  was 


ECCLESIASTICAL   HISTORY.  257 

answered  by  a  request  for  a  letter  of  dismissal  and  recom- 
mendation. This  they  could  not  grant  without  officially 
recognizing  a  church  of  another  denomination  and  that,  for 
many  years,  they  would  not  do.  The  church  also  main- 
tained that  a  withdrawal  without  leave  was  amenable  to 
discipline  and  that  a  dismissal  could  not  be  granted  until  the 
offending  persons  had  given  satisfaction  to  the  church.  A 
candid  review  of  these  proceedings  must  lead  to  the  conclu- 
sion that  the  church  in  fact  was  laid  under  the  sternest 
discipline  and  wisely  profited  by  it.  With  a  laudable 
degree  of  justice  and  in  advance  of  the  practice  of  the 
churches  in  this  vicinity  the  church  in  Ashburnham  began 
to  grant  dismissals  when  requested  and  to  give  a  general 
certificate  of  good  moral  character.  This  procedure  at  once 
freed  the  church  from  a  perpetual  season  of  discipline  and 
left  the  dissenters,  armed  with  a  commendation  "to  whom  it 
may  concern,"  at  full  liberty  to  follow  the  leadings  of  duty 
or  inclination. 

In  1778,  the  following  persons  were  dismissed  upon  their 
declaration  that  they  had  changed  their  sentiments  in 
respect  to  Infant  Baptism,  the  manner  of  supporting  the 
Gospel,  and  of  admitting  church  members  :  Elisha  Coolidge, 
Ebenezer  Conant,  Ebenezer  Conant,  Jr.,  and  wife,  Nathan 
Putnam  and  wife,  Nathan  Bigelow  and  wife,  Jacob  Willard 
and  wife,  Jacob  Constantine  and  wife,  John  Martin  and  wife, 
and  John  Bigelow.  Upon  their  dismissal  they  were  favored 
with  the  following  letter  : 

Whereas  Elisha  Coolidge  and  others,  members  of  this  church, 
have  withdrawn  themselves  from  this  church  and  plead  their 
changing  their  religious  sentiments  with  respect  to  Infant  Baptism, 
etc.,  as  the  reason,  and  that  they  can't  in  conscience  hold  com- 
munion with  us  as  heretofore  and  desiring  a  dismission  from 
their  relations  to  this  church,  Tliese  are  to  signify  that  we  would 
17 


258  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

not  forcibly  detain  them  or  hold  them  against  their  consent,  but 
do  dismiss  them  from  their  relations  to  us  and  certify  withal  that 
before  they  withdrew  from  communion  with  us  they  were  free 
from  scandal  and  while  they  appeared  before  the  church,  to  give 
their  reasons  for  absenting,  they  conducted  in  a  brotherl}'  and 
christian  manner. 

While  the  persons  who  withdrew  at  this  time  were  styled 
Baptists  on  account  of  a  feature  of  their  creed  they  further 
contended  that  it  was  sinful  and  unscriptural  to  maintain  a 
salaried  clergy,  or  in  their  own  words,  "we  are  against  those 
that  preach  for  hire  or  those  that  ask  pay  for  kindling  a  fire 
on  God's  altar."  The  case  of  Mary  Cheney  who  joined  the 
Baptists  without  requesting  a  dismissal  was  attended  with 
more  difficulty  : 

The  Church  of  Christ  in  Ashhurnham  to  Mary  Cheney : 

At  a  meeting  of  the  church  regularly  held,  your  conduct  in 
leaving  this  church  without  leave  or  notice  given  was  taken  in 
consideration  and,  after  matui'ely  weighing  the  matter,  judged  that 
it  was  a  bx-each  of  covenant  and  that  you  ought  to  be  admonished 
for  your  disorderly  conduct.  When  you  was  admitted  among  us, 
you  solemnly  promised  to  walk  in  communion  with  us  as  far  as 
you  knew  your  duty,  and  we  promised  to  watch  over  you  and  are 
now  endeavoring  to  perform  our  engagement  by  sending  you  this 
letter  of  admonition.  When  you  was  dissatisfied  with  us  and  could 
not  in  conscience  have  communion  with  us,  why  could  you  not 
have  manifested  your  mind?  We  do  not  want  to  debar  any 
from  enjoying  liberty  of  conscience,  but  how  can  the  purity  and 
order  of  the  church  possibly  be  kept  up,  if  members,  contrary  to 
solemn  engagements,  break  away  from  one  church  to  another  with- 
out the  least  notice  given  ?  Your  change  of  opinions  can't  justify 
your  conduct,  for  God  is  a  God  of  order  and  not  of  confusion. 

We  therefore  admonish  you  for  breach  of  covenant  and  earnestl}' 
entreat  you  to  consider  seriously  of  what  you  have  done  and  of  the 
bad  and  dangerous  consequences  of  such  disorderly  behavior  and 


ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY.  259 

to  give  the  church  you  have  justl}'  offended  christian  satisfaction 
without  which  we  cannot  at  anj'  time  admit  j^ou  to  any  privilege 
among  us  if  you  should  desire  it.  And  we  judge  also  that  the 
church  to  which  you  have  joined  are  disorderl}'  and  ought  to  be 
admonished.  We  pray  the  great  Shepherd  would  lead  and  guide 
you  by  his  spirit,  make  you  fully  sensible  of  your  evil  conduct  and 
dispose  3'ou  to  make  that  satisfaction  which  we  must  suppose  your 
conscience  upon  mature  deliberation  will  readily  dictate. 

We  subscribe  ourselves  your  offended  brethren,  yet  ready  to  be 
reconciled  upon  reasonable  and  christian  terms. 

The  defection  of  a  few  from  the  church  to  the  Methodists 
occurred  at  a  later  period  and  under  the  vrarmth  of  a  more 
charitable  and  tolerant  spirit.  The  following  letter  truthfully 
reflects  the  pacific  policy  which  pervades  the  records  at  this 
period. 

April  4,  1796.  —  Whereas  our  brother  Stephen  Randall,  Jr.,  has 
requested  that  he  may  be  dismissed  from  this  to  the  Episcopal 
Methodist  Church  because  he  finds  he  is  better  edified  than  to 
continue  with  us  and  is  not  fully  satisfied  with  the  custom  of  dis- 
ciplining members,  we  would  say,  we  wish  not  to  deprive  him  of 
any  good  which  he  thinks  he  may  gain  for  his  soul,  we  are  free 
and  willing  that  every  one  should  have  liberty  of  conscience. 
Also  a  letter  of  dismission  would  introduce  him  into  the  Methodist 
Church,  from  the  principle  of  christian  charity  and  communion  we 
should  readily  grant  it,  certifying  that  his  moral  character  is  good. 
We  desire  and  pray  that  he  may  adorn  the  doctrine  of  Jesus 
Christ  with  those  of  his  denomination,  though  we  would  not  be 
understood  as  fully  approving  all  their  doctrines  and  discipline. 

In  other  cases  of  discipline,  with  limited  knowledge  of  the 
facts  and  surroundings,  it  would  be  folly  to  inquire  if  the 
church  had  been  severe  or  if  the  ofienders  had  sinned.  Only 
one  case  evincing  the  breadth  and  tenderness  of  brotherhood 
will  be  cited.     This  report  of  a  committee  delegated  to  visit 


260  HISTORY    OF    ASHBURNHAM. 

one  of  the  most  prominent  citizens  of  the  town  is  in  the 
language  of  Mr.  Gushing  who  was  one  of  the  committee  and 
is  dated  January  1,  1818. 

"We  waited  upon  him  soon  after  our  appointment  and  after  say- 
ing everything  we  could  on  the  one  hand  to  dissuade  him  from  the 
excessive  use  of  spirit,  and  on  the  other  to  encourage  him  to  a 
reformation,  at  length  he  told  us  that  he  had  come  to  a  resolution 
to  refrain  entirely  for  one  month.  At  the  end  of  which  we  might 
visit  him  again  and  if  we  found  he  had  broken  over  the  resolution 
we  might  do  with  him  as  we  thought  best.  Accordingly  at  the 
end  of  the  month  we  all  visited  him  again  and  he  declared  he  had 
not  taken  a  drop  of  spirit,  and  upon  being  asked  what  his  purpose 
was  for  the  future  he  told  that  it  was  his  determination  to  per- 
severe, so  that  we  were  relieved  from  the  disagreeable  work  of 
leaving  the  letter  of  admonition  with  him,  and  we  rejoiced  together 
at  the  pleasing  and  happy  prospect  of  a  reformation.  He  seemed 
to  have  uncomfortable  apprehensions  that  he  should  not  be  able  to 
remove  the  offence  he  had  given  the  church.  But  we  answered 
him  that  the  offence  would  cease  immediately  upon  his  reformation, 
that  the  church  would  rejoice ,  that  his  family  and  connections 
would  rejoice,  yea  and  the  angels  in  Heaven  would  rejoice. 

It  is  within  the  memory  of  many  of  the  aged  among  us, 
that  Mr.  Gushing  maintained  an  advanced  position  on  the 
question  of  temperance  and  that  in  the  pulpit,  more  fre- 
quently than  many  of  his  contemporaries,  he  boldly  preached 
the  error  and  evils  of  intemperance.  If  his  views  on  this 
subject  were  presented  with  a  characteristic  rigor  of  opinion, 
they  were  attended  in  his  daily  walk  among  his  people  with 
that  spirit  of  forgiveness  and  brotherly  love  and  tenderness 
which  pervades  the  report  we  have  cited. 

The  church  in  Ashburnham  was  among  the  first  to 
abandon  the  custom  of  administering  the  rites  of  baptism  to 
the  children  of  parents  who  were  not  members  of  the  church." 


ECCLESIASTICAL   HISTORY.  261 

This  custom  of  very  early  origin  prevailed  in  many  of  the 
New  England  churches  until  a  comparatively  recent  period. 
The  parents  who  thus  desired  to  present  their  offspring  for 
baptism  were  required  to  "  own  the  covenant,"  or  in  other 
words,  to  publicly  express  a  general  belief  in  the  creed  of 
the  church.  They  were  not  required  to  profess,  and  it  is 
reasonably  certain  they  did  not  always  possess,  the  moral 
qualification  of  membership  and  they  were  only  expected  to 
express  an  intellectual  assent  to  the  general  truths  of  the 
church  covenant.  The  persons  who  had  only  owned  the 
covenant  were  not  admitted  to  communion  nor  were  they 
amenable  to  church  discipline,  but  being  admitted  to  the 
privilege  of  presenting  their  children  for  baptism  on  an 
equality  with  those  in  full  communion  they  were  frequently 
styled  "half  way  members."  This  practice  continued 
throughout  the  ministry  of  Mr.  Winchester,  but  it  never 
fully  met  the  approval  of  Mr.  Gushing.  With  an  habitual 
conservatism  in  regard  to  measures,  and  mindful  of  the  vigi- 
lant tendency  of  his  people  to  oppose  any  abridgment  of 
their  privileges  or  accepted  customs,  he  presented  the  follow- 
ing proposition  which  was  adopted  without  evidence  of 
opposition  : 

"We  the  church  of  Christ  iu  Ashburnham,  being  desirous  of  pro- 
moting practical  religion  in  this  place,  taking  into  consideration 
the  general  practice  in  the  churches  of  persons  owning  the  cove- 
nant, and  having  reason  to  fear  that  such  are  left  to  run  too  much 
at  large  without  being  watched  over  and  not  seeing  the  consistency 
of  their  solemnly  owning  the  covenant  and  then  not  paying 
regard  thereto  as  is  the  case  too  much  with  respect  to  some  it 
appearing  too  evident  that  the  main  design  of  some  is  for  the  sake 
of  enjoying  the  ordinance  of  baptism  only  :  We  have  come  into  the 
following  vote  : 

That  we  will  not  for  the  future  admit  any  to  the  privilege  of 
baptism  except   members  in  full.      And   that    we  might   not  be 


262  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

thought  too  severe  —  if  there  should  be  any  (which  we  hope  will 
not  be  the  case) ,  who  are  so  full  of  doubt  and  fear,  that  they  dare 
not  approach  to  the  table,  but  yet  are  desirous  of  enjoying  the 
privilege  of  baptism  and  putting  themselves  under  the  care  and 
watch  of  the  church,  we  shall  not  insist  upon  their  participation 
under  such  a  situation  of  their  mind,  nor  proceed  to  censure  them 
if  they  do  not  immediately  partake  of  the  ordinance. 

Inasmuch  as  there  are  several  that  are  in  covenant  that  are  not 
members  in  full,  this  vote  is  not  to  be  considered  as  cutting  them 
off  from  a  privilege  granted  to  them  heretofore.  However  we  will 
consider  them  as  under  the  inspection  of  the  chui'ch,  and  we 
engage  that  we  will  watch  over  them  as  though  they  were  mem- 
bers in  full. 

This  action  occurred  April  7,  1773.  There  were  some 
precedents  for  it  at  this  date,  but  it  was  twenty  or  more 
years  in  advance  of  very  many  churches  situated  nearer  the 
schools  of  theology  and  the  centres  of  influence. 

Notwithstanding  the  disintegrating  influences  which  were 
felt  at  times  not  only  in  this  town  but  throughout  New 
England,  the  membership  of  the  church  slowly  increased  in 
numbers  throughout  the  ministry  of  Mr.  Gushing.  The  loss 
occasioned  by  death,  by  removals  from  the  town  and  by  a 
transfer  of  relations  was  more  than  compensated  by  an 
increase  in  population  and  the  fruit  of  several  seasons  of 
unusual  religious  interest.  The  registers  of  the  church  in 
the  handwriting  of  Mr.  Gushing  represent  that,  at  the  time 
of  his  death,  there  were  about  one  hundred  and  thirty 
resident  members.  In  one  small  volume  the  statistics  of 
more  than  fifty  years  are  carefully  entered.  The  summary 
includes  the  names  of  three  hundred  and  thirty-one  persons 
admitted  to  the  fellowship  of  the  church ;  the  baptism  of 
nine  hundred  and  sixty-three  children  and  twenty-four  adults 
and  the  record  of  three  hundred  and  twelve  marriao-es. 


ECCLESIASTICAL   HISTORY.  263 

Eev.  John  Gushing,  D.  D.,  was  born  in  Shrewsbury, 
Massachusetts,  August  22,  1744.  A  descendant  of  the 
Gushing  family  of  Hingham  he  inherited  the  strong  and 
vigorous  traits  of  character  which  have  distinguished  many 
generations.  He  was  a  son  of  Kev.  Job  and  Mary  (Pren- 
tice) Gushing.  His  father  was  the  first  minister  of  Shrews- 
bury where  he  died  August  6,  1760.  His  mother  was  the 
daughter  of  Rev.  John  and  Mary  (Gardner)  Prentice  of 
Lancaster  and  an  honored  name  in  the  annals  of  that  town. 
She  died  at  the  age  of  ninety  years  May  24,  1798. 

Mr.  Gushing  entered  Harvard  University  where  he  main- 
tained an  honorable  standing  and  was  graduated  1764, 
exactly  fifty  years  after  his  father  had  received  a  diploma 
from  the  same  institution.  At  the  age  of  twenty-four  years 
he  was  ordained  and  settled  over  the  church  in  this  town, 
November  2,  1768,  and  died  April  27,  1823.  From  his 
alma  mater  he  received  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity 
1822. 

The  most  fitting  tribute  to  the  memory  of  Mr.  Gushing  is 
found  in  his  works.  For  many  years  he  was  the  only 
minister  in  the  town.  He  stood  in  the  midst  of  an  increas- 
ing parish  scattered  over  a  large  township,  yet  his  influence 
pervaded  every  portion  of  it.  He  was  faithful  in  every 
service.  Two  sermons  were  regularly  prepared  for  the 
Sabbath,  frequent  discourses  were  written  for  week-day 
lectures  and  his  ministrations  to  the  sick  and  the  bereaved 
were  prompt  and  unfailing.  He  was  constant  in  his  attend- 
ance upon  the  schools  and  in  all  social  relations  with  his 
parish.  At  every  fireside  the  serenity  of  his  countenance, 
the  wisdom  of  his  speech  and  the  purity  of  his  life  and 
example  were  continually  deepening  the  impression  and 
enforcing  the  influences  of  his  public  ministrations.  He 
gladly  welcomed  all  the  moral  and   benevolent  enterprises 


264  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

of  his  time.  The  cause  of  temperance  and  the  early  mission- 
ary organizations  received  from  him  a  warm  and  efficient 
support. 

In  stature,  Mr.  Gushing  was  tall  and  portly ;  in  bearing 
dignified  and  erect.  He  moved  with  precision  and  with  the 
incisive  mark  of  strength  and  vigor.  As  the  infirmity  of 
age  grew  upon  him,  his  step  was  slower  but  never  faltering ; 
his  form  became  slightly  bowed  but  lost  none  of  its  original 
dignity  and  commanding  presence.  His  mild  blue  eye  and 
the  serenity  of  his  countenance  were  undimmed  even  when 
his  whitened  and  flowing  locks  were  counting  the  increasing 
furrows  of  age  in  his  face. 

As  a  preacher  he  adhered  to  the  fundamental  doctrines  of 
his  creed  and  supported  them  with  frequent  quotation  from 
the  Scriptures.  The  plan  of  his  discourse  was  lucid  and  his 
methods  of  reasoning  direct  and  logical.  If  he  was  tenacious 
in  the  use  of  set  terms  and  forms  of  speech  he  invariably 
applied  them  with  aptness  and  precision.  He  did  not  rely 
on  the  abundance  of  words  or  the  exhibition  of  emotion,  but 
upon  the  weight  and  sequence  of  the  central  truths  which 
formed  the  theme  of  his  discourse.  His  voice  was  clear, 
strong  and  pleasing.  He  read  his  sermons  closely  and 
without  gesture.  In  delivery  he  was  moderate,  earnest  and 
impressive.  At  home  and  abroad  he  was  justly  regarded  as 
an  able,  instructive  preacher.  The  ability  of  Mr.  Gushing 
in  an  intellectual  sense  was  conspicuous.  Measured  by  men 
of  acknowledged  power  and  ability  he  was  not  deficient. 
He  held  a  foremost  rank  among  illustrious  compeers  in  his 
profession  and  was  an  equal  in  mind  and  character  of  Rev- 
erends Payson  of  Rindge,  Farrar  and  Hall  of  New  Ipswich, 
Waters  of  Ashby,  Rice  of  Westminster  and  Pillsbury  of 
Winchendon. 


ECCLESIASTICAL   HISTORY.  265 

As  a  counsellor  he  was  prudent  and  judicial.  Possessing 
a  thorough  knowledge-  of  ecclesiastical  law  and  skilled  in  the 
usages  of  the  church,  his  advice  was  frequently  sought  in 
the  settlement  of  contention  in  other  churches.  In  such 
service  his  counsels  were  invaluable.  If  his  associates  were 
exacting  and  harsh  in  their  conclusions,  his  judgments  were 
always  tempered  with  mercy  and  his  decisions  fragrant  with 
forgiveness  and  reconciliation.  In  the  midst  of  every  form 
of  contention,  his  goal  was  peace  and  seldom  was  he  moved 
from  his  accustomed  paths  by  the  passions  of  contending 
men.  In  ecclesiastical  councils  of  a  more  pacific  character 
his  services  were  frequently  solicited  and  cheerfully  ren- 
dered and  for  many  years  a  council  was  seldom  convened  in 
a  circle  of  many  miles  to  which  he  was  not  invited. 

In  his  daily  life  Mr.  Gushing  was  laborious.  His  dis- 
courses were  carefully  written,  his  parochial  visits  were 
regularly  made  and  the  schools  were  familiar  with  his 
presence.  With  these  uninterrupted  ministrations  and  the 
care  of  his  farm  he  found  time  in  some  way  for  reading  and 
music.  He  was  regarded  by  his  associates  in  the  ministry 
as  a  man  of  liberal  knowledge  and  varied  acquirements. 

He  was  preeminentl}^  a  minister  of  the  olden  time.  His 
parish  was  his  field  of  labor  and  no  one  was  neglected.  His 
charge  was  his  constant  thought  and  duty,  and  while  he 
watched  for  the  fruit  of  his  labor,  he  toiled  on  with  unfail- 
ing hope  and  courage.  Even  in  the  decline  of  life  and 
under  the  weight  of  nearly  eighty  years  his  service  was 
acceptable  and  his  parish  united  m  their  love  and  respect 
for  their  venerable  teacher.  It  seems  that  their  affection  for 
him  increased  as  he  paled  and  grew  feeble  in  their  service. 
And  when  death  came  and  stilled  the  pulsations  of  his  warm 
and  generous  heart,  his  people  paid  a  fitting  tribute  in  the 
lines  of  sorrow  engraved  on  every  countenance.     From  that 


266  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

hour  the  voice  of  tradition  began  to  assert  that  his  genius 
was  solid ;  his  understanding  clear ;  his  judgment  strong ; 
his  memory  faithful ;  his  emotions  cool  and  restrained  yet 
his  sympathies  tender  and  his  affections  warm ;  that  his 
resolution  and  perseverance  were  unusual,  that  he  was 
faithful  to  every  trust  and  that  his  heart  was  so  honest,  his 
friendship  so  sincere  and  his  tongue  under  such  control,  that 
his  smile  was  a  benediction  and  his  speech  a  sermon. 

Mr.  Gushing  married  September  28,  1769,  Sarah  Park- 
man,  daughter  of  Rev.  Ebenezer  and  Hannah  (Breck)  Park- 
man  of  Westboro,  who  surviving  her  husband  died  in  this 
town  March  12,  1825.  The  record  of  the  family  is  con- 
tinued in  the  genealogical  registers. 

o  o  o 

After  these  many  years  the  church  and  the  parish  were 
without  a  minister.  There  were  several  families  in  town 
that  had  removed  hither  soon  after  the  settlement  of  Mr. 
Gushing,  but  very  few  were  living  who  witnessed  his  ordi- 
nation. The  only  grown  persons  living  in  this  town  in  1768 
who  remained  here  and  survived  Mr.  Gushing  were  Enos 
Jones,  Eebecca  (Foster)  Ward,  widow  of  Galeb  Ward, 
Judith  (Foster)  Brooks,  widow  of  Dr.  Peter  Brooks. 

The  following  June  the  to^n  chose  William  J.  Lawrence, 
Thomas  Hobart,  Reuben  Townsend,  Jr.,  Joseph  Jewett  and 
Benjamin  Barrett  to  supply  the  pulpit.  At  a  meeting  early 
in  October  the  committee  reported  that  "  they  had  hired 
Mr.  George  Perkins  to  preach  four  Sabbaths."  Three 
weeks  later  the  town  voted  to  hear  ]\Ir.  Perkins  four  addi- 
tional Sabbaths  and  on  the  first  day  of  December  instructed 
the  committee  to  employ  Mr.  Perkins  until  further  orders 
from  the  town.  December  24,  eight  months  after  the  death 
of  Mr.  Gushing,  the  church  extended  a  unanimous  call,  in 
which  the  town  concurred  in  a  vote  of  sixty-eight  to  seven- 
teen.    The  town  instructed  the  committee  formerly  chosen 


ECCLESIASTICAL   HISTORY.  267 

to  notify  the  candidate  and  the  church  joined  Deacon  Hunt, 
Dr.  Lowe  and  Doddridge  Gushing.  The  letter  of  accept- 
ance is  subjoined  : 

AsHBURNHAM,  Janv.  24,  1824. 
To  the  Congi-egational  Church  and  Society  in  Ashburnham : 
Christian  Brethren  and  Friends  — 

Having  been  presented  by  your  conimittee  with  the  votes  of 
this  church  and  congregation  giving  me  a  call  to  settle  with  you 
as  your  Gospel  minister  and  having,  as  I  trust,  attentively  and 
praj'erfully  sought  to  know  my  dut}''  in  a  case  of  such  vast 
importance  in  its  consequences,  both  to  you  and  to  myself,  I  have 
come  to  a  determination  to  accept  of  the  invitation  contained  in 
your  votes,  subject  to  the  conditions  specified  therein.  I  am  also 
ready  to  unite  with  the  church  and  society  in  such  measures  as 
may  be  necessarj-  to  carry  your  votes  and  this  answer  into  effect. 
As  there  may  be  occasions  which  will  render  it  necessary  for  me 
to  leave  this  place  for  a  longer  period  than  one  week  at  a  time, 
I  think  it  reasonable  to  claim  the  privilege  of  being  absent  two 
Sabbaths  in  each  year,  without  abatement  of  compensation,  —  this 
being  the  least  number  usually  granted.  The  church  and  society 
will  also  expect  me  to  make  such  exchanges  as  are  customary 
among  neighboring  ministers. 

Feeling,  as  I  do,  my  unworthiness  of  so  important  a  trust  and 
my  utter  insufficiency  in  my  own  strength,  to  lead  a  life  of  use- 
fulness amongst  you,  I  cannot  close  without  making  the  further 
request  that  I  may  at  all  times  have  your  fervent  prayers  to  God 
that  He  would  make  me  a  zealous,  faithful  and  successful  minister 
of  the  New  Testament  to  the  souls  of  this  people. 

GEORGE   PERKINS. 

Mr.  Perkins  was  ordained  February  25,  1824.  The 
council  comprised  the  Reverends  Bascom  and  Putnam  of 
Ashby,  Putnam  of  Fitchburg,  Mann  of  Westminster,  Well- 
ington of  Templeton,  Estabrook  of  Athol,  Sabin  of  Fitz- 
william  and  Deacon  George  Goffin  of  Winchendon. 


268  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

The  ministry  of  Mr.  Perkins  was  successful  and  unusually 
acceptable  to  the  church  and  congregation.  Entering  the 
ministry  without  pursuing  a  prescribed  course  of  study  he 
had  not  acquired  the  conventional  manners  of  the  schools, 
yet  in  him  were  combined  dignity  with  affability  and 
unusual  plainness  of  speech  with  equal  kindness.  In  the 
pulpit  he  was  often  colloquial,  sometimes  eloquent  and 
always  instructive.  A  few  lines  from  a  letter  written  by 
Sarah  Jewett  in  December,  1823,  will  be  accepted  as 
authority  in  regard  to  his  characteristics.  "  Mr.  Perkins  is 
our  candidate.  I  am  certain  you  will  like  him  much,  as 
you  like  unassuming  manners.  He  is  an  uncommonly 
interesting  man.  His  manner  in  the  pulpit  is  easy  and 
natural ;  his  composition  chaste ;  and  his  remarks  original, 
and  we  seldom  witness  such  urbanity  of  manner."  It  is 
the  united  testimony  of  all  who  remember  him  that  he  was  a 
devoted  minister  and  a  kind,  sympathizing  friend.  By  his 
ready  sympathy  and  his  exemplary  walk  and  conversation 
he  secured  the  affections  and  respect  of  his  people.  In  his 
public  ministrations  he  was  discreet  and  faithful.  At  a 
season  of  controversial  discussion,  which  was  rending  many 
churches,  his  flock  was  united  and  by  avoiding  doctrinal 
preaching  he  persuaded  his  people  to  drown  dissension  in 
forgetfulness.  The  ministry  of  Mr.  Perkins  in  this  place 
was  interrupted  by  the  feebleness  of  the  aged  parents  of 
his  wife  who  sought  his  care  and  assistance.  Obtaining  a 
dismissal  from  his  charge  he  returned  to  Connecticut. 

A  mutual  council  was  convened  July  3,  1832,  and  after 
formally  assenting  to  the  desire  of  Mr.  Perkins  to  be 
released  from  his  charge  the  record  proceeds  : 

The  council  are  happy  to  state  that  in  the  dissolution  of  the 
pastoral  relations  of  the  Rev.  George  Perkins  to  this  church  and 
people  the  most  mutual  good  feeling  has  prevailed  and  we  wish  to 


ECCLESIASTICAL   HISTORY.  269 

State  explicitly  that  the  reasons  assigned  for  a  dissolution  of  this 
relation  are  such  as  do  not  show  any  dissatisfaction  of  the  church 
and  people  towards  their  pastor  nor  any  dissatisfaction  on  his 
part  towards  them. 

Rev.  George  Perkins,  son  of  Dr.  Elisha  and  Sarah 
(Douglas)  Perkins,  was  born  in  Plainfield,  Connecticut, 
October  19,  1783.  He  pursued  a  preparatory  course  of 
study  at  the  Academy  in  his  native  town  and  was  graduated 
at  Yale  College  1803.  After  reading  law  in  the  office  of 
Hon.  Charles  Marsh  of  Woodstock,  Vermont,  he  soon 
became  a  prominent  lawyer  in  Norwich,  Connecticut.  In 
the  continued  practice  of  his  profession  he  earned  an  excel- 
lent reputation  as  a  safe  and  prudent  counsellor  and  an  able 
advocate.  Such  was  his  integrity  and  conscientious  adher- 
ence to  his  idea  of  right,  he  was  familiarly  styled  by  his 
brethren  in  the  profession  and  often  by  the  public  as 
"Honest  George."  In  1821,  and  soon  after  the  death  of 
his  first  wife,  closing  his  oflSce  in  Norwich  and  with  little 
remark  concerning  his  intentions,  he  sought  the  home  of  his 
brother,  Eev.  J.  Douglas  Perkins,  in  Coatesville,  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  under  his  tuition  he  pursued  the  study  of  theology 
a  year  or  more.  Entering  the  ministry  at  the  age  of  forty 
years  and  after  preaching  a  few  Sabbaths  in  Ashby,  his  first 
continued  pastoral  labor  was  in  this  town.  After  his  dis- 
missal from  this  church  he  was  installed  in  1832  over  the 
church  in  Jewett  City,  Connecticut,  where  he  remained  six 
years. 

Of  his  ministry  in  that  place,  Rev.  Thomas  L.  Shipman, 
his  successor,  has  written,  "He  preached  eloquently  seven 
days  in  the  week  by  the  power  of  a  holy  life."  Later  he 
was  occupied  some  time  in  the  settlement  of  the  estate  of 
Dr.  John  Turner,  the   father  of  his  wife,   and   residing  in 


270  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

Norwich  he  supplied  in  the  vicinity  from  time  to  time  until 
death  came  to  abide  with  him  September  15,  1852. 

Mr.  Perkins,  after  a  brief  interval,  was  succeeded  by  Rev. 
George  Goodyear.  He  was  the  last  minister  who  preached 
in  the  meeting-house  on  the  hill  and  the  first  who  ministered 
in  the  new  house  in  the  village.  He  was  installed  October 
10,  1832,  and  dismissed  at  his  request  November  16,  1841. 
This  was  a  pastorate  of  pleasant  and  enduring  memories  and 
a  season  of  temporal  and  spiritual  prosperity.  The  new 
meeting-house  was  built  soon  after  the  labors  of  Mr.  Good- 
year began.  The  congregation  was  large  and  many  names 
were  enrolled  on  the  registers  of  the  church ;  one  hundred 
and  ten  members  being  received  in  a  single  year,  of  whom 
seventy-seven  were  admitted  the  first  Sabbath  in  July,  1834. 
During  this  memorable  season  the  pastor  was  assisted  by 
Horatio  Foot,  the  evangelist.  Many  who  read  his  name 
will  recall  his  earnest  words  and  impassioned  manner  as  they 
wonder  if  his  appeal  to  the  emotions  was  as  enduring  as  the 
address  of  abler  men  to  the  intellect. 

In  the  discharge  of  ministerial  duty,  Mr.  Goodyear  was 
faithful  and  in  all  his  relations  with  his  fellow-men  he  was 
kind  and  sympathizing.  No  one  approached  him  as  a  friend 
without  feelino;  an  answerino^  kindness  or  in  sorrow  without 
being  comforted.  His  sermons  were  the  expression  of  an 
earnest  purpose  and  a  sincere  desire  to  improve  his  hearers, 
and  when  he  came  down  from  the  pulpit  mingling  with  his 
people  his  religion,  his  gentleness,  his  affability  did  not 
forsake  him.  In  an  eminent  degree  he  secured  the  love  of 
his  people  and  the  respect  of  the  community. 

Rev.  I.  Sumner  Lincoln,  now  living  at  an  advanced  age 
in  Wilton,  New  Hampshire,  has  paid  an  appreciative  tribute 
to  his  friend  and  neio-hbor. 


ECCLESIASTICAL   HISTORY.  271 

M}'  acquaintance  with  Mr.  Goodyear  commenced  in  1821  when 
he  entered  Yale  College,  of  which  I  became  a  member  in  1818. 
After  completing  his  academical  and  theological  studies  at  Yale, 
and  while  preaching  in  pursuit  of  a  place  of  settlement,  he  visited 
my  settled  home  in  Gardner  and  preached  for  me  on  Sunday  a 
good  sermon.  Ashburnham  was  then  destitute  of  a  pastor.  On 
Monday  morning  I  carried  him  there  and  introduced  and  recom- 
mended him  to  the  parish  committee.  From  that  time  he  became 
their  minister  and  my  good  neighbor  for  nine  years.  During  that 
time  he  made  full  proof  of  his  gospel  ministry  both  as  a  good 
preacher  and  pastor.  He  sustained  a  good  reputation  as  a  man 
and  a  minister  and  made  many  most  worthy  friends.  After  he 
left  that  place  and  I  left  Gardner  we  were  widely  separated  for 
some  years,  but  for  the  last  fifteen  years  we  have  been  happy 
neighbors  again,  he  in  Temple  and  myself  in  Wilton,  where  our 
friendly  intercourse  was  renewed  and  continued  to  the  time  of  his 
recent  departure  to  his  celestial  home.  Full  of  Christian  faith, 
virtue  and  hope  he  has  passed  into  the  personal  presence  of  his 
Lord  and  Savior. 

Rev.  George  Goodyear,  son  of  Simeon  and  Hannah 
(Beadsly)  Goodyear,  was  born  in  Hamden,  Connecticut, 
December  9,  1801.  The  Goodyears  of  Connecticut  have 
been  distinguished  in  many  walks  of  life.  Charles  Good- 
year, the  patentee  and  manufacturer  of  rubber  wares,  was  a 
first  cousin  of  the  fourth  minister  of  Ashburnham.  Mr. 
Goodyear  prepared  for  college  under  the  tuition  of  Eev. 
Edward  Hooker,  D.  D.,  and  at  Bacon  Academy  in  Col- 
chester. He  was  graduated  at  Yale  College  1824  and  at  the 
Theological  Seminary  in  New  Haven  1827.  Ordained  with- 
out charge  July  22,  1828.  Previous  to  his  installation  in 
this  town  he  preached  as  stated  supply  at  Gaines,  New  York, 
and  at  East  Windsor,  Connecticut.  Upon  his  removal  from 
this  town  after  supplying  nearly  two  years  at  Eenerville, 
New  York,  he  was  installed  over  churches  in  Truro ,^  1846-9, 


272  HISTORY   OF  ASHBURNHAM. 

South  Royalston,  1849-54  and  Temple,  New  Hampshire, 
1854-65.  Mr.  Goodyear  was  a  member  of  the  New 
Hampshh'e  Legislature  1865  and  1866.  His  last  dismissal 
was  at  his  earnest  desire  and  on  account  of  his  failing  health. 
He  died  in  Temple,  where  he  had  continued  to  reside, 
November  18,  1884. 

After  hearing  two  or  more  candidates,  the  church  and 
parish  united  in  a  decision  to  hire  Rev.  Edwin  Jennison  for 
two  years.  This  action  was  soon  modified.  A  call  was 
accepted  and  Mr.  Jennison  was  installed  May  12,  1842,  or 
within  six  months  after  the  dismissal  of  Mr.  Goodyear.  In 
the  first  year  of  this  pastorate  the  church  in  North  Ashburn- 
ham  wjis  organized  to  which  twenty-five  members  of  the 
church  transferred  their  relations.  Mr.  Jennison  entered 
upon  his  labors  under  favorable  auspices.  He  was  an 
acceptable  preacher  and  was  justly  regarded  as  an  earnest, 
devoted  minister.  His  health  soon  failed,  but  with  fading 
strength  he  continued  his  labor  until  the  close  of  the  fourth 
year.  The  relation  was  dissolved  May  12,  1846,  and  from 
the  record  of  the  proceedings  it  appears  that  "The  council 
regard  Mr.  Jennison  with  high  esteem  and  confidence  as  a 
worthy  Christian  brother,  an  able  and  faithful  preacher  of 
the  gospel  and  an  affectionate  pastor." 

Rev.  Edwin  Jennison,  a  son  of  Major  William  and  Phoebe 
(Field)  Jennison,  was  born  in  Walpole,  New  Hampshire, 
August  26,  1805.  He  was  graduated  at  Dartmouth  College 
1827,  and  at  Andover  Theological  Seminary  1830.  Previous 
to  his  labors  in  this  town  Mr.  Jennison  had  been  settled  over 
churches  in  Walpole,  his  native  town,  1831-5,  Mont  Ver- 
non, New  Hampshire,  1836-41.  Subsequently  he  was  in- 
stalled at  Hopkinton,  New  Hampshire,  January  6,  1847,  and 
dismissed  September  5,  1849.  In  each  instance  the  relation 
was  dissolved  on  account  of  his  feeble  health.     For  twenty- 


ECCLESIASTICAL   HISTORY.  275 

five  years  lie  has  been  incapacitated  from  labor  and  has 
resided  in  Winchester,  New  Hampshire,  and  of  late  in  Con- 
way, Massachusetts. 

The  dismissal  of  Mr.  Jennison  had  been  anticipated.  His 
failing  health  had  prepared  his  charge  for  the  event  and  a 
successor  was  soon  chosen.  To  Rev.  Elnathan  Davis  a  call 
was  extended  by  the  church  May  25,  which  was  ratified  by 
the  parish  June  27,  1846.  For  some  reason,  not  now 
apparent,  the  installation  was  deferred  and  in  the  mean  time 
Mr.  Davis  continued  to  preach  with  unqualified  acceptance. 
A  council  being  convened  early  in  September  exception  was 
taken  to  the  views  of  the  candidate  on  the  doctrinal  question 
of  infant  baptism.  The  solemnities  were  postponed.  The 
council  was  recalled  September  16,  1846,  and  recognizing 
the  merit  and  ability  of  the  candidate,  and  finding  the  church 
and  society  tenacious  in  their  increasing  desire  to  have  the 
pastor  of  their  choice  settled  over  them,  the  installation  was 
consummated.  The  minutes  of  the  council  are  evidence  that 
all  the  proceedings  were  conducted  in  a  friendly  spirit  and 
that  the  only  embarrassment  was  found  in  a  difference  of 
opinion  on  a  single  question  of  doctrine. 

]Mr.  Davis  was  a  man  of  positive  ideas  and  enduring  con- 
victions. He  was  an  able  preacher  and  an  active  pastor. 
His  labor  was  incessant,  knowing  every  member  of  his  flock 
he  kindly  and  faithfully  ministered  to  them.  The  church 
and  the  parish  were  united,  the  social  meetings  were  fully 
attended  and  the  influences  of  this  pastorate  have  been  per- 
manent and  salutary.  In  the  dawn  of  many  golden  promises 
of  a  long  and  happy  ministry,  Mr.  Davis  was  invited  to 
attend  the  World's  Peace  Congress  held  in  Paris  in  1849. 
Knowing  that  this  overture,  if  not  refused,  would  invite  a 
continued  connection  with  the  American  Peace  Society  and 
consequently  lead   to  a  dissolution   of  his  relations  to  the 


274  HISTORY    OF    ASHBURNHAM. 

church  and  people  of  Ashburnham,  he  accepted  the  proffered 
mission  with  great  reluctance.  Soon  after  his  return  from 
Europe  Mr.  Davis  became  the  secretary  of  the  Peace  Society 
and  tendered  his  resignation  as  pastor  of  this  church.  He 
was  formally  dismissed  May  21,  1851. 

Eev.  Elnathan  Davis,  son  of  Ethan  and  Sarah  (Hubbard) 
Davis,  was  born  in  Holden,  August  19,  1807.  Graduating 
at  Williams  College  1834,  East  Windsor  (Connecticut) 
Theological  Seminary  1836,  he  was  ordained  as  an  evangelist 
at  Holden  in  November  following.  He  labored  in  the  cause 
of  Home  Missions  several  years  in  Indiana  and  Michigan. 
Returning  to  the  East  in  1845  he  was  settled  in  Ashburnham 
the  following  year.  Later  he  was  pastor  of  the  Trinitarian 
church  in  Fitchburg  fourteen  years.  In  1869  he  was  elected 
to  the  Legislature  from  the  Fitchburg  district  and  imme- 
diately after  this  service  he  removed  to  Auburn  and  preached 
there  until  1879  and  there  resided  until  his  death,  April  9, 
1881. 

The  seventh  pastor  was  Rev.  Frederick  A.  Fiske  who  was 
installed  December  30,  1851.  This  was  a  brief  pastorate. 
Mr.  Fiske  came  at  a  season  of  inactivity  in  the  church  and 
indifference  in  the  parish.  If  he  did  not  mingle  with  the 
people  with  the  brotherly  and  ready  sympathy  that  attended 
the  walk  of  Mr.  Davis  and  Mr.  Goodyear,  he  set  before  them 
the  example  of  a  well  ordered  life  and  conversation.  In  the 
pulpit  he  was  unemotional  but  instructive  ;  earnest  but  never 
eloquent ;  his  sermons  were  carefully  written  but  delivered 
with  little  animation.  At  the  close  of  two  years  of  labor  he 
made  a  request  for  an  increase  of  salary.  It  came  at  an 
inopportune  moment.  The  failure  to  accede  to  the  request 
was  chargeable  more  to  the  temporary  condition  of  the  parish 
than  to  the  general  impulses  of  the  people.  With  fraternal 
sentiment  on  other  points  the  relation  was  dissolved  April 
17,  1854. 


ECCLESIASTICAL   HISTORY.  275 

Rev.  Frederick  Augustus  Fiske,  the  son  of  the  Rev. 
Elishu  and  Margaret  (Shepard)  Fiske,  was  born  in  Wren- 
tham,  Massachusetts,  April  15,  1816,  and  was  prepared  for 
college  at  Day's  Academy  in  his  native  town.  After  his 
graduation,  he  at  once  engaged  in  teaching ;  first  as  assistant 
in  Washington  Institute,  New  York  city,  then  in  Norwalk, 
Connecticut,  next  as  principal  of  Monson  Academy  (1833-4), 
later  in  Fall  River,  and  finally  as  principal  of  the  High  School 
in  Clinton.  After  taking  the  full  course  of  three  years  at 
Yale  Theological  Seminary  (from  1847  to  1850),  he  entered 
upon  the  work  of  the  ministry,  being  ordained  pastor  of  this 
church.  For  about  three  years  from  November  16,  1854, 
he  was  pastor  of  the  Congregational  church  in  East  Marsh- 
field,  Massachusetts  ;  for  the  next  eight  years,  principal  of  a 
boarding  school  in  Newton;  from  1865  to  1868,  Superin- 
tendent of  Education  for  North  Carolina,  under  the  Freed- 
men's  Bureau ;  and  from  January  26,  1869,  to  November  28 
of  the  same  year,  pastor  of  the  Congregational  church  in 
Raynham.  The  remaining  years  of  his  life  were  spent  in  the 
service  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  church,  his  ordination  as 
a  deacon  occurring  June  25, 1870,  and  as  a  priest,  November 
5,  1870.  From  July,  1870,  to  May,  1873,  he  was  rector  of 
Trinity  church.  Van  Deusenville ;  from  May,  1873,  to 
September,  1876,  rector  of  St.  Paul's  church,  Brookfield, 
Connecticut;  from  September,  1876,  till  his  death,  rector  of 
Grace  church.  North  Attleborough.  He  died  December  15, 
1878. 

Mr.  Fiske  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  E.  G.  Little,  who  was 
installed  August  22,  1855.  This  was  a  memorable  pastorate. 
In  the  autumn  of  the  first  year  Mr.  Day,  an  evangelist, 
was  joined  with  the  pastor  in  a  series  of  meetings  which  were 
fully  attended.  The  visible  fruit  of  their  labor  is  found  in 
the  record  of  forty-two  admissions  to  the  church  before  the 


276  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNIIAM. 

close  of  the  year.  Mr.  Little  was  a  diligent  pastor.  His 
sermons  were  wrought  with  care,  logical  in  arrangement, 
sometimes  glowing  with  the  warmth  of  an  ardent  nature  and 
always  teaching  the  fundamental  doctrines  of  his  faith.  His 
brief  ministry  in  this  town  was  terminated  at  his  request 
May  13,  1857. 

Elbridge  Gerry  Little  was  born  in  Hampstead,  New 
Hampshire,  November  11,  1817.  He  was  a  son  of  Joseph 
and  Rebecca  (Webster)  Little.  At  an  early  age  he  com- 
menced teaching.  Mainly  meeting  the  expenses  of  a  liberal 
education  by  his  own  efforts,  he  fitted  for  college  under  the 
instruction  of  Prof.  Benjamin  Greenleaf  of  Bradford  and 
entered  the  college  of  Nassau  Hall  at  Princeton,  New  Jersey, 
in  sophomore  year,  graduating  in  the  class  of  1845.  He 
pursued  a  full  course  of  study  at  Princeton  Theological 
Seminary  and  was  licensed  to  preach  in  April,  1848.  His 
first  charge  was  at  Manayunk,  Pennsylvania,  a  suburb  of 
Philadelphia.  Returning  to  New  England  in  1850,  he  was 
installed  over  the  church  in  Merrimack,  New  Hampshire,  in 
September  of  that  year.  After  his  dismissal  fi-om  this 
church  and  after  preaching  a  year  or  more  in  Middleborough 
he  was  installed  over  the  church  in  that  place  April  13,  1859, 
and  dismissed  September  15,  1867.  Mr.  Little  then  removed 
to  Wellesley  where  he  was  mainly  engaged  in  secular  and 
literary  pursuits  until  his  death  which  occurred  December 
29,  1869. 

Succeeding  Mr.  Little,  Rev.  Thomas  Boutelle  supplied  the 
pulpit  nearly  six  years,  from  the  spring  of  1857  to  January, 
1863.  His  health  was  not  firm  and  afforded  so  little  assurance 
of  continued  service  that  a  call  was  not  extended.  The  friend- 
ly offices  of  an  ecclesiastical  council  were  not  invoked  and  the 
neighboring  churches  were  permitted  a  brief  respite  from 
attendance  upon  the  accustomed  solemnities  in  this  place. 


ECCLESIASTICAL   HISTORY.  277 

Mr.  Boutelle  was  greatly  beloved.  His  sympathies  were 
warm  and  constant,  his  friendship  was  enduring  and  his 
interest  in  the  highest  welfare  of  his  charge  was  unabated. 
The  memories  of  this  pastorate  are  savory  and  imperishable. 
With  generous  impulses  was  joined  the  constant  force  of 
superior  mental  endowment  guided  by  wisdom  and  prudence. 
Alwa^'^s  instructive,  sometimes  eloquent,  he  was  at  once  an 
able  and  a  popular  preacher.  In  1862  he  was  elected  to  the 
Legislature  from  the  Winchendon  and  Ashburnham  district. 

Rev.  Thomas  Boutelle,  son  of  James  and  Abigail  (Fair- 
banks) Boutelle,  was  born  in  Leominster,  February  1,  1805. 
He  completed  his  preparatory  studies  at  New  Ipswich  and 
entering  Amherst  College  at  the  age  of  twenty  years  he  was 
graduated  in  the  class  of  1829  and  at  Andover  Theological 
Seminary  1832.  After  a  short  engagement  with  the  Ameri- 
can Educational  Society,  he  was  ordained  and  installed  over 
the  Congregational  church  in  Plymouth,  May  21,  1834; 
dismissed  March  23,  1837.  His  next  charge  was  at  Wood- 
stock, Connecticut,  where  he  remained  twelve  years.  From 
1850  to  1856  he  labored  at  Bath,  New  Hampshire.  At  the 
close  of  his  pastorate  in  this  town  he  removed  to  Fitchburg 
and  there  conducted  a  bookstore,  preaching  occasionally  as 
opportunity  was  offered.  He  died  suddenly  of  heart  disease 
November  28,  1866. 

The  supply  of  Mr.  Boutelle  was  succeeded  by  the  settle- 
ment of  Rev.  George  E.  Fisher  who  was  installed  May  21, 
1863.  It  was  a  successful  ministry.  The  church  was 
united  and  increased  in  membership  and  the  parish  strength- 
ened. His  sermons  were  thoughtful  and  instructive  and  his 
social  relations  were  firmly  supported  by  enduring  friend- 
ship. In  1867  he  represented  the  district  in  the  Legislature. 
His  request  for  a  dismissal  reluctantly  granted  by  the  church 
and  parish  was  approved  by  a  council  convened  September 
2,  1867. 


278  HISTORY    OF    ASHBURNHAM. 

Eev.  George  E.  Fisher,  son  of  Rev.  George  and  Mary 
(Fiske)  Fisher,  was  born  in  Harvard  January  22,  1823. 
Pursuing  his  preparatory  study  under  the  tuition  of  his 
father  and  at  the  Lawrence  Academy  in  Groton,  he  was 
graduated  at  Amherst  College  1846,  and  at  Andover  Theo- 
logical Seminary  1849.  He  was  successively  settled  over 
the  church  in  Rutland  February  27,  1850  ;  the  North  church 
in  Amherst  September  16,  1852 ;  the  church  in  Mason 
Village  (now  Greenville),  New  Hampshire,  June  22,  1859. 
Following  his  removal  from  this  town  Mr.  Fisher  was 
installed  over  the  church  in  South  Hadley  Falls  September 
2,  1867,  and  over  the  East  church  in  Amherst  December  10, 
1879,  where  he  remains  an  active  and  successful  pastor. 

Leaving  Mr.  Fisher,  the  ninth  and  last  minister  who 
received  installation,  the  church  and  parish  entered  an  era 
of  supply  as  yet  unbroken.  The  ministry  has  been  con- 
tinuous and  not  without  a  character  of  stability. 

Rev.  Moody  A.  Stevens  was  employed  three  years  com- 
mencing in  1867.  During  this  period  the  meeting-house 
was  thoroughly  repaired  and  it  is  probal)le  the  progress  of 
his  labor  was  considerably  interrupted  by  the  activities  of 
the  parish.  He  was  a  devoted  man  and  he  earnestly  and 
faithfully  labored  for  the  highest  good  of  his  people.  He  was 
singularly  free  from  ostentation,  prudent  in  his  methods  and 
manifested  a  friendly  interest  in  the  welfare  of  his  parish. 
Being  a  cultured  musician  he  took  a  lively  interest  in  church 
music  and  enlivened  the  social  meetings  with  the  spirit  of 
song.     His  ministry  was  successful. 

Rev.  Moody  A.  Stevens,  son  of  David  and  Elizabeth 
(Ryder)  Stevens,  was  born  in  Bedford,  New  Hampshire, 
February  7,  1828.  He  fitted  for  college  at  Phillips  Acad- 
emy, Andover,  and  at  Exeter,  New  Hampshire,  and  at 
twenty  years    of  age  he  entered  Dartmouth  College.     His 


ECCLESIASTICAL   HISTORY.  279 

health  failed  and  he  did  not  complete  a  course  of  study  at 
that  time.  For  seven  years  he  made  a  thorough  study  of 
music  and  was  a  student  and  instructor  in  Boston  and  in 
St.  Johns,  New  Brunswick.  Subsequently  he  completed 
his  academical  studies  at  the  University  of  New  York  and 
is  a  graduate  of  Union  Theological  Seminary.  In  1861 
he  was  chaplain  four  months  of  the  Second  New  York  City 
Volunteers.  He  was  ordained  and  installed  over  the  church 
in  Plymouth  December  9,  1862.  Since  his  labors  in  this 
town  he  has  supplied  at  Anoka,  Michigan,  and  at  Minne- 
apolis, Minnesota,  and  is  now  temporarily  residing  in 
Boston. 

The  following  six  years  and  until  1876  the  pulpit  was 
supplied  by  Rev.  Leonard  S.  Parker.  He  is  a  man  of 
strong  convictions  but  generous  in  all  his  relations  to  his 
fellow-men.  A  diligent  pastor,  a  frequent  visitor  in  the 
schools,  a  willing  supporter  of  every  laudable  enterprise  the 
pastorate  is  a  record  of  labor  and  substantial  results.  The 
Gushing  Academy  was  opened  while  Mr.  Parker  was 
preaching  in  this  place.  June  10,  1874,  he  was  elected  a 
trustee  of  that  institution  and  is  now  in  duration  of  service 
the  fourth  member  of  the  board. 

Rev.  Leonard  S.  Parker,  son  of  William  and  Martha 
(Tenney)  Parker,  was  born  in  Dunbarton,  New  Hampshire, 
December  6,  1812.  He  pursued  his  preparatory  studies  at 
the  academies  in  Hampton  and  Hopkinton,  New  Hampshire, 
and  at  the  Boston  Latin  School,  and  is  a  graduate  of 
Dartmouth  College  and  Oberlin  Theological  Seminary.  In 
early  life  he  enlisted  in  the  anti-slavery  movement,  and  his 
public  efforts  elicited  the  favorable  notice  of  Giddings  and 
other  pioneers  in  the  cause.  He  has  been  settled  over 
churches  in  Mansfield,  Ohio ;  Providence,  Rhode  Island ; 
West  Brookfield  and  Haverhill ;  and  Derry,  New  Hampshire. 


■280  HISTORY  OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

Following  his  ministry  in  this  town  he  supplied  at  Miller's 
Falls  and  Turner's  Falls,  preaching  each  Sabbath  at 
churches  four  miles  distant  and  having  a  class  in  each 
Sunday-school.  At  the  commencement  of  these  labors  both 
were  mission  churches,  but  during  the  ministry  of  Mr. 
Parker  both  became  self-supporting  and  erected  houses  of 
worship.  At  present  Mr.  Parker  is  acting  pastor  of  the 
Congregational  church  in  Berkley. 

Mr.  Parker  was  immediately  succeeded  by  Rev.  Daniel  E. 
Adams,  who  was  acting  pastor  from  July  16,  1876,  to  July 
5,  1885.  In  duration  the  ministry  of  Mr.  Goodyear  exceeds 
that  of  Mr.  Adams  by  only  a  few  Sabbaths  ;  and,  except  the 
prolonged  ministry  of  Dr.  Gushing,  no  other  pastorate  of 
this  church  has  been  continued  an  equal  length  of  time. 
Assuming  without  hesitation  the  prerogatives  of  his  sacred 
calling,  Mr.  Adams  preached  the  whole  truth  but  with  a 
sincerity  and  kindness  that  provoked  neither  bitterness  nor 
controversy.  In  his  administration  of  the  affairs  of  the 
church  he  pursued  a  pacific  policy  and  his  ministry  was  an 
era  of  concord  and  harmony.  The  memory  of  the  fraternal 
relations  continuoiisly  maintained  in  the  church  and  parish  is 
a  living  tribute  to  his  judicious  ministry  in  the  pulpit  and 
among  the  people.  Of  the  one  hundred  and  fifty  funerals 
attended  by  Mr.  Adams  while  in  this  town,  the  extreme  age 
of  two  of  the  deceased  is  remarkable.  The  funeral  of  Mrs. 
Emma  (Willard)  Skelton,  aged  103  years  and  10  months, 
occun-ed  November  7,  1881,  and  that  of  Golonel  Gharles 
Barrett,  aged  97  years  and  4  months,  June  10,  1885. 

Rev.  Daniel  E.  Adams,  son  of  Rev.  Darwin  and  Gatherine 
(Smith)  Adams,  was  born  in  HoUis,  New  Hampshire,  June 
22,  1832.  His  grandfather  was  Daniel  Adams,  the  author 
of  Adams'  Arithmetic  and  other  popular  school-books,  and 
his  mother  was  the  daughter  of  Rev.  Eli  Smith  of  Hollis, 


it. 


ECCLESIASTICAL   HISTORY.  281 

New  Hampshire.  Graduating  at  Bangor  Theological  Semi- 
nary 1860,  Mr.  Adams  was  ordained  and  installed  over  the 
Second  Congregational  church,  Wilton,  New  Hampshire, 
December  5,  1860,  and  dismissed  May  5,  1876.  Since 
December  5,  1885,  he  has  been  acting  pastor  of  the  Pilgrim 
Congregational  church  of  Southboro.' 

During  several  of  the  intervals  between  the  pastorates  and 
when  called  upon  by  the  sickness  or  absence  of  the  stated 
supply,  Eev.  Josiah  D.  Crosby  of  this  town  has  been  a 
present  help  in  every  time  of  need.  He  supplied  contin- 
uously during  the  absence  of  Mr.  Davis  in  Europe  and  in 
the  aggregate  he  has  preached  more  Sabbaths  than  some  of 
the  pastors  who  have  been  in  charge.  Any  record  of  the 
ministry  of  this  church  would  be  incomplete  without  a 
generous  recognition  of  his  willing  service.  His  interest  in 
the  prosperity  of  the  church  and  parish  has  been  unfailing, 
and  in  matters  of  moment  his  advice  frequently  has  been 
solicited  and  cheerfully  given,  and  to  the  sick  and  the  aged 
he  has  been  an  attentive  friend. 

Rev.  Josiah  Davis  Crosby,  eldest  son  of  Fitch  and  Eebecca 
(Davis)  Crosby,  was  born  in  Ashburnham,  March  1,  1807. 
He  pursued  his  preparatory  studies  at  New  Ipswich  Academy 
and  under  the  tuition  of  Ephraim  M.  Cunningham,  Esq., 
then  a  lawyer  in  Ashburnham.  At  the  age  of  fifteen  years, 
he  entered  Amherst  College  and  not  completing  the  course 
in  that  institution  he  entered  senior  year  at  Union  College 
graduating  in  class  of  1826.  He  studied  theology  at  An- 
dover  and  was  licensed  to  preach  by  the  North  Worcester 
Association  in  1830.  October  4,  1837,  he  was  installed 
colleague  to  the  venerable  Rev.  Laban  Ainsworth  over  the 
church  at  JalFrey  Centre,  New  Hampshire,  and  was  dismissed 
May  18, 1845.  He  supplied  at  New  Buflalo  from  October  1, 
1857,  to  July  1,  1858,  and  from  September  1,  1861,  to 
September  1,  1862. 


282  HISTORY  OF  ASHBURNHAM. 

Here  at  the  close  of  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  years 
the  record  ends.  Nine  ministers  have  lieen  installed  over 
the  church  and  five  have  supplied  about  twenty-five  years. 
The  ministry  of  Mr.  Gushing  was  a  continent  of  time  and  in 
comparison  the  shorter  pastorates  were  little  islands  in  an 
adjacent  sea.  Yet  each  of  them,  influenced  in  some  measure 
by  its  climate,  has  produced  fruit  in  accordance  with  the 
tillage  of  the  vineyard.  The  ministry  has  been  continuous 
and  in  its  character  it  has  been  able  and  substantial.  If  the 
pulpit  has  been  graced  by  none  who  have  electrified  audiences 
and  by  the  power  of  eloquence  have  swayed  the  passions  of 
men,  each  in  his  sphere  has  been  an  acceptable  preacher  and, 
apparently,  more  concerned  to  secure  the  approval  of  his 
Master  than  the  applause  of  men,  has  faithfully  discharged 
his  duty  to  the  church  and  to  the  parish. 

The  offices  of  the  church  in  forming  and  mouldins;  character 
and  in  its  ministrations  to  the  souls  of  men  form  a  part  of  the 
unwritten  history  of  another  world.  The  visible  results  of 
the  record  aggregate  the  admission  of  one  thousand  and 
twenty-six  to  its  membership,  beside  the  few  names  that 
escaped  record  during  the  ministry  of  Mr.  Winchester.  Of 
these,  four  hundred  and  two  have  died  in  full  relations 
and  four  hundred  and  forty  have  been  dismissed,  a  few 
with  censure  but  generally  with  recommendation  to  other 
churches.  There  have  been  convened  sixteen  ecclesiastical 
councils  for  the  settlement  and  dismissal  of  ministers  and 
only  one  in  arbitration  upon  a  proceeding  of  discipline,  and 
this  church  has  been  invited  to  meet  in  nearly  one  hundred 
councils  upon  the  afiairs  of  other  churches. 

Through  all  these  years  the  church  in  Ashburnham  has 
remained  steadfast  to  its  early  principles,  yet  ready  to  accept 
the  enlargement  of  its  creed  which  has  attended  the  progress 
of    the  age.     In  the  succession  of  worshippers   they  have 


ECCLESIASTICAL   HISTORY. 


283. 


borne  the  prayer  and  the  praise  of  four  generations.  In 
blameless  lives,  in  self-denial,  in  devotion  and  in  courage 
they  have  honored  the  fathers  who  planted  the  vine  in  the 
wilderness.  As  a  thousand  tender  memories  warm  the  heart, 
the  influence  of  their  faith  and  devotion,  as  reflected  in  the 
record,  will  Ijecome  the  enduring  inheritance  of  their  suc- 
cessors. 

Since  the  organization  of  the  church  the  following  persons 
have  officiated  as  deacons  : 


Moses  Foster, 

1760, 

resigned  1769,  died  Oct.  17,  1785. 

Samuel  Fellows, 

1760, 

removed  to  Shelburne  1772. 

Tristram  Cheney, 

1769, 

removed  to  Antrim,  N.  H.,  1773. 

John  Willard, 

1772, 

died  July  4,  1793. 

Samuel  Wilder, 

1773, 

died  May  9,  1798. 

Peter  Stone, 

1788, 

removed  to  Townsend  1799. 

Jacob  Harris, 

1788, 

died  in  Windham,  N.  H.,  Sept.  26,  1826. 

Elisha  White, 

1798, 

died  June  14,  1817. 

Sherebiah  Hunt, 

1798, 

died  March  6,  1826. 

Samuel  Ward, 

1817, 

resigned  1843. 

William  J.  Lawrence, 

1819, 

died  July  8,  1844. 

Daniel  Jones, 

1824, 

dismissed  to  Union  Church  1843. 

John  C.  Glazier, 

1836, 

dismissed  to  Methodist  Church,  1857. 

Amos  Taylor, 

1843, 

removed  to  Ashby  1851. 

John  A.  Conn, 

1849, 

removed  to  Fitchburg  1865. 

William  P.  Ellis, 

1849, 

resigned  1862. 

Harvey  Brooks, 

1862, 

removed  to  Gardner. 

David  Laws, 

1865, 

removed  to  Worcester  1871. 

J.  Newton  Hastings, 

1870, 

resigned  1877. 

Charles  E.  Woodward 

, 1870, 

resigned  1877. 

Since  1877  the  deacons  have  been  elected  for  a  limited 
term  but  are  eligible  to  reelection.  The  new  system  com- 
prises the  election  of  two  deacons  every  other  year  for  the 
term  of  four  years.  Under  this  arrangement  the  following 
persons  have  been  chosen  and  are  continued  in  office  : 

J.  Newton  Hastings,  1877. 

Charles  E.  Woodward,        1877. 

Mortimer  M.  Stowe,  1877. 

George  W.  Eddy,  1883. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

ECCLESIASTICAL    HISTORY.  CONTINUED. 

THE      FIRST      MEETING-HOUSE.  VOTES     CONCERNING     THE      EDIFICE.   I'KWS 

CONSTRUCTED. THE    TOWN    AS    A    PARISH.  THE    SALARY    OF    MR.    GUSH- 
ING.    THE    HURRICANE.  THE    SITE    OF    THE    FIRST     MEETING-HOUSE.  

THE    SECOND    MEETING-HOUSE.  PROCEEDINGS    1791. PAINTING    OF    THE 

MEETING-HOUSE.    TOLERATION.    DISSOLUTION       OF      THE       RELATIONS 

BETWEEN    THE    TOWN    AND    THE    CHURCH.    FIRST    PARISH    ORGANIZED. 

CONTENTION      OVER       THE     MINISTERIAL      FUND.  THE      THIRD      MEETING- 
HOUSE.  LOCATION. CONTINUED  HISTORY. THE  EDIFICE  REMODELLED. 

THE    PARSONAGE. 

Conspicuous  in  the  annals  of  Ashburnham  are  the  very 
early  measures  concerning  the  location  and  building  of  the 
first  meeting-house.  The  worship  of  God  in  a  stated  form 
was  a  subject  of  earnest  concern  and  solicitude.  The  "hill 
with  a  very  fair  prospect "  was  fitly  chosen  for  the  site  of 
the  temple  in  the  forest.  The  work  was  not  sufiered  to 
sleep.  At  a  date  which  excites  no  small  measure  of  surprise 
and  far  in  advance  of  other  settlements  a  meeting-house  was 
built  in  1739  or  possibly  very  early  in  1740.  At  a  later 
period,  the  abandonment  of  the  settlement  and,  owing  to 
disturbance  excited  by  continued  war,  the  tardy  return  of 
the  settlers  did  not  permit  its  use  for  many  years ;  but  the 
edifice  inviting  occupancy  remained  as  a  monument  to  the 
enterprise  and  faith  of  its  builders.  True  it  was  a  long  time 
before  it  was  completed  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  proprietors, 

but  through    all  the    period    of  repairs  and  amendments  it 

284 


ECCLESIASTICAL   HISTORY.  285 

could    be    used,    aud    in  the  light  of  the  times  with    some 
degree  of  comfort. 

Rev.  Dr.  Gushing  speaking  midway  between  the  event 
and  the  present  has  preserved  the  information  that  this  was 
the  first  framed  building  erected  in  Ashburnham  and  that 
it  was  raised  by  only  sixteen  men.  It  may  be  inferred  that 
an  event  like  the  raising  of  a  meeting-house  invited  the 
whole  settlement  to  the  scene  of  action.  It  is  more  proba- 
ble that  some  came  from  Lunenburg  than  that  any  settler 
remained  at  home.  At  this  time  the  proprietors  would  not 
be  sustained  in  the  declaration  that  there  were  thirty  men 
residing  here.  The  vote  of  the  proprietors  instructing  Mr. 
Mossman  to  nail  up  the  windows  and  doors,  and  their  com- 
mittal of  this  meeting-house  in  the  wilderness  to  the  care  of 
Him  in  whose  service  it  had  been  reared  and  its  wonderful 
preservation  during  the  French  and  Indian  War,  add  new 
interest  to  its  history.  Reversing  the  traditions  of  the 
temple  of  Janus,  whose  gates  were  thrown  open  in  time  of 
war  and  only  closed  under  the  mild  commands  of  peace,  our 
fathers  closed  their  temple  in  this  season  of  danger  and 
opened  it  not  until  the  land  was  quieted  and  messages  of  a 
sweeter  peace  were  spoken  beneath  its  roof.  The  records 
relate  the  progress  of  the  improvements  made  upon  the 
building  in  the  early  years  of  its  occupancy  and  convey 
impressions  which  would  be  lost  if  stated  in  other  language  : 

1752.  Voted  that  all  the  windows  saving  the  four  lower  windows 

in  the  south  side  of  the  meeting-house,  which  four  win- 
dows are  to  be  glazed,  the  others  to  be  fully  boarded  up 
for  the  present. 

1753.  Voted  that  a  tax  of  ten  shiUings  on  each  right  lawful  money 

be  paid  by  the  third  Wednesday  in  May  next  towards 
finishing  the  meeting-house. 


286  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

1755.  Voted  that  a  tax  of  three  shillings  lawful  money  be  laid  on 
each  right  for  doing  something  for  the  meeting-house  to 
secure  it  from  the  weather. 

1759.  Voted  that  Mr.  Elisha  Coolidge  be  appointed  to  bord  up 
the  window  places  in  the  meeting-house  with  rough 
bords  to  keep  out  the  wet  and  to  make  window  shuts  for 
two  of  the  windows  that  are  most  convenient  to  let  in 
the  light  when  there  shall  be  preaching  there. 

In  1760  a  minister  was  settled  and  in  commemoration  of 
the  event  the  sum  of  forty  pounds,  to  which  eight  pounds 
was  added  the  following  year,  amounting  to  more  than  the 
original   cost  of  construction,  was  expended,  and  now  for- 
the  first  time  was  the  house  referred  to  as  finished. 

Moses  Foster,  Caleb  Wilder  and  Caleb  Dana,  one  resi- 
dent and  two  non-resident  proprietors,  were  chosen  to 
conduct  the  repairs  and  assign  the  several  pews  to  future 
owners.  The  work  was  substantially  completed  before  July 
31,  1760,  for  at  that  time  the  committee  report  the  assign- 
ment of  a  part  of  the  pews.  The  ponderous  pulpit  of  the 
past  century  was  built  upon  the  north  side  of  the  room,  stairs 
were  erected  to  the  unfinished  galleries  and  there  were 
doors  in  the  centre  of  the  three  remaining  sides.  On  the  out- 
side of  the  room,  nineteen  rectangular  pews  or  enclosures, 
constructed  after  the  custom  of  the  time,  occupied  the  spaces 
between  the  pulpit  and  the  doors.  Possibly  there  were 
two  additional  pews  on  the  south  side,  making  twenty-one 
in  all.  The  central  space  surrounded  by  the  pews  was  not 
occupied  at  this  time.  First  west  of  the  pulpit  were  the 
stairs,  and  next  was  the  pew  assigned  to  the  ministry.  The 
next  was  in  the  corner  and  was  given  to  Caleb  Wilder  of 
Lancaster,  and  between  that  and  the  west  door  were  the 
pews  of  Eichard  Dana  and  Moses  Foster,  Jr.  The  first  pew 
south  of  the  west  door  was  assia^ned   to   Jeremiah  Foster. 


ECCLESIASTICAL   HISTORY.  287 

Passing  by  four,  possibly  five  pews  not  assigned,  the  first 
one  west  of  the  south  door  is  given  to  Caleb  Dana  of  Cam- 
bridge who  then  owned  eight  rights  in  the  township.  No 
other  pews  were  then  disposed  of  except  the  five  which 
filled  the  space  between  the  west  door  and  the  pulpit  and 
these  were  given  to  Jonathan  Samson,  Jonathan  Gates, 
John  Moffatt  of  Boston,  Elisha  Coolidge  and  Deacon  Moses 
Foster.  The  pew  of  Mr.  Moifatt  was  in  the  northwest 
corner  and  that  of  Deacon  Foster  was  nearest  the  pulpit. 
The  report  of  the  committee,  each  of  them  having  secured 
a  good  pew  for  himself,  concludes  with  the  remark,  "  the 
remaining  pew  ground  we  have  not  disposed  of  no  other  pro- 
prietors appearing  whom  we  thought  had  the  best  right  to 
pews  there."  This  information  explains  the  omission  in  their 
report  of  the  names  of  James  Coleman,  Thomas  Wheeler, 
John  Bates,  Wright  Brown  and  other  residents. 

The  German  settlers,  a  majority  of  whom  were  members 
of  the  church,  and  others  living  on  the  independent  grants, 
not  being  proprietors,  could  only  come  into  possession  of 
pews  by  purchase  from  some  proprietor  to  whom  one  had 
been  assigned.  Further  proceedings  of  the  proprietors 
were  obstructed  by  the  act  of  incorporation  and  in  this 
condition  the  meeting-house  was  transferred  to  their  legal 
successors. 

Assuming  the  powers  and  duties  of  a  town,  the  inhabi- 
tants of  Ashburnham  in  1765  came  into  possession  and 
control  of  the  first  meeting-house,  and  in  accordance  with 
the  laws  and  usages  of  the  times  the  town  in  its  corporate 
capacity  began  to  exercise  the  functions  of  a  parish.  In  the 
settlement  and  dismissal  of  a  minister  the  church  had  a  con- 
current vote,  but  the  control  and  repair  of  the  meeting- 
house, the  salary  of  the  minister  and  all  other  parochial 
affairs  were  debated  and  detennined  in  open  town  meeting. 


288  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

The  maintenance  of  the  stated  ministrations  of  the  Gospel 
involved  an  outer  and  an  inner  organization ;  the  first  em- 
braced all  the  citizens  of  the  town,  while  the  latter  was 
limited  to  the  membership  of  the  church.  If,  in  the  present 
'light,  such  relations  appear  inconsistent  it  should  be  remem- 
bered that  the  people  generally  were  in  full  sympathy  with 
the  creed  of  the  prevailing  church  and  that  few,  if  any,  were 
unwilling  to  pay  their  proportion  of  the  tax  assessed  upon 
all  for  the  support  of  the  ministry.  Whatever  opposition 
the  system  finally  provoked  in  this  town,  no  suggestion  of 
discontent  was  heard  for  many  years.  The  early  records 
are  a  continued  nan^ative  of  concord  and  harmony.  With 
unusual  unanimity  the  people  mourned  the  loss  of  their  first 
pastor  and  joined  in  the  selection  and  settlement  of  his 
successor. 

During  the  many  years  the  town  continued  to  discharge 
the  offices  of  a  parish  the  settlement  of  Mr.  Gushing  was  the 
only  occasion  it  was  called  upon  to  assume  the  bustle  and 
parade  incident  to  an  ordination  of  the  olden  time.  That 
the  town  realized  the  solemnity  of  the  occasion  and  was  fully 
equal  to  the  emergency  is  fully  demonstrated.  First,  they 
chose  one  of  the  deacons  to  preside  over  the  town  meeting 
at  which  the  important  preliminaries  were  arranged,  and 
then  graciously  admitted  all  the  freeholders  to  the  privilege 
of  voting  on  the  pending  questions.  The  records  portray 
the  gravity  of  these  proceedings. 

Y^  town  Chose  Mr.  John  Gushing  to  settle  in  y*  ministry  by  a 
unanimous  vote,  also  voted  y*  all  y"  freeholders  Should  vote  in 
sum  y*  they  Should  Give  to  y*  minister.  Y^  town  voted  to  give 
Mr.  John  Gushing  one  Hundred  thirty-three  Pounds,  six  shillings 
and  Eight  Pence  for  settlement  to  be  Payd  in  money  and  Labour. 

It  was  eventually  paid  with  great  labor.  After  voting 
that  the  annual  salary  of  Mr.  Gushing  should  be  sixty  pounds 


ECCLESIASTICAL    IIISTOHY.  289 

and  at  the  end  of  seven  3^ears  it  should  be  increased  to 
sixty-six  and  two-thirds  pounds,  the  town  made  choice  of 
Samuel  Wilder,  Elisha  Coolidge  and  Ephraim  Stone  to  com- 
municate these  propositions  to  Mr.  Gushing.  At  a  subse- 
quent meeting  it  was  ordered  "y*  y*"  first  Wednesday  of 
november  next  Should  be  y''  ordination"  (November  2, 
1768).  "Y*^  town  voted  to  send  to  seven  churches  to  y**  ordi- 
nation." "Y""  town  voted  to  Give  Capt.  Wilder  four  Pounds 
to  Provide  for  y"  Counsel  with  this  Proviso  y*  y*"  Cap*"  Should 
Keep  an  exact  acompt  of  y^  Cost  and  if  y*"  town  shall  think 
y'  he  bears  too  1)ig  a  Proportion  y'  they  will  Consider  him." 

The  town  further  stipulated  that  the  salary  should  he  paid 
annually  and  that  one-fourth  of  the  settlement  should  be 
paid  in'  labor  and  directed  that  "  Mr.  Keperlinger  and  Mr. 
Ephraim  Stone  and  William  Joyner  should  be  y°  Committee 
to  see  y*  y*"  work  be  done  as  Mr.  Cushing  wants  it."  The 
financial  problems  being  solved,  there  was  remaining  an 
article  "  to  Chuse  men  to  Keep  y"  Doors  and  Sects  of  y'' 
meeting-house  till  y''  Church  and  Counsel  have  taken  their 
Sects,"  and  a  committee  was  chosen  to  carry  into  efiect  this 
respectful  impulse  of  the  town.  It  is  not  a  duty,  however, 
to  conceal  the  fact  that  a  majority  of  the  voters  on  this 
occasion  were  members  of  the  church  and  consequently  in 
this  polite  attention  to  the  church  and  council  they  were 
tendering  an  acceptable  compliment  to  themselves. 

The  gratuity  granted  Mr.  Cushing  as  a  settlement  in  addi- 
tion to  his  stated  salary  was  in  conformity  with  the  customs 
of  the  time.  It  will  be  remembered  that  by  the  conditions 
of  the  original  charter  of  this  township,  a  right  of  land  was 
bestowed  on  the  first  settled  minister  and  another  reserved 
for  the  use  of  the  ministry.  While  Mr.  Cushing  continued 
to  enjoy  the  use  of  one  reservation  the  other  had  been  given 
unconditionally  to  Mr.  Winchester.     The  conditions   were 


290  HISTORY    OF    ASH  BURN  HAM. 

similar  in  other  towns.  The  custom  of  granting  settlements 
was  designed  to  bestow  on  the  successors  the  same  degree  of 
ftivor  they  had  granted  to  the  first  settled  minister.  To  pay 
the  gratuity  granted  Mr.  Gushing  the  town  borrowed  the 
greater  part  of  Colonel  Caleb  Wilder  of  Lancaster  and  sub- 
sequently cancelled  the  debt  by  clearing  land  with  labor 
which  was  accepted  in  payment  of  taxes. 

It  is  impossible  to  determine  what  benefit  Mr.  Cushing- 
received  from  the  use  of  the  ministerial  lands.  One  lot  was 
sold  in  1794  and  in  consideration  of  his  consent  to  the  sale 
the  town  thereafter  furnished  him  thirty  cords  of  wood 
annually  or  paid  an  equivalent  in  money.  It  is  worthy  of 
note  that  during  the  long  ministry  of  Mr.  Gushing  the 
annual  salary  proposed  in  1768  was  never  changed.  On 
one  or  more  occasions  an  increase  was  ordered  but  the  vote 
was  reconsidered  before  another  payment  was  made.  At 
the  close  of  the  Revolution  remuneration  was  made  for  the 
depreciated  currency  and  later  the  payments  were  rendered 
in  Federal  money,  but  from  the  close  of  the  first  seven  years 
to  the  end  of  his  ministry  the  salary  was  neither  lessened 
nor  increased.  The  salary  of  Mr.  Winchester  was  sixty 
pounds  which  was  paid  by  the  proprietors  until  the  date  of 
incorporation.  The  town  assumed  the  original  contract  and 
continued  to  pay  the  same  amount. 

Scarcely  had  the  town  succeeded  to  the  control  of  aifairs 
before  a  storm  came  and  beat  upon  the  meeting-house. 
Contrary  to  either  scriptural  precedent  it  neither  stood  nor 
fell.  The  gale  in  the  summer  of  1766  moved  the  building 
from  its  foundation  but  the  injury  was  repaired.  Referring 
to  this  event,  Dr.  Gushing  states,  "that  in  the  summer  of 
1766  a  hurricane  passed  over  this  hill  and  made  a  wreck  of 
the  meeting-house,  and  moved  it  to  the  north  and  to  the  east 
two  or  three  feet.     It  was  thought  at  first  that  it  could  not 


ECCLESIASTICAL   HISTORY.  291 

be  repaired  1)ut  it  was  and  stood  until  1791;"  or  in  the 
language  of  Tristram  Cheney,  "The  house  of  public  worship 
has  lately  been  struck  by  a  hurricane  and  the  cost  to  repair 
cannot  be  less  than  £80."  The  following  year  and  about 
three  months  l)efore  the  death  of  Mr.  Winchester,  Samuel 
Fellows,  Tristram  Cheney  and  Elisha  Coolidge  were  in- 
structed to  brace  up  the  galleries  and  to  repair  the  roof.  A 
corner  of  a  leaf  of  the  records  is  gone  and  an  account  of  these 
repairs  is  partially  lost,  but  Jeremiah  Foster,  Jr.,  was  paid 
four  shillings  and  eight  pence  "  for  peeling  the  bark  for  the 
meeting-house,"  which  probably  was  used  in  repairing  the 
roof.  The  next  repairs  were  under  a  vote  to  lay  the  floor 
in  the  front  gallery,  build  a  pair  of  stairs  in  the  southwest 
corner  and  mend  the  glass.  This  was  followed  by  an  order 
in  1771,  ''to  give  Jacob  Harris,  Daniel  Priest,  Peter  Joslin, 
Samuel  Joslin,  Oliver  Wilder,  Francis  Dickerson  and  John 
Oberlock,  Jr.,  the  room  in  the  front  gallery,  behind  the  seats 
that  are  now  built,  to  build  a  long  pew  on."  At  the  same 
meeting  a  committee  was  appointed  "  to  seat  the  meeting- 
house according  to  age  and  pay." 

In  1772,  the  meeting-house  was  underpinned  in  a  sub- 
stantial manner  and  to  keep  pace  with  the  increase  in  popu- 
lation additional  accommodations  were  arranged  in  the  un- 
occupied portions  of  the  galleries.  At  this  time  the  glass 
was  set  in  the  remainder  of  the  windows  and  the  following 
year  it  was  decreed  that  "  eight  persons  that  will  be  at  the 
cost  of  finishing  off  the  room  behind  the  seats  on  the  west 
side  of  the  gallery  may  have  it,"  and  "  likewise  eight  other 
persons  may  have  the  east  side  at  the  same  rate." 

Notwithstanding  these  repeated  measures  "to  finish  the 
meeting-house,"  it  is  probable  that  even  in  the  estimation  of 
our  fathers  it  never  was  finished  and  that  further  work  was 
delayed  by  the  Revolution  and  later  by  the  contemplation  of 


292  HISTORY   OF   ASH13URNIIAM. 

a  new  and  more  commodious  house.  In  the  condition  set 
forth  in  the  records  and  confirmed  by  tradition  the  town  con- 
tinued to  occupy  it  and  to  compensate  in  some  measure  the 
decay  of  years  until  near  the  close  of  the  century.  Beneath 
its  unpretentious  roof  Mr.  Winchester  was  accustomed  to 
meet  his  flock  and  here  Mr.  Gushing  expounded  the  doctrines 
of  his  faith  during  the  first  twenty-three  years  of  his  pro- 
longed ministry.  Before  its  humble  altar  two  hundred  or 
more  were  admitted  to  the  church  and  over  six  hundred 
children  were  presented  for  the  ordinance  of  baptism.  It  is 
supposed  that  none  are  now  living  who  ever  entered  within 
its  primitive  walls.  It  humbly  served  its  day  and  generation 
and  the  first  meeting-house  in  Ashburnham  will  ever  remain 
a  conspicuous  figure  in  the  annals  of  the  settlement.  Actu- 
ated by  this  sentiment,  the  town,  in  1882,  erected  an  appro- 
priate tablet  on  the  ground  where  it  stood,  both  as  a  memorial 
of  the  past  and  as  an  index  directing  future  generations  to  a 
locality  around  which  the  earliest  and  most  sacred  memories 
of  the  town  will  linger  with  unfailing  delight.  The  cere- 
monies occurred  July  4,  and  an  appropriate  address  was 
delivered  by  Melvin  O.  Adams,  Esq. 

The  inference  is  just  and  honorable  to  our  fathers  that  a 
decision  to  remove  the  old  house  was  not  reached  until  the 
increasing  wealth  and  population  of  the  town  demanded  a 
more  pretentious  and  commodious  structure.  How  long  or 
how  earnestly  the  question  of  building  a  new  meeting-house 
was  debated,  what  arguments  were  presented  on  either  side, 
with  what  reverence  they  regarded  the  old,  or  with  what 
anticipations  they  contemplated  a  new  house,  cannot  now  be 
determined.  The  decision  was  not  reached  without  serious 
conference  and  debate  among  individuals,  but  so  far  as  the 
town  is  concerned,  the  decisive  blow  was  struck  without  a 
note  of  warning  or  any  bustle  of  preparation.     A  warrant 


ECCLESIASTICAL   HISTORY.  293 

for  a  town  meeting  issued  October  16,  1789,  contains  the 
first  reference  to  the  subject.  It  was  then  proposed  "to  see 
if  the  town  are  willing  to  build  a  new  Meeting  House  and  to 
pass  such  votes  as  shall  be  necessary  for  that  purpose,  viz.  : 
to  agree  upon  a  spot  of  land  to  set  said  House  and  to  choose 
Committees  that  may  appear  to  be  necessary  to  carry  on  the 
work."  The  meeting  was  assembled  October  30  and  the 
record  proceeds  :  "  The  question  being  put  whether  the  Town 
are  willing  to  build  a  new  meeting-house  and  it  passed  in  the 
affirmative.  Also  voted  to  set  the  new  house  as  near  the 
other  meeting-house  as  may  be  and  not  to  place  it  on  the 
same  ground.  Also  voted  to  choose  a  committee  of  seven 
persons  to  make  a  draft  of  a  meeting-house  and  chose  Mr. 
Caleb  Kendall,  Mr.  Samuel  Foster,  Lieut.  Munroe,  Samuel 
Wilder,  Col.  Lane,  Mr.  Joseph  Whitmore  and  Lieut.  John 
Adams  for  said  committee  and  then  said  meeting  was 
adjourned  to  the  6th  day  of  November  next."  This  com- 
mittee is  charged  with  grave  responsibilities.  To  present  a 
single  plan  that  would  be  accepted  by  a  majority  of  their 
townsmen  is  no  ordinary  undertaking. 

While  they  are  studying  the  models  found  in  the  older 
towns,  we  are  left  at  liberty  to  notice  the  measure  of  respect 
shown  them  in  prefixing  titles  to  their  names.  With  one 
exception  all  are  honored  with  a  title,  and  in  the  solitary 
omission  Samuel  Wilder  modestly  announces  that  he  was  the 
clerk  who  made  the  record.  Formerly,  the  law  of  usage  in 
regard  to  civic,  military  and  ecclesiastical  titles  was  inex- 
orable. Whenever  an  individual  was  advanced  from  the 
plane  of  mediocrity  to  the  honors  of  a  deacon,  a  justice  or 
military  command,  his  name  was  subsequently  spoken  and 
written  in  connection  with  the  distinguishing  title  which 
announced  the  rank  and  new  importance  of  the  individual. 
Samuel  Wilder  was  a  captain  and  a  deacon  but  he  was  never 
styled  Captain  Wilder  after  he  had  reached  the  honors  of  a 


•294  HISTORY   OF   ASHBUENHAM. 

deacon ;  but  when  he  was  commissioned  a  justice  of  the 
peace,  Esquire  Wilder  rose  in  triumph  over  his  former  self. 
The  following  scholiums  are  apparent.  In  the  former  em- 
ployment of  titles  many  nice  discriminations  were  made.  A 
deacon  was  next  in  honor  and  importance  above  a  captain, 
while  an  esquire  easily  ranked  both  the  deacon  and  the 
captain  and  even  contested  honors  with  the  major  and  the 
colonel. 

The  town  being  assembled  according  to  adjournment  a 
matured  plan  was  presented  for  the  consideration  of  the 
town  : 

The  Committee  chosen  the  30""  of  October  last  have  made  the 
following  draft  of  a  meeting-house  viz  :  that  said  House  be  sixty 
feet  in  length  and  fortj'-five  feet  in  width,  twenty-six  feet  between 
joints  with  two  porches  and  a  cover  over  the  front  door ;  with  an 
elder's  seat  for  people  who  are  hard  of  hearing  between  the 
deacons  seat  and  the  pulpit ;  70  Pewes  :  46  below  and  twenty-four 
above.  The  Pewes  to  be  sold  at  Vendue  to  the  highest  bidder. 
Boards  and  Shingles  and  Clapboards  to  be  got  in  the  same  wa}'. 
The  Committee  propose  to  begin  to  fraim  the  house  on  the  20"" 
of  May  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  1791.  The  question  was  then 
asked  whether  the  report  should  be  accepted  and  it  passed  in  the 
affirmative.  It  was  then  voted  to  choose  nine  men  to  be  a  com- 
mittee to  direct  the  building  of  the  new  meeting-house.  Also 
voted  to  set  the  new  meeting-house  back  so  far  as  the  bur3'ing 
yard  wall  and  that  the  east  end  of  the  house  be  placed  six  feet 
east  of  the  west  end  of  the  old  house. 

The  length  of  both  meeting-houses  extended  from  east  to 
west.  The  new  house  was  a  short  distance  north  of  the  old 
and  extended  westerly  fifty-four  feet  beyond  it.  There  is  no 
record  of  the  choice  of  the  committee  of  nine  ordered  by  the 
town,  but  incidental  references  to  the  progress  of  the  worls;, 
under  the  direction  of  a  building  committee,  render  it 
certain  that  such  a  committee  was  chosen.  And  at  a  subse- 
quent meeting  it   was  "  voted  to  dismiss   the  old  committee 


ECCLESIASTICAL   IIISTUllY. 


295 


for  building-  the  meeting-house  and  chose  Sanuiel  Wilder, 
Joshua  Smith,  Esq.,  and  Samuel  Foster  a  committee  to 
compleat  the  work." 


The  new  committee  vigorously  forwarded  the  work.  The 
frame  Avas  raised  May  24  and  the  house  was  completed 
November  4,  1791.  Three  days  later  the  town  accepted  the 
tinal  report  of  the  committee,  and  the  new  meeting-house 
was  dedicated  with  appropriate  ceremonies  on  the  tenth  of 
the  same  month.  In  anticipation  of  the  completion  of  the 
house  the  pews  were  sold  and  the  })roceeds  of  the  sale  was 
applied  to  the  cost  of  construction.  The  records  atford  very 
little  information  concerning  the  cost  of  the  house.  The 
town  appropriated  in  all  one  hundred  and  sixty  pounds,  and 
added  to  this  sum  the  amount  received  from  the  sale  of  the 
old  house  which  was  torn  down  in  October.  It  is  therefore 
apparent  that  the  greater  part  of  the  cost  of  the  new  meeting- 
house was  paid  with  money  received  from  the  sale  of  the 
pews. 


296  HISTORY   OF   ASHBUHNHAM. 

In  1808,  the  town  paid  Jacob  Fairbanks  for  building  four 
additional  pews  on  tlie  ground  floor.  Tliese  were  sold  at 
auction  for  the  sum  of  three  hundred  and  ninety-two  dollars. 
The  proceeds  of  this  sale  was  the  origin  of  the  pew  notes 
which  became  a  bone  of  contention  between  the  town  and 
the  parish. 

To  paint  the  new  meeting-house  in  becoming  color  next 
demanded  the  attention  and  united  wisdom  of  the  town. 
Every  citizen  was  privileged  to  vote  and  it  was  the  concur- 
rent taste  of  the  town  that  "the  color  should  be  a  pea  green." 
The  meeting  was  asseml^led  at  a  season  of  the  year  when  the 
vernal  sun  first  begins  to  warm  the  brown  and  russet  fields 
which  gayly  respond  with  the  springing  blade  and  bursting 
leaf,  and  in  warm  sympathy  with  nature  as  she  paints  the 
earth  in  the  fresh  liveries  of  green,  the  town  produces  its 
first  poem.  For  some  reason  there  was  a  delay  in  carrying 
the  vote  into  effect.  At  a  meeting  assembled  March  2,  1798, 
having  escaped  an  inspiration  to  copy  the  yellow  of  the 
harvest  or  the  crimson  and  gold  of  the  autumn,  and  behold- 
ing the  earth  covered  with  the  snow  and  ice  of  winter,  they 
consistently  resolve  to  reconsider  the  former  vote  and  to 
paint  the  meeting-house  white. 

The  town  continued  in  the  faithful  performance  of  the 
auxiliary  offices  of  a  parish  until  1824.  The  causes  which 
led  to  the  dissolution  of  the  long  estal^lished  relations  between 
the  town  and  the  church  are  apparent.  The  system  was  not 
in  harmony  with  the  spirit  of  our  Government.  In  the  dual 
organization,  the  members  of  the  church  and  those  in  full 
sympathy  with  them  were  a  majority  of  the  town,  and  by 
their  controlling  voice  the  minority  were  annually  taxed 
under  a  continued  protest.  The  spirit  of  tolerance  some- 
times abated  a  resisted  tax,  but  it  presented  no  argument  in 
support  of  the  general    principles    involved.      Indeed,    the 


ECCLESIASTICAL   HISTORY.  297 

majority,  conscious  of  the  injustice  of  the  system,  setured 
its  continuance  many  years  by  the  exercise  of  a  commend- 
able degree  of  tolerance  to  those  Avho  stoutly  resisted,  yet 
excusing  the  act  in  a  plea  of  the  sacred  use  to  which  the 
money  was  devoted,  they  exacted  tribute  from  all  who  only 
passively  objected.  Like  every  revolution  of  a  system  the 
beginning  was  remote  from  the  end  and  early  efforts  produced 
no  immediate  effect.  Manifestations  of  discontent  and  the 
responsive  answers  of  a  spirit  of  tolerance  gradually  led  to 
the  abatement  of  so  considerable  a  part  of  the  taxes  assessed 
that  the  system  was  practically  overthrown  some  years  before 
the  outward  forms  were  abandoned.  During  the  last  year 
of  this  nominal  connection,  warrants  for  town  meetings  for 
the  transaction  of  parochial  business  were  addressed  to  all 
the  inhabitants  qualified  to  vote  who  are  members  of  the 
Congregational  society.  The  town  clerk  attended  these 
meetings  and  recorded  the  proceedings  in  the  town  records. 
Under  this  amended  system,  the  town  only  assessed  those 
for  the  support  of  the  parish  whose  consent  was  first  obtained. 
This  procedure  virtually  created  a  voluntary  parish  for  which 
the  town  was  onl}^  an  agent  and  in  such  capacity  continued 
to  call  meetings  and  to  assess  and  collect  the  annual  taxes. 
In  principle  it  was  an  amendment  on  the  former  system,  con- 
taining the  germ  which  speedily  developed  in  the  organization 
of  a  permanent  religious  society. 

Among  the  many  votes  of  the  town  expressive  of  public 
sentiment  on  the  subject  of  the  preceding  paragraph  is  an 
order  adopted  in  1781  that  Jacob  Willard,  Jacob  Kiblinger, 
John  Kiblinger,  Nathan  Bigelow,  Jacob  Constantine,  Joshua 
Holden,  Elisha  Coolidge,  Ebenezer  Conant,  Jr.,  and  Jonathan 
Taylor  be  excused  from  the  payment  of  a  minister  tax  for 
that  year.  In  1797  Colonel  Francis  Lane  was  excused  from 
the  payment  of  the  same  tax.     Immediately  after  the  com- 


298  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

pletioii  of  the  second  meeting-house,  m  response  to  the 
request  of  certain  individuals,  the  town  "Voted  that  the 
Baptist  Society  have  leave  to  meet  in  the  new  meeting-house 
on  week  days  for  religious  worship  by  applying  to  the  door- 
keeper for  the  keys.  Also  when  it  shall  so  happen  that  the 
Church  and  Congregation  usually  meeting  in  said  house  are 
destitute  of  a  preacher  and  do  not  want  to  use  said  house  on 
the  Sabbath  that  said  Baptist  Society  shall  have  leave  to 
meet  in  said  house.'"  Encouraged  by  this  proceeding  the 
town  was  requested  "  to  abate  the  minister  tax  laid  on  the 
non-resident  lands  owned  by  the  Baptists."  Upon  this 
proposition  the  town  voted  in  the  negative.  The  final  paro- 
chial service  of  the  town  occurred  in  1823  and  IS 24.  The 
town  assumed  the  expenses  of  the  funeral  of  Rev.  Dr. 
Cushing  amounting  to  $65.45,  and  continued  the  salary  until 
the  following  November.  It  also  joined  with  the  church  in 
extending  a  call  to  Eev.  George  Perkins  and  directed  the 
arrangements  for  his  ordination.  These  offices  at  the  eve  of 
a  dissolution  of  the  relations  between  the  town  and  the  church 
were  a  fitting  conclusion  of  a  continued  and  honorable  service. 
So  far  as  the  town  was  concerned,  the  only  remaining  topics 
of  a  kindred  nature  were  the  custody  of  the  meeting-house 
and  the  control  of  the  ministerial  funds.  The  debate  on 
these  points  between  the  town  and  the  Congregational  society 
can  be  presented  more  clearly  after  the  other  party  to  the 
controversy  has  been  introduced. 

The  causes  which  suggested  the  organization  of  an  inde- 
pendent parish  consecutively  follow  those  which  led  to  the 
termination  of  the  former  relations.  In  the  early  history  ot 
the  town  nearly  all  the  inhabitants  were  united  in  matters  of 
religion  and  they  adopted  the  readiest  and  most  feasible 
method  of  sustaining  public  worship.  The  removal  into 
town  of  families  of  other  denominations   and  the  alienation 


ECCLESIASTICAL   HISTORY.  299 

of  as  many  from  the  standing  church  and  particidarlj  the 
rapid  growth  of  the  Methodist  society,  and  the  bolder  inde- 
pendence of  those  who  adhered  to  neither  tlie  Orthodox ^ 
Methodist,  Baptist  nor  any  other  creed,  made  it  clearly 
apparent  that  every  denomination  should  assume  the  control 
and  management  of  its  prudential  affairs.  The  expediency 
of  such  an  organization  was  seriously  debated  during  the  last 
years  of  the  ministry  of  Dr.  Gushing.  Indeed,  an  association 
at  that  time  was  formed  but  "  The  Congregational  Society  or 
First  Parish"  did  not  have  a  legal  existence  until  April  27, 
1824,  a  short  time  after  the  settlement  of  Rev.  George 
Perkins.  At  that  date  the  society  assumed  the  offices  of  a 
parish  and  has  continued  an  efficient  ally  of  the  church  with 
which  it  has  been  connected  until  the  present  time.  The 
petition  for  a  meeting  of  organization,  dated  April  8,  1824, 
was  signed  by  Ivers  Jewett,  Oliver  Marble,  Charles  Barrett, 
Elisha  White,  Fitch  Crosby,  Asa  Woods,  Grover  Scollay, 
Joshua  Townsend,  Abraham  Lowe,  Joseph  Rice  and  Dod- 
dridge Cushing.  That  eighty-one  or  more  members  were 
present  at  the  first  meeting  is  shown  by  a  statement  in  the 
records  that  "the  whole  number  of  votes  for  a  clerk  of  the 
parish  was  81  and  all  for  Charles  Barrett."  At  the  same 
meeting  over  which  Timothy  Stearns  was  called  to  preside, 
Joseph  Jewett,  Esq.,  Elias  Lane  and  Walter  Russell  were 
selected  for  assessors.  The  duties  of  this  office  were  more 
onerous  than  the  term  suggests.  In  addition  to  the  assess- 
ment of  taxes  the  assessors  were  expected  to  oversee  all  the 
prudential  concerns  of  the  society.  At  this  meeting  the  sum 
of  four  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  was  raised  to  pay  the  salary 
of  the  minister  and  by  the  following  vote  the  unsettled 
questions  with  the  town  were  introduced.  "Voted  that  the 
assessors  be  a  committee  to  look  up  the  funds  of  the  society 
laying  in  the  hands  of  the  selectmen." 


300  HISTORY   OF    ASHBURNHAM. 

This  fund  consisted  of  certain  money  and  credits  derived 
from  the  sale  of  the  ministerial  lands  and  ths  residue  of  the 
sale  of  the  pews  in  the  second  meeting-house.  This  action 
of  the  society  explains  in  a  measure  a  vote  of  the  town  on  the 
first  day  of  November  "  to  choose  a  committee  of  four  to  join 
with  the  selectmen  to  meet  with  the  committee  of  the  Con- 
gregational Society  or  First  Parish  to  regulate  the  ministerial 
funds  and  the  pew  notes  if  they  belong  to  said  society  and 
give  them  up  to  said  society.  Chose  George  E.  Cushing, 
Dr.  Abraham  Lowe,  Oliver  Samson  &  Capt.  John  ^Villard. 
Voted  to  choose  two  more  men  to  add  to  the  committee  and 
chose  Joseph  Jewett  and  I  vers  Jewett."  The  selectmen  for 
the  time  being  were  Silas  Willard,  Hezekiah  Corey  and 
John  Adams,  Jr. 

This  was  an  able  committee  and  it  represented  both  sides 
of  the  pending  question.  Mr.  Cushing,  Dr.  Lowe,  Joseph 
and  Ivers  Jewett  were  active  members  of  the  Congregational 
society,  while  Silas  Willard,  John  Willard,  Mr.  Samson  and 
Mr.  Corey  Avere  equally  prominent  in  the  ]Methodist  society. 
John  Adams,  Jr.,  held  the  balance  of  power  in  case  the 
deliberations  of  the  committee  were  influenced  by  selfish 
motives  or  denominational  proclivities.  It  was  undoubtedly 
at  the  suggestion  of  members  of  the  Congregational  society 
that  the  Jewetts  were  added  to  the  committee  in  order  to 
secure  a  stronger  representation  in  its  councils.  The  result 
of  their  deliberations  was  laid  before  the  town  at  a  meeting 
assembled  April  4,  1825,  in  the  following  report  : 

The  committee  chosen  at  the  town  meeting  ou  the  first  day  of 
November  last  for  the  purpose  of  making  a  division  of  the  minis- 
terial fund  and  propert}-  belonging  to  the  first  parish  met  at  Jewett 
&  Woods'  store,  and  beg  leave  to  report  viz  :  chose  I.  Jewett 
clerk. 

2*^  On  motion  voted  that  all  votes  passed  by  said  committee 
be  laid  before  the  town  at  their  next  annual  March  meeting. 


ECCLESIASTICAL   IIISTOUY.  301 

3''     Voted  that  the  First  Parish  in  said  town  of   Ashburnham 
shall  draw  the  interest  of  the  Pew  Notes. 

4*     Voted  that  the  said  First  Parish  shall  draw  the  interest  of 
one  half  of  the  ministerial  and  school  funds. 

5*     Voted  that  the  clerk  and  chairman  sign  the  above  report. 

Chairman  of 


SILAS  WILLARD,,^^^  Committee. 


I.  Jewett,  Clerk. 


To  the  school  fund  the  parish  laid  no  claim  and  it  is  prob- 
able through  careless  methods  in  the  conduct  of  town  busi- 
ness it  had  been  united  so  long  with  the  ministerial  fund 
that  the  identit}^  of  each  was  lost.  Since  the  two  funds  were 
derived  from  the  sale  of  equal  parcels  of  land,  neither  Avould 
greatly  exceed  the  other  in  value.  It  appears  to  have  been 
the  intention  of  the  committee  to  reserve  the  interest  of  the 
school  fund  for  the  town  and  to  bestow  the  interest  of  the 
ministerial  fund  on  the  parish.  To  these  recommendations 
the  town  was  not  favorably  inclined  and  refused  to  adopt 
any  of  the  votes  suggested  by  the  committee.  '  In  the  mean 
time  the  following  petition  had  been  presented  to  the  select- 
men and  a  town  meeting  had  been  called  to  consider  the 
same  questions  in  another  form. 

To  the  Gentlemen,  Selectmen  of  the  town  of  Ashburnham: 

We  the  undersigned  inhabitants  of  the  said  town  request  you  to 
insert  an  article  in  your  next  March  meeting  warrant  "  To  see  if 
the  town  will  give  up  to  the  Congregational  Society  or  First  Parish 
in  said  town  the  ministerial  fund  belonging  to  said  parish  it  being 
for  what  the  ministerial  land  was  sold  for,  Also  the  notes  that  are 
in  the  Treasury  which  were  given  for  pews  sold  in  the  meeting- 
house belonging  to  said  Society  or  Parish  with  the  interest  on  the 
aforesaid  notes  for  one  year  last  past." 


302  HISTORY   OF  ASHBURNHAM. 

AsHBURNHAM,  Feb.  12,  1825. 

Joseph  Jewett 
Abraham  T.  Lowe 
David  Gushing 
D.  Gushing 
Oliver  Green 
Jonas  Nutting 
Grant  Houston 
John  Galdwell 

An  article  was  duly  inserted  in  the  warrant  and  a  decision 
was  finally  reached  : 

Voted  to  give  the  ministerial  fund  and  the  pew  notes  to  the  First 
Parish  in  said  town  of  Ashburnham  agreeable  to  the  request  of 
Joseph  Jewett  and  others  and  the  selectmen  are  required  to  give 
orders  accordingly. 

In  pursuance  of  this  liberal  course  on  the  part  of  the  town 
the  funds  were  transferred  to  the  custody  and  possession  of 
the  Congregational  society.  For  ten  years  the  decision  was 
accepted  as  final  and  so  far  as  evidence  is  found  it  was 
generally  regarded  as  just  and  proper.  From  what  motive 
the  question  was  opened  and  the  controversy  renewed  would 
be  diificult  to  determine.  In  a  warrant  for  the  annual  meet- 
ing in  1835  the  heralds  declare  that  the  armistice  is  ended 
and  the  contestants  who  have  rested  on  their  arms  for  a 
decade  are  again  summoned  to  renewed  hostilities. 

To  see  if  the  town  will  reconsider  the  vote  that  was  passed  in 
1825  ;  the  town  then  voting  that  the  pew  notes  and  other  property 
in  fund,  originally  belonging  to  the  town,  into  the  hands  of  the 
clerk  or  treasurer  of  the  First  Parish  and  also  to  choose  a  com- 
mittee to  examine  into  all  those  funds  and  to  see  what  part  thereof 
rightfully  belongs  to  the  first  parish  and  have  the  other  put  right. 


ecclp:siastical  history.  303 

On  the  first  clause,  the  town  took  no  action  but  chose  a 
committee  of  five  to  make  the  specified  examination.  This 
committee  consisted  of  George  R.  Gushing,  Charles  Hast- 
ings, Jr.,  Dr.  Nathaniel  Pierce,  Silas  Willard  and  Ebenezer 
Frost.  Mr.  Gushing  was  the  only  earnest  friend  of  the 
parish  and  he  refused  to  join  with  the  others  in  the  follow- 
ing report : 

Your  committee,  chosen  at  the  March  meeting  to  investigate  the 
state  of  the  funds  arising  from  the  sale  of  school  and  ministry 
lands  and  other  property  &c,  have  attended  to  that  duty  and  ask 
leave  to  report.  Your  committee  find  by  the  Proprietors  Book  of 
Records  that  the  tract  of  land  now  called  Ashburnham  was  granted 
to  sixty  soldiers  or  individuals  or  their  heirs  who  served  in  the 
Canada  Expedition  as  a  bounty  for  their  services  by  the  General 
Court  of  the  Province  of  Massachusetts  Bay,  and  said  Court  in 
their  grant  reserved  lots  of  land  viz :  one  to  the  first  settled 
Minister,  one  for  the  Ministry,  one  for  the  school ;  and  the  sixty 
Proprietors  of  the  Township  six  miles  square  then  called  Dor- 
chester Canada,  gave  one  lot  in  each  division  (as  it  appears  they 
made  four  divisions)  it  being  four  lots  in  all  for  the  Minister,  four 
for  the  Ministry  and  four  for  the  school  with  Equivalents.  Also 
the  Proprietors  gi-anted  one  lot  of  ten  acres  where  the  meeting- 
house stands,  provided  the  town  build  and  keep  a  house  thereon 
for  Public  "Worship.  The  lots  granted  to  the  first  settled  minister 
seem  to  have  been  disposed  of  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  "Winchester.  Your 
committee  find  by  the  records  that  the  town  voted  and  chose  agents 
to  sell  the  public  lands  and  we  find  by  the  records  that  some  of 
the  Ministry  and  School  lots  were  sold  and  the  interest  applied  in 
buying  the  Rev.  Mr.  Cushing's  fire  wood,  and  the  said  funds  have 
ever  since,  except  a  small  part,  been  retained  in  the  hands  of 
agents  or  persons  then  belonging  to  the  first  parish  but  have  since 
alienated  themselves  from  the  old  meeting-house  Elsewhere  for 
public  worship  and  they  have  seized  upon  the  school  fund  or  a 
part  thereof  contrary  to  any  vote  of  said  town  and  carried  it  away 
with  them.     Therefore  your  committee,  after  due  consideration, 


304  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

resolves  that  the  town  pass  a  vote  to  return  the  funds  that  was 
given  to  said  town  for  the  use  of  the  ministry  to  the  hands  of  the 
town  treasurer,  there  to  remain  a  fund  according  to  the  appropria- 
tion. Resolved  as  we  find  by  records  and  a  parchment  plan  of 
said  town,  that  the  common  land  that  has  been  sold  and  deeded 
for  ministry  land  the  amount  of  such  should  be  returned  to  the 
treasury  for  its  proper  use.  Resolved  that  as  the  town  sold  Pews 
in  the  old  meeting-house  on  conditions  that  the  amount  they  sold 
for  should  be  funded  and  the  interest  of  said  fund  be  appropriated 
to  repair  the  meeting-house,  that  the  principal  with  the  interest  be 
returned  to  the  treasury  to  be  kept  for  that  purpose.  Resolved 
that  those  membei's  or  agents  that  have  alienated  from  the  old 
Bieeting-house  elsewhere  for  public  worship  deliver  to  the  hands  of 
the  town  treasurer  the  amount  of  monies  that  accrued  from  the 
sale  of  school  lands  with  the  interest  that  it  may  be  applied 
agreeable  to  the  appropriation.  Resolved  that  the  town  pass  a 
vote  and  agree  with  some  person  residing  near  said  meeting-house, 
to  take  and  keep  the  kej'  of  said  house  so  that  the  Baptists  may 
occupy  the  same  for  Religious  Worship  agreeable  to  a  vote  of 
said  town. 

Should  the  agents  or  members,  belonging  formerly  to  the  first 
parish  or  old  meeting-house,  but  have  since  alienated  themselves 
with  monies  or  property  belonging  thereto,  refuse  to  compty  with 
these  terms, 

Resolved  that  the  town  pass  a  vote  authorizing  the  committee 
or  agents  to  prosecute  forthwith  to  final  judgment. 

CHARLES    HASTINGS,    Jr.,    ")  ^ 

CTT     AC       -ITTTTT     ATlT^v  /      COmmitteC 

SILAS   WILLARD,  [ 

NATHANIEL   PIERCE,  (       ^^ 

EBENEZER   FROST,  J  ^^"* 

May  4,  1835. 

The  report  was  accepted  but  none  of  the  recommendations 
were  adopted.  The  town  clerk  found  employment  in  its 
entry  upon  the  records  but  no  other  result  ensued.  How- 
ever,   the   general   issue,    which  was   crushed   beneath   the 


ECCLESIASTICAL   HISTORY.  305 

weight  of  this  ponderous  report,  was  referred  to  Charles 
Stearns,  Asahel  Corey  and  Kilburn  Harwood,  with  instruc- 
tions to  meet  a  like  committee  of  the  Congregational  society 
"with  the  vicAV  to  ascertain  more  fully  the  rights  of  the 
town  and  parish  in  said  funds." 

An  early  report  from  this  committee  was  also  accepted 
but  no, trace  of  its  recommendations  has  been  found.  At 
the  succeeding  meeting  the  town  "voted  to  accept  of  the 
ministerial  fund,"  but  through  a  failure  of  the  society  to 
pass  a  responsive  vote  to  give  it  up,  the  vote  at  once  ex- 
pressed the  willingness  and  the  inability  of  the  town  to 
secure  it.  Through  the  last  stage  of  the  controversy  the 
society  had  the  advantage  of  possession  and  during  the  pro- 
longed demonstrations  of  the  town  they  continued  to  fortify 
their  position  with  a  dignified  silence.  At  other  times  the 
subject  was  debated  in  town  meeting,  but  the  remaining 
votes  of  the  town  were  only  repetitions  of  those  that  have 
been  noticed.  If  any  one  desires  to  learn  more  of  this 
dispute  between  the  worthies  of  the  town  and  the  officers  of 
the  parish  he  may  fan  the  embers  of  the  controversy  found 
in  another  chapter  in  connection  with  an  account  of  the 
removal  of  the  second  meeting-house  to  its  present  location. 

In  1832  the  Methodist  society  completed  its  first  house 
of  worship  in  the  village.  Actuated  we  trust  more  from  a 
spirit  of  emulation  than  of  rivalry,  the  First  Parish  began  to 
consider  the  expediency  of  removing  its  house  from  the  old 
common  to  the  centre  of  the  village,  and  to  rebuild  the 
interior  after  a  more  modern  plan.  No  sooner  was  the 
project  proposed  than  a  decided  opposition  was  developed. 
The  owners  of  the  pews  in  the  old  house  demanded  pay- 
ment for  their  property  interest,  and  the  town  asserting  an 
undefined  control  of  the  house  frowned  upon  the  society 
in  the  pretence  of  any  right   to   remove   it  or  to  exercise 

20 


306  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

any  control  over  it  beyond  its  accustomed  use  where  it 
stood.  And  the  fact  that  the  town  had  no  clear  idea  of  its 
own  authority  in  the  premises,  left  it  free  to  assert  any  pre- 
tension and  to  oppose  the  society  at  every  point.  Foresee- 
ing the  difficulties  that  would  attend  any  other  course  of 
proceeding,  the  society  early  and  wisely  decided  to  build  a 
new  house  and  subsequently  to  surrender  the  old  house  and 
the  pending  demands  of  the  pew  owners  to  the  town. 

In  September,  1832,  the  society  postponed  but  did  not 
abandon  the  enterprise,  and  while  the  intentions  of  the  parish 
were  beginning  to  ripen  into  an  early  execution  a  voluntary 
association  of  its  members  proposed  to  build  the  house  on 
their  own  responsibility.  It  only  remained  for  the  society 
as  an  organization  to  grant  the  gentlemen  leave  to  proceed 
and  to  select  a  location  for  the  new  meeting-house.  In 
February,  1833,  the  following  propositions  were  adopted  : 

Voted  that  certain  individuals  who  are  disposed  may  build  a 
new  meeting-house  agreeable  to  their  proposition  which  is  that 
the  expense  of  building  be  divided  into  twenty  shares  and  after 
the  house  is  completed  to  sell  or  let  the  pews  as  they  have  oppor- 
tunity. 

Voted  to  choose  a  committee  of  five  to  select  a  suitable  location 
for  said  meeting-house  and  chose 

George  G-.  Parker, 

Samuel  Ward, 

John  Caldwell,      )    Committee. 

Hosea  Green, 

John  C.  Glazier, 

Voted  to  adjourn  for  one  week  from  this  day  at  one  o'clock  in 
the  afternoon. 

Feb.  11,  met  according  to  adjournment,  the  committee  presented 
their  report  which  was  read. 

Voted  that  the  meeting-house  may  be  built  on  either  of  the  two 


FIR3T     CONQREqATIO^ML     CHURCH. 


ECCLESIASTICAL   HISTORY.  307 

lots  —  Sawj^er's  or  the  one  George  R.   Gushing   proposes.     The 
Sawyer  lot  was  selected. 

Other  locations  were  considered  by  the  committee  but 
were  not  embraced  in  their  report.  One  of  these  was  on 
the  opposite  side  of  ]\Iain  street ;  another  a  short  distance 
south  of  the  Powder  House  ;  another  at  the  junction  of  the 
road  from  North  Ashburnham  and  Main  street ;  and  another 
where  the  barn  of  Nathaniel  Pierce  now  stands.  The 
amount  paid  Mr.  Sawyer  for  the  lot  was  two  hundred 
and  twenty-five  dollars.  The  addition  to  the  lot  on  the 
north  was  presented  in  1869  by  Colonel  Charles  Barrett. 
The  names  of  the  persons  who  assumed  the  responsibility 
and  proceeded  to  build  the  meeting-house  do  not  appear  in 
the  records.  The  twenty  shares  were  taken  as  follows : 
Thomas  Hobart,  two  shares ;  Keuben  Townsend,  Charles 
Barrett,  Ebenezer  Flint,  George  Gr.  Parker,  Dr.  William 
H.  Cutler,  Joseph  Jewett,  Hai-vey  M.  Bancroft,  Philip  R. 
Merriam,  Philip  E.  Merriam,  Jr.,  Harvey  Brooks,  Elijah 
Brooks,  Samuel  Woods,  Samuel  S.  Stevens,  Joel  Brooks, 
Horatio  J.  Holbrook,  Hosea  Green,  Levi  Rice,  Edmund 
Sawyer,  one  share  each. 

Under  the  direction  of  this  efiicient  organization  the  present 
meeting-house  was  begun  in  the  summer  of  1833  and  speedily 
completed.  It  was  dedicated  February  19,  1834.  The 
cost  of  construction  exceeded  the  amount  received  from 
the  sale  of  the  pews,  but  the  loss  was  sustained  by  the 
organization  that  had  volunteered  to  build  the  house.  The 
heavy,  clear-toned  bell  which  still  hangs  in  the  belfiy  was 
purchased  by  subscription  in  January,  1834,  at  an  expense 
of  five  hundred  and  seventeen  dollars. 

The  new  meeting-house  being  completed,  and  the  former 
entangling   alliances  with   the   town    dissolved,    the   parish 


308  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

entered  upon  an  era  of  concord  and  quietude.  Occasionally 
called  upon  to  join  with  the  church  in  the  dismissal  or  settle- 
ment of  a  minister,  its  chief  and  successful  employment  has 
been  to  raise  money  for  the  payment  of  current  expenses. 
At  times  the  money  has  been  secured  with  difficulty  but  the 
parish,  by  a  conciliatory  policy  and  by  consulting  its  mem- 
bers in  regard  to  methods  of  taxation  and  voluntary  sub- 
scriptions, has  met  its  obligations  and  has  seldom  suffered 
its  fortunes  to  be  dimmed  by  the  cloud  of  debt.  Through 
the  indifference  of  many  the  burden  has  rested  more  heavilj' 
upon  others,  yet  at  all  times  a  reliant  purpo'se  has  met  ever}' 
obstacle  and  overcome  every  difficulty.  During  the  past 
sixty  years  the  salary  paid  the  minister  has  been  increased 
from  time  to  time  from  four  hundred  and  fifty  to  twelve 
hundred  dollars. 

The  meeting-house  was  thoroughly  remodelled  in  1869. 
After  an  ineffectual  discussion  of  many  plans  and  several 
inoperative  votes  of  the  parish  a  number  of  gentlemen  gen- 
erously volunteered  to  become  responsible  for  the  expense 
of  rebuilding  the  house.  The  repairs  were  immediately 
made  under  the  direction  of  Ohio  Whitney,  Jr.,  William  P. 
Ellis,  Jerome  W.  Foster,  George  C.  Winchester  and  Addi- 
son A.  Walker.  The  amount  expended  was  about  thirteen 
thousand  dollars.  The  deficit,  after  the  sale  of  the  pews, 
was  assumed  and  soon  paid  by  the  parish.  At  this  time 
a  superior  pipe  organ  was  purchased  by  subscription.  The 
parsonage  was  purchased  in  1864,  and  in  it  are  invested  the 
ministerial  fund  received  from  the  town  and  the  legacy  of 
Mrs.  Lucy  Davis. 


CHAPTER  X. 

ECCLESIASTICAL    HISTORY.  CONTINUED. 

THE    METHODISTS.  —  the    field   and    the    situation. — the    earlt 

PREACHERS.  THE  FIRST  MEETING-HOUSE.  THE  SECOND  MEETING- 
HOUSE.   THE    MINISTERS. 

THE  UNION  CHURCH.  —  the  elements  collected.  —  the  meeting- 
house.  A     church     embodied.   THE      EARLT     PREACHERS.  — ELDER 

EDWARD  A.  ROLLINS.  REV.  A.  A.  WHITMORE.  TEMPORARY  SUP- 
PLIES.—  REV.    DANIEL     WIGHT.  THE     PARISH.  PERSONAL     NOTICES. 

THE    DEACONS. 

THE  BAPTISTS.  —PREACHERS  without  PAY.  STEPHEN  GIBSON.  DIS- 
INTEGRATION. 

ADVENTISTS. — their  belief. — no  church  organization. 

THE    CATHOLICS.  —  first    services    in    this    town.  —  purchase    a 

meeting-house.  —  REV.    JOHN    CONWAY. 

Methodist  Churches  were  organized  in  many  of  the 
towns  in  this  vicinity  in  rapid  succession.  It  was  during 
the  last  decade  of  the  past  century.  In  its  outline  features 
the  history  of  the  introduction  of  Methodism  and  of  the 
growth  and  progress  of  the  churches  planted  by  the  early 
preachers  is  the  same  throughout  New  England.  Until  the 
arrival  of  the  pioneer  preachers  of  a  new  faith,  in  every  town 
there  was  one  church  of  the  standing  order  which,  founded 
soon  after  the  settlement  of  the  town,  had  remained  the  sole 
occupant  of  the  field.  Over  each  of  these  churches  the 
"  learned  orthodox  minister  "  was  settled  for  life  and  labored 
without  a  rival.  The  orthodox  minister  of  the  olden  time 
was   an   earnest   and  solemn    laborer,    austere    in    manner, 

309 


310  HISTOEY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

dignified  in  bearing ;  faithful  and  diligent  as  a  pastor  he 
labored  for  his  people  with  singleness  of  purpose.  With 
formal  precision  he  visited  the  sick  and  comforted  the 
mourner  in  learned  phrases.  His  counsel  was  the  voice  of 
wisdom,  while  his  sympathies  were  congealed  in  the  solem- 
nity of  his  presence.  Standing  half  way  between  God  and 
man,  there  was  a  fixedness  about  him  that  invited  the  rever- 
ence and  commanded  the  homage  of  the  people.  His 
sennons,  logically  arranged,  were  earnest  and  solemn 
appeals  to  the  reason  of  his  hearers.  From  the  lofty  pulpit 
of  the  olden  time  he  maintained  his  accustomed  eminence 
among  his  flock  and  through  the  week  he  walked  in  even 
lines  above  them.  They  respected  him,  addressed  him, 
thought  of  him  with  reverence,  and  if  any  loved  him  they 
loved  him  with  an  admixture  of  awe  that  sufifered  no  passage 
of  the  gulf  that  separated  the  minister  from  the  hearts  of  the 
people.  If  neither  the  example  of  his  life  nor  the  spirit  of 
his  discourse  invoked  the  emotions  or  aroused  the  sudden 
impulse,  he  moulded  and  solidified  the  character  and  per- 
suaded men  to  live  under  the  guidance  of  principle  and  a 
rational  sense  of  duty. 

The  minister  of  that  day  is  a  character  prominent  and  still 
honored  in  the  annals  and  traditions  of  the  past.  In  the 
midst  of  his  supremacy  came  the  pioneer  preacher  of 
Methodism.  These  heralds  of  a  new  creed  announced  their 
message  with  plainness  of  speech  and  simplicity  of  manner. 
Their  early  success  sprang  more  from  the  manner  of  the 
man  than  from  the  matter  of  their  discourse.  They  lived 
among  the  people  and  when  not  engaged  in  exhortation  they 
conversed  and  mingled  with  them.  They  neither  spoke  from 
pulpits  nor  held  themselves  aloof  from  their  fellow-men. 
They  preached  in  dwellings,  in  barns  and  in  the  groves. 
While  preaching  they  stood  on  a  level  with  their  hearers. 


ECCLESIASTICAL   HISTORY.  311 

Wisely  assuming  that  the  clergy  of  the  standing  order  had 
faithfully  instructed  the  masses  and  inculcated  among  them  a 
general  knowledge  of  the  Christian  religion  they  asserted 
the  tenets  peculiar  to  their  sect.  If  they  appealed  to  the 
emotions  of  men  they  satisfied  a  hunger  of  the  soul  that  the 
teachings  of  the  older  school  could  not  appease ;  and  if  they 
b?came  earnest  and  impassioned  in  manner  they  felt  a 
responsive  echo  in  the  worship  of  the  multitude. 

With  such  labor  and  under  such  conditions  the  early 
Methodist  preachers  found  adherents  in  every  community. 
They  rapidly  planted  churches  and  confiding  them  to  the 
self-sustaining  influences  of  the  class-meeting  they  passed  on 
to  new  fields  and  to  renewed  conquests.  Over  these  infant 
churches  a  preacher  w\as  not  assigned  for  a  stated  time. 
Indeed  the  earlier  preachers  were  not  fixed  in  their  fields  of 
labor,  but  were  transferred  so  rapidly  from  one  station  to 
another  that  we  gain  but  glimpses  of  their  approaching  or 
retiring  presence.  When  assembled  for  worship,  mysteri- 
ously there  came  a  minister  to  preach  to  them  ;  from  whence 
he  came,  or  where  he  went,  or  the  name  of  the  roving 
preacher,  is  difficult  to  determine. 

The  introduction  of  Methodism  into  Ashburnham  in  method 
and  in  the  attending  conditions  was  similar  to  the  general 
work  and  success  of  the  youthful  church  throughout  the 
country.  In  a  historical  discourse  delivered  at  Ashburnham 
July  9,  1882,  Kev.  Stephen  Gushing  has  succinctly  stated  the 
prominent  events  connected  with  its  growth  and  progress. 
To  that  discourse  is  credited  many  of  the  events  in  the 
following  paragraphs.  Within  five  years  from  the  introduc- 
tion of  Methodism  into  New  England,  Rev.  John  Hill 
preached  the  first  Methodist  sermon  at  the  house  of  Lemuel 
Stimson  in  the  north  part  of  the  town.  This  was  in  the 
autumn  of  1793.     Early  in  the  following  year  a  society  of 


312  HISTORY    OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

eight  members  was  constituted  and  soon  meetings  began  to 
be  held  with  considerable  regularity  at  the  house  of  Silas 
Willard,  Esq.  In  the  autumn  of  1796  Lorenzo  Dow 
preached  to  the  infant  society  in  this  town.  This  famous 
preacher  was  then  nineteen  years  of  age.  The  following 
extract  from  his  journal  refers  to  this  occasion  :  "  October 
23,  1796, 1  spoke  in  Hard  wick  to  about  four  hundred  people  ; 
thence  to  Petersham  and  Winchendon,  to  Fitchburgh  and 
likewise  to  Notown  where  God  gave  me  one  spiritual  child. 
Thence  to  Ashburnham,  where  we  had  some  powerful  times.'* 

In  1800  a  quarterly  meeting  attended  by  Kev.  John  Broad- 
head,  a  presiding  elder,  was  held  in  the  town.  At  this  time 
the  church  embraced  a  membership  of  fifty  or  more.  Three 
years  later  Bishops  Asbury  and  Whatcoat  preached  at  the 
house  of  Mr.  Willard  by  whom  they  were  entertained. 
Preaching  was  maintained  in  the  north  part  of  the  town  and 
a  society  with  increasing  numbers  was  in  existence  thirty- 
eight  years.  The  preachers  were  frequently  transferred  to- 
other fields  in  the  intervals  between  the  formal  assignments 
by  the  Conference.  From  the  records  of  such  appointments 
and  transfers  it  is  found  that  during  this  time  sixty-five 
preachers  had  been  designated  for  Ashburnham  and  depend- 
ent societies.  A  society  was  organized  in  Westminster  in 
1814  and  a  few  families  in  the  south  part  of  the  town  were 
included  in  its  membership. 

In  1831  the  Ashburnham  and  Westminster  societies  were 
made  a  station  and  a  pastor  assigned  them.  This  arrange- 
ment was  of  short  duration  and  only  one  appointment,  that 
of  Rev.  Nathan  B.  Spaulding,  was  made.  The  following  year 
the  Ashburnham  society,  having  proposed  to  build  a  meeting- 
house at  the  centre  of  the  town,  was  made  a  station  and 
has  continued  to  the  present  time  an  independent  organiza- 
tion.    It  was  during  the  year  of  the  union  with  the  West- 


ECCLESIASTICAL   HISTORY.  313 

minster  society,  and  perhaps  suggested  by  the  inconvenience 
of  that  arrangement,  that  active  measures  for  building  a 
meeting-house  were  proposed  and  favorably  entertained.  At 
that  time  the  trustees  were  Joshua  Burgess,  Luther  Barrell, 
John  Kibling,  Lemuel  Whitney,  John  Willard,  James 
Puflfer,  Silas  Willard,  Lemuel  Stimson,  Stephen  Gushing, 
Oliver  Samson  and  Hezekiah  Corey.  A  considerable  sum 
of  money  was  raised  by  subscription  and  the  work  fairly 
begun  in  the  autumn  of  1831.  The  house  was  completed 
without  suspension  of  the  work  and  was  dedicated  July  4, 
1832.     The  dimensrons  were  fifty-six  by  forty-one  feet. 

Again,  thirty-eight  years  is  an  epoch  in  the  history  of  the 
Methodist  church  of  Ashburnham.  The  present  commo- 
dious house  of  worship  was  erected  in  1870.  It  was  then 
seventy-six  years  since  the  organization  of  the  church  in  this 
town.  Dividing  the  time  in  two  equal  portions,  was  the 
building  of  the  first  meeting-house  in  1832.  The  first  span 
of  time  had  witnessed  the  growth  of  the  church  from  a  class 
of  eight  persons  to  one  hundred  members.  Through  many 
discouragements  they  had  existed  and  had  increased.  At 
all  times  their  ardor  had  been  unabated.  Through  all  these 
years  of  their  early  history  they  found  many  occasions  for 
devout  gratitude  for  the  past  and  buoyant  hope  for  the  future. 
During  the  second  period,  or  while  occupying  the  first  meet- 
ing-house, they  were  attended  with  continued  prosperity. 
The  visible  results  are  witnessed  by  many  seasons  of  spiritual 
power  and  by  frequent  and  considerable  addition  to  the 
membership  of  the  church. 

At  the  close  of  the  second  epoch,  the  erection  of  the 
present  church  edifice  was  undertaken.  In  1869  the  site 
for  the  proposed  building  was  purchased  and  the  foundations 
were  laid.  From  the  board  of  trustees  Reuben  Puffier, 
Nathaniel  Eaton  and  Andrew  J.  Smith  were  chosen  a  build- 


314  HISTORY  OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

ing  committee,  to  which  Charles  Winchester  was  joined. 
Under  the  management  of  these  gentlemen  the  work  upon 
the  building  was  begun  in  the  spring  of  1870  and  the  house 
was  substantially  completed  during  that  year.  The  interior 
decoration  and  furnishing  were  completed  the  following 
summer  and  the  house  was  dedicated  July  20,  1871.  The 
cost  of  construction  was  about  thirty  thousand  dollars  which 
far  exceeded  the  first  estimates  and  the  burden  fell  heavily 
upon  the  society.  The  organ,  from  the  factory  of  Hook  and 
Hastings,  was  presented  by  Charles  Winchester.  During  the 
succeeding  ten  years  the  debt  contracted  in  constructing  an 
expensive  edifice  was  gradually  reduced,  but  was  not  fully 
paid  until  during  the  ministry  and  through  the  efibrts  of 
Rev.  Nathaniel  B.  Fisk.  Two  members  of  the  church  con- 
tributed at  this  time  a  sum  exceeding  the  entire  cost  of  the 
first  meeting-house. 

From  1870  to  the  present  time  the  outward  history  of 
the  church  has  been  uneventful.  The  stated  ministrations 
have  been  maintained  and  commendable  donations  have  been 
credited  to  the  benevolence  of  the  society.  The  spiritual 
history  of  all  these  years  and  the  influences  of  the  church 
over  the  souls  of  men  are  among  the  unwritten  revelations 
of  another  world.  The  minutes  of  the  Conference  contain 
the  names  of  sixty-five  preachers  who  were  assigned  pre- 
vious to  1832  to  the.  station  to  which  Ashburnhara  l^elonged. 
It  is  evident  that  several  of  them  after  a  brief  labor  here 
were  transferred  to  other  stations ;  and,  possibly,  a  few  of 
them  did  not  even  arrive  here  before  the}"  received  new 
appointments  to  other  places.  Nor  were  an}"  of  them 
assigned  unreservedly  to  the  Ashburnham  church  but  to  the 
circuit  to  which  this  church  belonged.  Very  few  of  them 
were  temporarily  resident  here.  Their  labors  were  divided 
among  several  societies  of  which  this  was  the  strongest  and 
most  prominent. 


ECCLESIASTICAL   HISTORY.  315 

Since  Asliburnbam  became  a  station  in  1832,  a  pastor  bas 
been  assigned  witbout  reservation  and  bas  lived  during  tbe 
term  of  bis  appointment  among  liis  cbarge.  Tbe  number  of 
tbese  appointments  is  tbirty-four.  Of  tbese  seventeen, 
including  tbe  present  pastor,  baye  remained  one  year,  four- 
teen two  years  and  under  tbe  modern  revision  of  tbe  rules, 
tbree  bave  received  a  tbird  appointment.  After  an  interval 
of  several  years  Rev.  Pliny  Wood  and  Rev.  Austin  F.  Her- 
rick  were  returned  to  tbis  town  and  are  twice  enumerated, 
but  tbe  brief  pastorate  of  Rev.  H.  B.  Skinner  wbo  filled  an 
unexpired  appointment  is  not  included.  All  were  wortby, 
exemplary  pastors.  Witb  varied  gifts  and  acquirements, 
none  bave  failed  in  duty  to  tbeir  cbarge,  and  all  bave  been 
fellow-laborers  witb  men  of  tbeir  own  and  otber  denomina- 
tions in  tbe  reforms  and  benevolence  of  tbeir  time. 

Tbe  names  of  tbe  pastors  and  tbe  membersbip  of  tbe 
cburcb  since  Asliburnbam  was  made  a  station  are  as  follows  : 


MEMBERSHIP. 

101 
107 
120 
130 
148 
121 
B.  Sklaner,  6  months  180 
184 
205 
155 
142 
108 
110 
114 
106 
116 


PASTORS. 

1832. 

Nathan  B.  Spaulding 

1833. 

Hebron  Vincent 

1834-5. 

John  W.  Case 

1836. 

Charles  Noble 

1837-8. 

AVmiam  R.  Stone 

1839. 

WilUam  P.  White 

1840-1. 

Horace  Moultou.     H. 

1842. 

John  W.  Merrill 

1843. 

Newell  S.  Spaulding 

1844-5. 

Howard  C.  Dunham 

1846. 

William  B.  Olds 

1847. 

David  Kilburu 

1848-9. 

Pliny  Wood 

1850. 

Jonathan  L.  Esty 

1851-2. 

Moses  P.  Webster 

1853-4. 

Cyrus  L.  Eastman 

316  HISTORY    OF    ASHBURNHAM. 

130 
138 
135 
131 
137 
122 
153 
180 
170 
149 
140 
171 
165 
159 
149 
149 
153 
147 

The  Union  Church. — The  causes  which  led  to  the 
building  of  a  meeting-house  and  the  embodiment  of  a  church 
at  North  Ashljurnham  are  mainly  apparent  at  the  present 
time.  It  is  probable  and  it  is  reasonable  to  presume  that  the 
controlling  motives  were  sustained  and  encouraged  by  many 
minor  impulses  which  are  neither  reflected  in  the  record  nor 
preserved  in  the  memory  of  the  few^  now  living  who  were 
active  in  the  initial  proceedings.  A  half  century  ago  that 
portion  of  the  town  was  more  populous  than  at  present  and 
in  that  community  were  several  men  of  influence  and  enter- 
prise. The  families  residing  in  that  vicinity  for  a  long  time 
had  been  sensible  of  the  burden  of  the  distance  that 
separated  them  from  the  church  at  Ashburnham  Centre  to 
which  they  belonged.  These,  for  many  years,  had  frequently 
yet  timidly  suggested  some  measures  of  relief.  Among  them 
were  a  few  families  who  were  not  in  full  sympathy  with  the 


1855-6. 

Austin  F.  Herrick 

1857. 

Lorenzo  White 

1858-9. 

Pliny  Wood 

1860-1. 

Ichabod  Marcy 

1862-3. 

William  Pentecost 

1864. 

Jonas  M.  Clark 

1865-6. 

John  A.  Lansing 

1867-8. 

Walter  Wilkie 

1869. 

Nathan  D.  George 

1870. 

Joseph  W.  Lewis 

1871. 

L.  P.  Causey 

1872-4. 

Austin  F.  Herrick 

1875-6. 

James  W.  Fenno 

1877-9. 

William  H.  Cook 

1880-2. 

Nathaniel  B.  Fisk 

1883. 

John  H.  Mansfield 

1884. 

Emory  A.  Howard 

1885. 

Austin  H.  Herrick 

ECCLESIASTICAL   HISTORY.  317 

controlling  influences  of  the  parent  church,  and  joined  with 
these  were  others  not  allied  to  the  church  at  the  Centre  nor 
were  they  Congregationalists. 

The  latter  ckss,  actuated  both  by  conscience  and  conven- 
ience, were  ready  to  join  in  the  organization  of  a  union 
church  with  tenets  inviting  an  evangelical  alliance.  There 
were  many  meetings  and  conferences  of  which  no  record  was 
made,  and  concerning  which  very  little  accurate  information 
can  be  secured.  The  work  which  met  them  at  the  outset 
was  the  building  of  a  meeting-house  and  to  this  undertaking 
they  directed  their  efibrts  with  courage  and  enthusiasm. 
The  edifice  built  for  the  proprietors  by  Ohio  Whitney,  Jr., 
and  Samuel  Howard  was  completed  in  1842  and  dedicated  in 
December  of  that  year.  In  the  new  house  preaching  was 
maintained  by  voluntary  eflfort  for  several  months.  The 
church  was  embodied  February  21,  1843.  The  creed  was 
evangelical  and  while  it  omitted  any  declarations  upon  doc- 
trinal questions  that  were  the  distinguishing  tenets  of  the 
Congregational,  Methodist  and  Baptist  faith,  it  was  an  un- 
equivocal expression  on  all  points  entertained  in  common  by 
those  churches.  The  original  membership  was  fifty-five,  of 
whom  a  majority  was  of  Orthodox  Congregational  ante- 
cedents and  the  remainder  were  Methodists  and  Freewill 
Baptists.  Of  this  membership  twenty-five  were  received  by 
dismissal  and  recommendation  from  the  parent  church  ;  a  few 
from  the  Freewill  Baptist  church  and  several  from  the 
Methodists.  During  the  earty  years  of  its  existence  the 
church  and  parish  had  no  settled  minister. 

The  earlier  preachers  were  Rev.  William  Hills,  who 
remained  several  months,  and  Rev.  Samuel  Cole,  who  was 
acting  pastor  three  years.  Early  in  the  year  1846  Elder 
Edward  B.  Rollins  was  hired  to  preach  one  year.  This 
ministry  introduced  an  era  of  discord.     The  season  of  har- 


318  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

mony  and  fraternal  relations,  which  crowned  the  early 
history  of  the  church  with  continued  blessings,  was  abruptly 
ended  and  for  many  years  the  bitterness  of  feeling  then 
engendered  was  frequently  the  cause  of  renewed  contention. 
Following  Mr.  EoUins,  Rev.  Josiah  D.  Crosby  preached  one 
year  and  he  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  A.  A.  Whitmore,  who 
remained  four  years  and  was  the  first  minister  installed  over 
the  church.  Succeeding  Mr.  Whitmore  was  a  prolonged  era 
of  supplies  and  at  times  the  records  afford  ample  evidence 
that  the  salary  of  the  minister  was  raised  with  great  labor 
and  effort.  During  this  period  the  pastors  were  Rev.  Josiah 
W.  Brown,  Rev.  Woodbury  and  Rev.  Asa  Barnes. 

In  1860  the  original  church,  known  as  the  Union  Church, 
was  disbanded.  The  few  members  remaining,  who  were 
found  prepared  for  continued  effort,  at  once  proceeded  to 
organize  a  new  church,  to  be  known  as  "  The  Second  Con- 
o-reo-ational  Church  of  Ashburnham."  The  creed  was 
amended  and  the  church  was  embodied  June  19,  1860. 
The  number  of  members  received  at  the  time  of  reorganiza- 
tion was  eleven.  The  number  was  small  and  the  burden 
comparatively  heavy ;  yet,  aided  by  the  Congregational 
Home  Missions,  they  succeeded  in  overcoming  many  obsta- 
cles and  for  several  years  in  maintaining  the  stated  ministra- 
tions of  the  gospel. 

Rev.  Samuel  H.  Peckham  supplied  the  desk  for  a  season 
and  in  1863  Mr.  George  H.  Blake  was  made  pastor  in  charge 
and  engaged  for  one  year  with  an  understanding  that,  unless 
for  cause,  the  relation  should  be  continued  indefinitely. 
Soon  after  Mr.  Blake  began  his  labors  he  was  ordained  in 
the  ministry  but  was  not  installed  over  the  church  and  the 
existing  relations  were  abruptly  terminated  before  the  close 
of  the  first  year. 

Rev.  Daniel  Wight,  having  supplied  a  few  Sabbaths, 
accepted   a   call   extended   with   great   unanimity  and    was 


ECCLESIASTICAL   HISTORY.  319 

installed  June  22,  1864.  The  relation  was  profitably  and 
fraternally  continued  until  April  1,  1871.  Immediately  pre- 
ceding this  ministry  the  creed  and  rules  of  procedure  were 
amended,  and  during-  its  continuance  the  affairs,  both  of  the 
church  and  the  parish,  were  promptly  and  prudently  admin- 
istered. 

Succeeding  Mr.  Wight,  Rev.  Charles  Peabody  was  made 
an  acting  pastor  and  continued  his  labors  until  May  16,  1875. 
He  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  William  T.  Lewis  who  main- 
tained a  dual  relation  with  this  church  and  the  church  in 
Winchendon  Centre. 

The  preliminary  conferences  in  regard  to  the  maintenance 
of  stated  preaching  at  North  Ashburnham  led  to  an  early 
decision  to  build  a  meeting-house.  A  society  was  immedi- 
ately formed  and  under  its  direction  the  meeting-house  was 
soon  erected.  In  1847  the  society  became  a  legal  corpora- 
tion under  the  name  of  "  The  Proprietors  of  Union  Meeting- 
House."  Of  this  organization,  Colonel  Enoch  Whitmore 
was  clerk  for  many  years  and  until  the  organization  was  lost 
through  a  failure  to  hold  annual  meetings  and  elect  officers 
as  required  by  law.  In  1868,  and  during  the  ministry  of 
Mr.  Wight,  the  organization  was  revived  and  assumed  the 
nome  of  the  "  North  Parish  of  Ashburnham."  It  is  apparent, 
however,  that  there  was  an  active  society  during  the  years 
immediately  preceding  the  new  organization,  but  there  is  a 
hiatus  in  the  records  from  1857  till  1868.  The  new  parish 
held  annual  meetings  for  a  short  time  and  then  suffered  the 
organization  to  lapse  and  at  this  time  it  has  not  been  revived. 

The  bell  was  purchased  by  subscriptions  obtained  in  the 
autumn  of  1867  and  was  placed  in  position  January  23, 
1868,  by  Ohio  Whitney  and  Samuel  Howard  as  a  part  of 
their  original  contract  for  building  the  meeting-house.  The 
bell  soon  failed,  but  a  new  one  was  furnished  by  the  makers, 
without  charge,  which  was   hung  in  the  belfry  January  28, 


320  HISTORY    OF    ASHBURNHAM. 

1869.  It  is  a  steel  combination  bell  and  weighs  about  eight 
hundred  pounds.  The  expense  attending  its  purchase  and 
hanging  was  $265.51. 

During  the  existence  of  this  church  and  parish  only  two 
ministers  have  been  installed  and  no  eflfort  has  been  made  to 
announce  the  names  of  all  who  have  been  acting  pastors  for 
short  periods  of  time.  The  church  and  society  are  indebted 
to  Isaac  D.  Ward  for  the  careful  preservation  of  the  files  and 
records  from  which  the  information  in  these  paragraphs  was 
mainly  secured. 

Rev.  Alfred  Alonzo  Whitmore,  son  of  Luke  Hayden  and 
Phoebe  (Cowing)  Whitmore,  was  born  near  Geneva,  Ontario 
county,  New  York,  July  7,  1817.  The  family  removed  in 
1825  to  the  Territory  of  Michigan  and  settled  near  Ann 
Arbor.  Attending  the  local  schools  in  youth,  Mr.  Whit- 
more entered  the  school  at  Oberlin,  Ohio,  in  1838  and  was  a 
student  in  the  several  departments  eight  and  one-half  years, 
graduating  from  the  academical  department  1843  and  the 
theological  school  in  1846.  After  a  brief  supply  in  several 
places  he  began  his  labor  with  this  church  in  1848  and  was 
installed  October  18  of  that  year.  He  was  an  earnest,  faith- 
ful pastor  and  a  plain  and  acceptable  preacher.  He  was 
dismissed  at  his  request  August  25,  1852.  After  supplying 
a  few  months  at  Eichmond  he  removed  to  Ohio,  in  1864  to 
Illinois,  and  since  1875  he  has  resided  at  Anita,  Iowa,  where 
he  completed  a  successful  ministry  in  1880. 

Rev.  Daniel  Wight,  a  son  of  Daniel  and  Zillah  (Gould- 
ing)  Wight,  was  born  in  Natick,  September  18,  1808.  He 
is  a  graduate  of  Harvard  University,  class  of  1837,  and  of 
Andover  Theological  Seminary  1840.  His  first  charge  was 
in  Scituate  where  he  was  ordained  and  installed  September 
28,  1842.  Here  he  labored  successfully  sixteen  years. 
Commencing  1859  he  was  stated  supply  two  years  at  Boyl- 
ston,  and   subsequently  labored   for   the    American    Board 


ECCLESIASTICAL   HISTORY.  321 

among  the  Seneca  Indians.  On  account  of  the  failing  health 
of  his  wife  he  returned  to  Natick  in  1863  and  immediately 
after  he  was  called  to  preside  over  this  church.  His  prudent 
councils,  his  untiring  interest  for  the  welfare  of  his  charge 
and  his  earnest  labor  in  this  town  will  be  held  in  grateful 
remembrance.  At  the  completion  of  his  ministry  here  he 
returned  to  Natick  where  he  continues  to  reside. 

During  the  history  of  the  church  five  have  been  called  to 
serve  as  deacons.  Daniel  Jones  was  chosen  deacon  at  the 
organization  of  the  church.  Soon  after,  under  the  adoption 
of  a  rule  to  choose  one  deacon  each  year  for  a  term  of  two 
years,  Gilnian  Jones  and  Joseph  Wetherbee  were  chosen. 
Except  one  year  Deacon  Jones  was  continued  in  office  by 
reelection  until  his  removal  from  town,  and  in  1845  John  C. 
Davis  was  elected  and  was  continued  in  office  until  his  death 
June  19,  1883.  After  1849  the  officers  were  elected  for  an 
indefinite  period.  Upon  the  reorganization  of  the  church  in 
1860,  Deacon  Davis  was  continued  in  service  and  Horace 
Balcom  was  also  elected  to  the  office. 

The  Baptists. —  At  an  early  date  there  were  several  fami- 
lies in  this  town  who  were  styled  Baptists.  Others  of  the 
same  faith  were  residing  in  Ashby  and  in  Fitchburg.  They 
maintained  preaching  with  considerable  regularity  during  the 
closing  years  of  the  past  and  the  early  j'-ears  of  the  current 
century.  Professing  an  unbelief  in  the  maintenance  of  a 
salaried  clergy  they  derived  their  religious  instruction  from 
voluntary  labor,  and  in  the  absence  of  a  minister,  which  was 
usual,  they  enjoyed  the  exhortations  of  their  own  number. 
Stephen  Gibson  of  Ashby  was  gifted  in  this  direction  and 
for  many  years  he  preached  to  them  with  more  acceptance 
than  compensation.  In  1795,  when  this  sect  was  most 
numerous,  there  were  twenty  families  in  this  town  and  as 
many  in  Fitchburg  connected  with  this  society.     They  held 


322  HISTORY  OF  ASHBURNHAM. 

their  meetings  in  dwelling-houses  and  in  school-houses  near 
the  limits  of  the  adjoining  towns,  but  they  never  erected  a 
church  edifice.  The  meeting-house  built  in  the  north  part 
of  Fitchburg,  about  1810,  was  erected  and  occupied  by 
an  organization  of  Freewill  Baptists  with  whom  the  older 
society  had  little  sympathy.  The  families  who  waited 
upon  the  ministrations  of  Stephen  Gibson  and  other  laymen 
belonged  to  a  sect  which,  one  hundred  years  ago,  found  a 
few  adherents  in  many  New  England  towns.  Professedly 
they  were  Calvinistic  Baptists  and,  doubtless,  their  adher- 
ence to  the  cardinal  doctrines  of  that  church  full}^  sustained 
their  right  to  the  name.  But  the  distinguishing  feature  of 
their  faith,  and  one  in  which  they  were  not  in  harmony  with 
the  Baptist  church,  was  an  unyielding  hostility  to  the  pre- 
vailing custom  of  providing  a  stated  support  of  the  ministry. 

Professing  that  it  was  "  a  sin  to  preach  for  hire  "  they 
relied  upon  itinerant  and  local  preachers  who  labored  with- 
out compensation.  No  doubt  this  feature  of  their  creed  was 
fostered  and  intensified  by  the  intolerant  laws  of  the  State 
which  compelled  all  to  contribute  to  the  support  of  the 
standing  order.  Those  belonging  to  this  society  were 
excellent  people.  Some  of  them  were  influential  and  prom- 
inent citizens.  As  soon  as  the  spirit  of  toleration  repealed 
the  compulsory  statutes  in  relation  to  the  support  of  the 
clergy,  in  a  great  measure  the  ground  of  their  offence  was 
removed  and  they  gradually  became  absorbed  in  other 
religious  societies.  In  later  years  there  have  been  Baptists 
of  the  modern  school  in  this  town  but  there  has  been  no 
other  organization. 

Second  Adventists.  —  For  several  years  there  have  been 
a  number  of  families  in  this  toAvn  who  are  known  as  Second 
Adventists.  They  have  occasional  preaching  at  South 
Ashburnham  but  have  no  church  organization.     In  religious 


ECCLESIASTICAL   HISTORY.  323 

belief  they  are  closely  allied  to  the  Evangelical  churches  and 
are  not  in  full  sympathy  with  the  Seventh  Day  Adventists 
whose  annual  conference  is  held  at  Battle  Creek,  Michigan. 
The  members  of  the  denomination  in  this  town  observe  the 
first  day  of  the  week  and  cordially  unite  with  the  other 
denominations  in  the  Sabbath-school  and  ii^  forwarding 
every  good  work. 

The  Catholics  began  to  maintain  religious  service  in 
this  town  in  1851.  At  that  time  the  number  of  families 
was  small  and  they  assembled  at  private  houses.  With  the 
progress  of  years  the  number  has  increased  and  for  a  number 
of  years  service  was  held  in  the  Town  Hall  with  consider- 
able regularity.  In  1871  they  bought  the  house  they  now 
occupy  of  the  Methodist  society.  The  interior  has  been 
remodelled  and  thoroughly  repaired.  The  congregation  is 
steadily  increasing  and  the  visible  influence  of  the  service  is 
in  the  support  of  good  morals.  The  church  is  under  the 
spiritual  direction  of  Rev.  John  Conway  who  is  also  in 
charge  of  the  church  in  Winchendon.  The  Catholics, 
having  no  cemetery  in  this  town,  bury  their  dead  in  Fitch- 
burg  and  in  Winchendon. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

SACRED    MUSIC. 

A   TRUTHFUL   REMARK   OF   NO    GREAT   ACCOUNT.  —  EARLY  ACTION    IN   RELATION 

TO  SACRED  MUSIC.  Y«  PITCH-PIPE. EARLY  HYMN-BOOKS. NEW  TUNES. 

—  FIRST  CHORISTERS.  —  DEACONING  THE  HYMN. — BASS  VIOL.  —  MUSICAL 
FAMILIES. — LATER  MEMBERS  OF  THE  CONGREGATIONAL  CHOIR. — THE 
METHODIST    CHOIR. 

The  men  of  Ashburnham  have  produced  their  most  stir- 
ring music  in  their  frequent  town  meetings,  but  being  of  a 
character  unsuited  to  waft,  on  the  wings  of  praise,  the  sen- 
timent of  sacred  song  it  cannot  be  considered  under  the  head 
of  church  music.  Holding  an  easy  rein  over  their  proclivi- 
ties in  the  arena  of  debate  they  have  made  ample  amends  in 
curbing  opposition  to  the  innovations  which  have  marked 
the  progress  and  elevation  of  sacred  music  in  this  place. 
The  first  reference  in  the  records  to  this  subject  occurs  at  an 
early  date  : 

To  see  if  the  town  are  willing  that  the  singers  should  sett 
together  in  the  Public  Worship  in  any  part  of  the  gallery  that  shall 
be  thought  proper. 

Voted  that  the  singers  shall  have  the  front  galler}^  to  set  in,  in 
time  of  Public  Worship  viz :  the  men's  side  as  far  back  as  the 
long  pew. 

Thus,  as  far  back  as  1773  and  as  far  back  as  the  long 
pew,  the  town  provided  for  the  accommodation  and  recog- 
nized the  existence  of  a  choir.     That  the  singers  increased 

324 


SACRED   MUSIC.  325 

in  numbers  is  seen  in  a  vote  a  few  years  later  "  to  let  the 
singers  have  the  front  part  of  the  gallery  to  set  in  that  they 
may  not  be  so  crowded." 

In  1774  the  church  by  vote  consented  to  the  use  of  the 
pitch-pipe  "  if  the  chorister  please  to  pitch  the  tune  "  and  at 
the  same  time  it  was  ordered,  the  records  say  by  a  consider- 
able majority,  "  that  no  new  tunes  should  be  introduced  for 
twelve  months  and  that  they  should  be  confined  to  the  tunes 
that  are  already  in  use."  There  was  opposition  to  the  last 
vote  and  the  records  explain  that  to  relieve  the  minds  of 
many  on  this  point  the  pastor  was  requested  to  name  a 
proper  tune  for  every  psalm  that  was  sung.  The  same  year 
and  in  connection  with  these  votes  a  proposal  to  introduce 
the  verse  of  Dr.  Watts  was  defeated.  The  version  of  Tate 
and  Brady  remained  in  use  until  near  the  close  of  the  cen- 
tury. This  version,  a  literal  arrangement  of  the  Psalms  and 
some  other  portions  of  the  Old  Testament,  with  modest 
pretension  to  metrical  composition,  was  employed  in  the 
Presbyterian  and  Reformed  churches  of  Great  Britain  for  a 
long  time,  and  until  eventually  supplanted  by  the  psalms 
and  hymns  of  Dr.  "Watts  it  was  in  general  use  in  the 
churches  of  New  England.  In  that  version  our  fathers 
found  the  familiar  lines  of  the  Scriptures  and  they  regarded 
with  grave  suspicion  the  same  sentiments  expressed  in  new 
forms  of  speech.  A  copy  of  the  ancient  version  is  seldom 
found  and  many  of  the  present  generation  have  little  idea  of 
the  poetry  which  the  fathers  were  accustomed  to  sing.  A 
part  of  the  fifth  and  the  sixty-fifth  Psalms,  in  the  version 
of  Tate  and  Brady,  will  afford  some  idea  of  the  general 
character. 

"Lord,  in  thy  wrath,  rebuke  me  not, 
Nor  in  thy  hot  wrath  chasten  me, 
Lord,  pity  me,  for  I  am  weak ; 
Lord,  heal  me,  for  my  bones  vex'd  be, 


326  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

Also  my  soul  is  vexed  sore ; 

How  long,  O  Lord,  wilt  thou  me  forsake? 

"  Return,  O  Lord,  my  soul  release  ; 
O,  save  me  for  thy  mercy's  sake. 
In  death  no  mem'ry  is  of  thee 
And  who  shall  praise  thee  in  the  grave. 
I  faint  with  groans ;  all  night  my  bed 
Swims  :  I  with  tears  my  couch  wash'd  have. 
Mine  eyes  with  grief  is  dim  and  old, 
Because  of  all  mine  enemies, 
But  now  depart  away  from  me  . 
All  ye  that  work  iniquities. 

"  Silence  to  thee;  thy  praise  O  God, 
In  Sion,  paid  shall  be. 
The  vow  to  thee,  who  hearest  prayers, 
All  flesh  shall  come  to  thee. 
"Works  of  iniquity  prevail 
Against  me  sore  do  they. 
But  as  for  our  transgres-si-ons, 
Thou  shall  them  purge  away." 

The  opposition  to  the  introduction  of  new  tunes  is  easily 
understood  and  was  prompted  by  an  impulse  which  com- 
mands respect.  For  many  years  our  fathers  had  reverently 
sung  their  praises  in  the  familiar  strains  of  York,  St.  Mar- 
tin's, Mear  and  a  few  other  substantial  compositions.  By 
constant  use  these  tunes  had  become  sacred  to  them  and  a 
sentiment  of  reverence  triumphed  over  their  musical  taste 
and  the  allurements  of  new  compositions.  The  earliest 
chorister,  of  whom  there  is  any  certain  information,  was 
William  Benjamin.  He  was  a  resident  here  at  the  settle- 
ment of  Mr.  Winchester  and  remained  until  1785  when  he 
removed  to  Vermont.  He  led  the  choir  several  years  and 
was  succeeded  by  Joseph  Jewett,  Esq.,  and  Lieutenant 
John  Adams.  Amos  Dickerson,  Ebenezer  Wood,  Levi 
Whitney,   Mrs.    Joseph   Jewett,    Betsey    Dickerson,    after- 


SACRED   MUSIC.  327 

wards  the  wife  of  Isaac  Jackson,  were  prominent  singers  in 
the  first  meeting-house,  and  some  of  them  are  found  in  the 
choir  at  a  later  period.  Jacob  Kiblinger  was  a  famous 
singer,  but  he  generally  worshipped  with  the  Baptists  and 
was  not  a  constant  mcml^er  of  the  choir. 

Although  led  by  a  choir,  for  many  years  the  singing  was 
mainly  congregational,  and  on  account  of  the  small  number 
of  books  in  the  possession  of  the  worshippers  the  practice  of 
reading  or  lining  the  hymns  was  continued  about  thirty 
years.  After  the  hymn  had  been  read  by  the  minister  one 
of  the  deacons  would  read  one  or  two  lines.  When  that 
passage  had  been  sung  in  the  animated  manner  of  the  time, 
and  while  the  singers  were  regaining  breath,  the  deacon 
read  another  line  or  couplet  and  by  this  alternating  process 
the  longest  hymns  were  fully  rendered.  In  1788  the  church 
voted  that  no  hymn  should  be  sung  without  reading  if  any 
deacon  was  present  to  read  it,  except  the  last  hymn  in  the 
service,  but  the  following  year  at  the  request  of  the  town  the 
practice  was  discontinued  altogether. 

At  the  time  the  congregation  liegan  to  worship  in  the 
second  meeting-house  a  bass  viol  was  introduced,  but  there 
is  no  reference  in  the  records  to  other  instruments  until 
several  years  later,  but  it  is  certain  that  from  an  early  date 
the  singers  were  accustomed  to  select  a  chorister  and  to 
accept  the  support  of  any  musical  instrument  that  was  avail- 
able. For  these  reasons  very  little  mention  of  the  conduct 
of  church  music  is  found  in  the  records.  For  one  hundred 
years  an  interest  in  the  subject  and  a  commendable  pride  in 
home  talent  has  been  manifested  by  the  town,  and  later 
by  the  parish,  by  frequent  and  liberal  appropriations  "  for 
the  encouragement  of  singing,"  and  schools  of  instruction 
under  efficient  teachers  have  been  numerous. 


328  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

More  than  any  other,  musical  ability  is  a  gift  of  inheri- 
tance. In  every  community  can  be  found  families  of 
musicians.  This  faculty  may  present  different  phases  in 
succeeding  generations  but  the  musical  ability  of  the  parents 
is  ever  renewed  in  their  children.  This  town  has  counted 
among  its  residents  many  excellent  musicians  and  many 
natives  of  the  place  have  been  famous,  while  others,  more 
remotely  associated,  can  trace  their  musical  inheritance  to 
an  Ashburnham  parentage.  In  the  following  paragraph  it 
will  be  discovered  that  many  of  the  prominent  members  of 
the  choir  through  all  these  years  were  descendants  from 
some  of  the  earliest  singers  in  this  town.  Catherine,  wife 
of  John  Kiblinger  the  emigrant,  is  distinguished  in  tradition 
for  qualities  of  voice  and  skill  in  music,  and  the  choir  has 
been  indebted  to  her  descendants  through  several  genera- 
tions. The  musical  talent  of  the  Adams,  Rice,  Barrett  and 
the  Charles  Stearns  femilies  has  been  conspicuous  through 
succeeding  generations.  As  the  voice  of  the  parents  grew 
feeble  in  age  or  was  silent  in  death,  the  unbroken  song  has 
been  sustained  in  the  tuneful  notes  of  their  children.  Many 
of  these  have  been  prominent  in  the  choir  where  their 
services  have  been  appreciated. 

Among  the  singers  in  the  second  meeting-house  on  the 
old  common,  whose  voices  are  still  heard  in  the  traditions 
of  the  choir,  were  Colonel  Charles  Barrett,  Benjamin 
Barrett,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Charles  Stearns,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Reuben  Townsend,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Charles  Hastings,  the 
brothers  John,  James  and  Walter  R.  Adams,  George  Law- 
rence, Josiah  White,  Harvey  M.  Bancroft,  Mrs.  Benjamin, 
Gibbs,  a  daughter  of  Reuben  Rice,  Mrs.  James  Russell^ 
assisted  by  the  violins  of  Colonel  Charles  Barrett  and  Jonas 
Rice,  the  clarionets  of  Walter  R.  Adams  and  Samuel  Foster, 


SACRED   MUSIC.  329 

the  bugle  of  James  Barrett  and  the  bassoon  of  James 
Adams. 

Several  of  these  continued  with  the  choir  in  the  new 
meeting-house  in  the  village,  and  from  time  to  time  were 
reenforced  by  Amos  Taylor,  Joseph  Kibling,  Colonel  Joseph 
P.  Eice,  Colonel  Francis  J.  Barrett,  Colonel  George  H. 
Barrett,  who  entered  the  choir  at  an  early  age,  Harv.ey  M. 
Bancroft,  Stephen  A.  Miller,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Josiah  E. 
White,  Mrs.  Sally  (Thurston)  Phillips,  Mrs.  Shepherd, 
David  and  Harvey  Laws,  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Miller,  Mrs. 
Josephine  (Stearns)  Tenny,  Julia  and  Caroline  Barrett, 
Mrs.  Eebecca  (Stearns)  Walker,  whose  cultured  voice  led 
the  choir  several  years,  and  the  viols  and  violins  of  Deacon 
J.  A.  Conn,  Harvey  M.  Bancroft,  George  H.  Lowe,  Stephen 
A.  Miller,  Horace  Samson,  the  flute  of  J.  E.  White  and  the 
clarionet  skilfully  played  by  Captain  A.  A.  Walker.  In 
this  choir  Mrs.  Julia  Houston  West  began  her  public  singing 
and  C.  C.  Stearns,  when  a  lad,  accurately  played  the  bass 
viol.  The  present  choir,  under  the  efficient  direction  of 
Colonel  George  H.  Barrett,  with  Miss  Augusta  Ames 
organist,  is  well  sustained  by  the  leading  voices  of  Miss 
Lizzie  F.  Ban-ett,  Mrs.  Georgie  S.  (Whitney)  Greenwood, 
Mrs.  Theresa  (Rockwood)  Litch  and  Homer  T.  Rice. 

In  the  early  service  of  the  Methodist  church  sacred  song 
was  the  voluntary  praise  of  the  congregation,  rather  than  the 
skilled  performance  of  a  choir.  In  this  style  of  music  any 
failure  of  culture  was  fully  compensated  by  fervor  and  ani- 
mation. Since  the  occupancy  of  the  meeting-house  in  the 
central  village  a  good  choir  has  been  quite  generally  sus- 
tained and  very  many  acceptable  singers  and  several  cultured 
voices  have  participated  in  this  feature  of  public  worship. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Charles  Stearns,  who  had  been  teachers  of 
music,  were  prominent   in  this   choir  many  years  and  later 


330  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

their  daughter,  Mrs.  Walker,  was  leader  of  the  choir  and 
leading  soprano  thirteen  years.  The  strong  and  not  untune- 
ful  voice  of  Antipas  Maynard  is  well  remembered  and  his 
dauofhters  have  rendered  efficient  service.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Charles  Hastings,  Sawyer  Kice,  Lewis  Sabin,  Nathaniel  F. 
Cutter,  Sarah  A.  Cutter  and  many  others,  are  often  named 
in  the  traditions  of  the  Methodist  choir.  At  the  present 
time  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Nathan  Eaton  are  leading  singers  and 
Miss  Mabel  W.  Tenney  is  organist. 


CHAPTEE   XII. 

PUBLIC     SCHOOLS. 

HOME     EDUCATION.  FIRST     APPROPRIATION    FOR     SCHOOLS.  FIRST     SCHOOL- 
HOUSES.  DISTRICTS.  EIGHT  DISTRICTS  DEFINED.  A  NEW  DISTRICT. 

THE  TENTH  DISTRICT.  NEW    BOUNDARIES.  THE  ELEVENTH  DISTRICT.  

THE    DISTRICT     SYSTEM    ABOLISHED.  SCHOOL-HOUSES.  TEXT-BOOKS.  

TEACHERS.  APPROPRIATIONS.  SCHOOL  LEGISLATION.  HIGH  SCHOOLS. 

PRUDENTIAL    AFFAIRS.  SUPERVISION. 

No  sooner  had  a  few  families,  at  remote  distances  and 
connected  by  rude  paths  through  the  intervening  wilderness, 
secured  the  stated  ministrations  of  the  gospel,  than  means 
were  provided  for  the  education  of  the  young.  During  the 
early  years  of  the  settlement,  in  which  there  were  no  public 
schools,  the  young  were  not  suffered  to  grow  up  in  ignorance. 
The  parents  were  generally  people  of  intelligence  and  not  a 
few  of  considerable  culture.  They  personally  attended  to 
the  education  of  their  children  and  there  were  as  many 
schools  in  the  settlement  as  there  were  families.  Whatever 
may  have  been  the  measure  of  instruction  in  the  home  circle 
the  results  are  unmistakable.  None  grew  up  in  ignorance, 
and  the  many  evidences  of  a  fair  education,  made  known  in 
the  lives  of  those  whose  only  schooling  was  at  the  fireside, 
aie  the  substance  of  our  knowledge  of  the  instruction  of  that 
early  period.  A  part  of  the  children  of  the  Winchester, 
Foster,  Coolidge,  Kibling,  Whiteman  and  Coleman  families 
were  advanced  youth  when  the  first  public  school  was  estab- 
lished in  this  town  ;  yet,  compared  with  the  standard  of  their 

331 


332  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

times,  they  were  educated,  intelligent  men  and  women,  and 
it  is  clearly  evident  that  the  education  of  the  youth  of  that 
period  was  not  neglected  through  a  failure  of  public  support. 
The  date  of  the  first  entries  found  in  the  records  on  this 
subject  is  1767.  Compared  with  the  schools  of  to-day  it 
was  a  humble  beginning :  "  Voted  to  Keep  a  School  and 
voted  Eight  Pounds  for  y®  school." 

At  a  meeting  assembled  a  few  months  later  and  before  any 
of  the  appropriation  had  been  expended  under  an  article, 
"To  see  where  y®  Town  will  keep  their  School,  whether  in 
y®  middle  of  y®  Town  or  Divide  it  into  Quarters  or  Pass  any 
votes  on  s"^  article,"  it  was  "  Voted  y*  y®  School  Should  be  a 
moveing  School,  voted  to  leave  it  to  y''  Select  men  to  make 
y®  Quarters  where  ye  school  Shall  be  Cept,  voted  it  to  bee  a 
free  School."  The  term  quarter  was  here  employed  in  the 
sense  of  district  or  division  and  this  use  of  the  word  per- 
mitted the  selectmen  to  divide  the  town  into  an  accommo- 
dating number  of  quarters,  which  was  frequently  done,  with- 
out defiance  of  mathematical  terms.  During  the  early 
existence  of  the  schools  the  town  was  divided  into  three 
districts,  a  school  being  maintained  at  the  centre  of  the  town, 
another  at  the  Dutch  farms  and  the  third  in  the  south  part  of 
the  town.  In  1774,  in  accordance  with  the  existing  arrange- 
ment of  the  districts,  the  town  voted  to  build  three  school- 
houses.  This  action  was  promptly  reconsidered,  and  an 
order  was  adopted  that  the  town  be  divided  into  five  quarters 
and  that  five  school-houses  be  erected  at  the  expense  of  the 
town.  At  this  point  there  is  found  no  reference  to  any  new 
districts,  but  in  some  way  there  were  seven  in  the  following 
year.  For  several  years,  commencing  with  1780,  there  were 
ten  districts  ;  in  1786,  there  were  nine  ;  in  1794  the  number 
of  districts  was  reduced  to  eight ;  but  in  1801  a  new  ninth 
district  was  established  in  the  southeast  part  of  the  town, 


PUBLIC   SCHOOLS. 


333 


including  the  estates  of  Joshua  Billings,  Eeuben  Billings, 
Eeuben  Eice,  Jonathan  Winchester,  Thomas  Gibson,  Joseph 
Gibbs,  Caleb  Wilder,  Jr.,  and  Samuel  Dunster. 

Thus,  at  the  close  of  the  century,  we  find  the  town  divided 
into  nine  districts,  and  in  each,  as  will  appear,  there  was  a 
comfortable  school-house.  While  the  boundaries  of  these 
districts  have  been  subject  to  frequent  changes,  and  the 
tenth  and  eleventh  districts  have  been  created  by  a  division 
of  the  seventh  and  first  districts,  the  remaining  numbers  were 
bounded  substantially  as  they  exist  at  the  present  time. 
From  the  beginning  changes  in  the  boundaries  of  the  dis- 
tricts and  requests  of  individuals  to  be  transferred  to  an 
adjacent  district  have  been  a  prolific  source  of  legislation. 
In  1805,  the  subject  of  a  general  revision  was  referred  to  a 
committee  of  one  from  each  district  who  reported  the  follow- 
ing year  "  that  it  is  their  unanimous  opinion  that  a  general 
rearrangement  throughout  the  town  cannot  be  advisable,  but 
some  alterations,  in  the  southern  part  of  the  town,  may  be 
attended  with  good  effect."  This  action  did  not  pacify  the 
town,  and  many  petitions  were  renewed.  In  May,  1808, 
the  whole  subject  was  referred  to  a  committee,  consisting 
of  Dr.  Abraham  Lowe,  Captain  Caleb  Wilder,  Captain 
George  E.  Gushing,  Lieutenant  John  Adams,  Mr.  Timothy 
Crehore,  Mr.  Lemuel  Stimson,  Captain  John  Willard,  Mr. 
Caleb  Ward  and  Mr.  William  Merriam.  On  the  twenty- 
ninth  of  November  following  the  committee  made  a  report 
dividing  the  town  into  eight  districts,  as  follows  : 

District  Number  One. — To  consist  of  Rev.  John  Gushing, 
Moses  Tottingham,  Abraham  Lowe,  Horatio  Hale,  David  Gushing, 
David  Gushing,  Jr.,  Joseph  Jewett,  Grover  Scollay,  Wm.  J. 
Lawrence,  Ephraim  Gobleigh,  Fitch  Grosby,  Hosea  Stone,  widow 
Nancy  Stone,  Joseph  Miller,  widow  Brooks,  Luther  Brooks, 
Sewell  Brooks,  Phinehas  Stimson,  Gyrus  Fairbanks,  Jacob  Fair- 


334  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

banks,  Oliver  Samson,  David  Russell,  Caleb  AYard,  Jr.,  Nathan 
Jones,  Stephen  Randall,  Phinehas  Randall,  Jonas  Randall,  Joel 
Barrett,  Oliver  Marble,  Oliver  Marble,  Jr.,  Thaddeus  Brooks, 
Jonas  Robbins,  Shebuel  Hobard,  Deacon  Jacob  Harris,  Ezekiel 
S.  Metcalf  (35). 

District  Number  Two.  —  Oliver  Green,  Jesse  Ellis,  Jonathan 
Brooks,  John  Winter,  David  Wallis,  William  Ward,  Henry  Hall, 
Lemuel  Whitnej^,  Nicholas  Whiteman,  John  Hall,  David  Taylor, 
Nathan  Taylor,  George  R.  Gushing,  Jacob  Willard,  Jacob  Con- 
stantine,  Wait  Broughton  (16). 

District  Number  Three.  —  Lieutenant  John  Adams,  Walter 
R.  Adams,  James  Adams,  John  Adams,  Jr.,  Thomas  Russell, 
Isaac  Hill,  Ebenezer  Adams,  Isaac  Reed,  William  Gates,  John 
Hadley's  place,  widow  Ruth  Conn,  James  Cowee,  Jabez  Marble, 
Jonas  Rice,  Peter  Policy,  Asa  Woods,  Asa  Sawin,  Joshua  Bil- 
lings, George  Wilker,  Josiah  Fletcher  (20). 

District  Number  Four.  —  Reuben  Rice,  Jonathan  Winchester, 
Joseph  Gibbs,  Thomas  Gibson,  William  Merriam,  Samuel  Gates, 
Samuel  Dunster,  Nehemiah  Maynard,  Stephen  Maynard,  Thomas 
Hobart,  Mrs.  Sarah  Earle,  William  Whitney,  Samuel  Whitney, 
Stephen  Bemis,  Deacon  Sherebiah  Hunt  (15). 

District  Number  Five.  —  Reuben  Townsend,  widow  Conn, 
Caleb  Wilder,  Jr.,  Captain  Silas  Whitney's  place,  Samuel  Clark, 
Henry  Gates,  Ebenezer  Munroe,  Samuel  Phillips,  John  Gates,  Jona- 
than Samson,  Stephen  Corey,  Deacon  Elisha  White,  John  Willard, 
Joshua  Smith,  Grover  Scolla}^,  Joseph  Burgess,  Ebenezer  Burgess, 
Simeon  Brooks,  John  Corey,  Joseph  Stone,  Ezra  Stone,  Elial 
Bacon,  Jonas  Reed,  Daniel  Knight,  Jonathan  Haven,  John  Haven, 
Nathaniel  Adams,  James  Haynes,  Phinehas  Taylor,  Hezekiah 
Corey  (30). 

District  Number  Six. — Timothy  Crehore,  Benjamin  Angier, 
Joseph  Merriam,  Moses  Sanderson,  Timothy  Crehore,  Jr., 
Frederick  Crosby,  Adam  Stone,  J.  Hayden,  William  Holbrook, 
Jonah  Rice,  Nathaniel  Foster,  David  Clark,  William  Harris  (13). 

District  Number  Seven.  —  Samuel  Cotting,  Ithamer  Fair- 
banks, James  Weston,  Colonel  Francis  Lane,  Caleb  Ward,  Ezra 


PUBLIC    SCHOOLS.  335 

Lawrence,  Enos  Jones,  Joseph  Fenno,  Barnabas  Baldwin,  Abra- 
ham Curamings,  Grant  Houston,  Moses  Lawrence,  Isaac  Whit- 
more,  Edmund  Jones,  Ebenezer  B.  Davis,  widow  Kezia  Hobart, 
Captain  Silas  Willard  (17). 

District  Number  Eight.  —  Simon  Willard,  Amos  Pierce, 
Daniel  Benjamin,  Daniel  Benjamin,  Jr.,  Nathan  Jones'  place, 
William  Stearns,  Jesse  Stearns,  Joshua  Barton,  James  Stearns' 
place,  Joseph  Steele,  Daniel  Mclntire,  Ezra  Hastings,  Lemuel 
Stimson,  Benjamin  Lane,  Josiah  Lane,  Captain  Charles  Hastings, 
Henry  Willard  (17). 

At  a  previous  meeting  the  same  year,  on  the  petition  of 
several  families  residing  in  the  vicinity  of  Eice  pond,  a  new 
district  had  been  created  for  their  acconmiodation.  Under 
the  arrangement  embraced  in  the  report  of  the  committee 
these  families  were  restored  to  the  first  district  and  their  new 
district  was  annulled  as  soon  as  organized.  Immediately 
they  renewed  their  solicitations  for  an  independent  district 
and  were  again  successful.  In  May,  1810,  after  several 
hearings  the  town  "  Voted  to  grant  the  request  of  Jacob 
Harris  and  others,  which  is  to  set  off  the  following  persons  as 
a  school  district  by  themselves,  viz.  :  Jacob  Harris,  Shebuel 
Hobart,  Oliver  Marble,  Ezekiel  S.  Metcalf,  Charles  Hastings, 
Joel  BaiTett,  Thaddeus  Brooks,  John  Winter,  Jonas  Randall, 
Josiah  Lane,  Oliver  Marble,  Jr.,  and  Jonas  Robbins." 

These  radical  changes  in  the  district  organizations  did  not 
restore  tranquillity.  The  continued  petitions  of  individuals 
to  be  annexed  to  a  contiguous  district  were  sometimes 
gi-anted  but  more  generally  denied.  After  several  refusals 
the  inhabitants  of  Lane  Village  were  permitted  to  organize 
the  tenth  district,  but  the  boundaries  were  not  defined  by  the 
town  until  1829.  The  vote  of  the  town  was  as  follows: 
"That  Samuel  Foster,  Ezekiel  Metcalf,  Francis  Lane,  Henry 
Kibling,  Henry  Kibling,  Jr.,  David  Hadley,  Caleb  Ward, 


336  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

John  Kibling,  Francis  Kibling,  Richard  W.  Houghton,  Elias 
Lane,  Alvin  Ward,  Henry  Gipson,  Moses  Lawrence, 
Ebenezer  B.  Davis,  Charles  Davis,  John  C.  Davis,  Joseph 
Davis  and  Humphrey  Harris,  together  with  their  estates  and 
all  the  non-resident  lands  lying  within  the  limits  (together 
with  Joel  Foster  and  his  estate  if  he  wishes) ,  shall  constitute 
school  district  Number  Ten  in  the  town  of  Ashburnham." 

Again,  in  1832  the  boundaries  of  all  the  districts  were 
definitely  established  and  several  changes  were  made.  Many 
now  living  were  attending  school  when  this  order  of  the  town 
was  executed.  Those  whose  former  relations  were  ruthlessly 
severed,  who  were  thus  compelled  to  attend  school  in  new 
places,  who  trod  no  more  the  old  familiar  paths  to  the  school- 
house,  nor  met  the  familiar  faces  of  their  former  playmates, 
will  even  now  recall  the  proceeding  with  vivid  recollection. 

A  committee,  consisting  of  George  G.  Parker,  John  Hall, 
Asa  Woods,  Elijah  Brooks,  Elisha  White,  Timothy  Crehore, 
Jr.,  Enoch  Whitmore,  Jonas  Willard,  Charles  Hastings, 
Elias  Lane, — one  from  each  district, — made  the  following 
recommendation  which  was  adopted  : 

Your  committee,  appointed  at  the  last  March  meeting  to  deter- 
mine and  define  the  limits  of  the  several  school  districts,  having 
attended  to  that  duty,  woukl  respectfully  recommend  that  the 
several  territories  as  hereafter  bounded  and  described,  with  the  in- 
habitants at  any  time  residing  thereon,  should  constitute  different 
districts  in  this  town,  to  wit : 

District  Number  One. — Beginning  at  the  southeasterly  cor- 
ner of  "William  Whitney's  farm  and  running  northerly  to  the 
central  point  in  the  road  between  Reuben  Townsend,  Jr.,  and 
Mrs.  Hunt ;  thence  northerly  so  as  to  cross  the  county  road  lead- 
ing through  the  village  at  the  north  end  of  Dr.  Pierce's  east  wall 
near  Thomas  Hobart's  land  ;  thence  northerly  to  the  junction  of 
the  Ashby  road  and  the  road  leading  to  Emery  Fairbanks' ;  thence 


PUBLIC    SCHOOLS.  337 

northwesterly  to  a  stake  and  stones  on  the  west  side  of  New 
Ipswich  road  north  of  Corey  &  Ross'  mill ;  thence  in  the  same 
du'ection  to  a  stake  and  stones  on  the  west  side  of  the  road 
between  Jonas  Robbins'  and  the  said  bank  ;  thence  westerly  to  the 
south  end  of  Meeting-house  pond  ;  thence  to  the  centre  of  the  road 
fifty  rods  south  of  Ezekiel  Metcalf  ;  thence  northerly  in  the  [line} 
of  said  road  five  rods  north  of  Joel  Foster's  ;  thence  westerly  so  a& 
to  meet  the  county  road  at  the  east  side  of  the  French  farm  ;  thence 
southeasterly  to  the  junction  of  the  roads  leading  by  Oliver  Sam- 
son's and  Josiah  Eaton's ;  thence  to  a  stake  and  stones  on  the 
north  side  of  the  road  between  Samuel  Whitney's  and  Stephen 
Corey's  at  the  division  line  between  their  farms ;  thence  south- 
easterly so  as  to  cross  the  road  leading  by  Joseph  Harris'  at  the 
east  end  of  his  south  wall  near  Captain  Willard's  land ;  thence 
north  of  Mr.  Barrett's  to  the  southwest  corner  of  William  Whit- 
ney's farm  at  the  line  of  the  town  of  Westminster  ;  thence  on  said 
town  line  to  the  bounds  first  mentioned. 

District  Number  Two.  —  Beginning  at  Wilker's  new  road  at 
the  line  of  the  town  of  Ashby  ;  thence  running  northerly  on  said 
Ashby  line  to  the  northwest  corner  of  Elnathan  Lawrence's  farm  ; 
thence  southerly  to  the  north  end  of  Brooks'  pond  ;  thence  to  the 
junction  of  the  roads  leading  by  Salmon  Rice's  and  Joseph  Dud- 
ley's ;  thence  southerly  to  the  east  side  of  Mount  Hunger  ;  thence 
on  District  Number  Three  to  the  bounds  first  mentioned. 

District  Number  Three.  —  Beginning  at  the  junction  of  the 
Ashby  road  and  the  road  leading  by  Emery  Fairbanks' ;  thence 
easterly  to  a  pair  of  bars  across  a  pathway  leading  to  Nathaniel 
Cutter's ;  thence  easterly  to  the  southeast  corner  of  Joshua  Bil- 
lings' farm  ;  thence  north  on  the  line  of  the  town  of  Ashby  to 
Wilker's  new  road  ;  thence  westerly  to  the  side  of  Mount  Hunger  ; 
thence  westerly  to  the  northwest  corner  of  Stephen  Lane's 
pasture  ;  thence  southerly  to  the  bounds  first  mentioned. 

District  Number  Four.  —  Beginning  at  the  southeast  corner 
of  William  Whitney's  farm ;  thence  on  District  Number  One  to 
the  central  point  in  the  road  between  Reuben  Townsend,  Jr.,  and 
Mrs.   Hunt's ;    thence  northerly  crossing  the  county  road  at  the 


538  '  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

north  end  of  Dr.  Pierce's  east  wall  to  the  junction  of  the  Ashby 
road  and  the  road  leading  to  Emery  Fairbanks' ;  thence  easterly 
on  District  Number  Three  to  a  pair  of  bars  across  a  passway 
leading  to  Nathaniel  Cutter's ;  thence  easterly  to  the  southeast 
corner  of  Joshua  Billings'  farm  ;  thence  southerly  and  westerly  on 
the  line  of  the  towns  of  Ashby,  Fitchburg  and  Westminster  to  the 
bounds  first  mentioned. 

District  Number  Five.  —  Beginning  at  the  southwesterly 
corner  of  William  Whitney's  farm ;  thence  northwesterly  on  the 
north  side  of  William  Barrell's  and  on  District  Number  One  to 
the  junction  of  the  roads  leading  by  Oliver  Samson's  and  Josiah 
Eaton's  ;  thence  westerly  so  as  to  cross  the  turnpike  leading  to  P. 
R.  Merriam's  at  Sanderson's  corner ;  thence  to  the  line  of  Gardner 
on  the  north  side  of  Hezekiah  Corey's  farm  ;  thence  southerly  and 
easterly  on  the  town  line  of  said  Gardner  and  Westminster  to  the 
bounds  first  mentioned. 

District  Number  Six,  —  Beginning  at  the  line  of  the  town  of 
Gardner  on  the  north  side  of  Hezekiah  Corey's  farm ;  thence 
easterly  on  District  Number  Five  to  Sanderson's  corner ;  thence 
on  Districts  Number  Five  and  Number  One  to  the  county  road 
leading  from  Ashburnham  to  Winchendon  at  the  east  side  of  the 
French  farm,  so-called ;  thence  to  the  northeasterly  corner  of 
James  Laws'  land ;  thence  westerly  to  the  line  of  the  town  of 
Winchendon  at  the  northwesterly  corner  of  William  Harris'  farm  ; 
thence  on  the  town  line  of  said  Winchendon  and  Gardner  to  the 
bounds  first  mentioned. 

District  Number  Seven.  —  Beginning  at  the  line  of  the  town 
of  Winchendon  at  the  northwest  corner  of  William  Harris'  farm  ; 
thence  easterly  on  District  Number  Six  to  the  northeast  corner  of 
James  Laws'  land ;  thence  easterly  to  the  southwest  corner  of 
Asa  Tottingham's  land ;  thence  easterly  to  the  southeast  corner 
of  William  Houghton's  land ;  thence  northerl}^  to  the  northeast 
corner  of  said  Houghton's  land ;  thence  westerly  to  the  southeast 
corner  of  Silas  Willard's  land ;  thence  north  on  Silas  Willard, 
George  Wood,  Daniel  Jones  and  Rial  Cummings  to  the  line  of  the 
State  of  New  Hampshire  ;  thence  westerly  on  said  State  line  to 


PUBLIC    SCHOOLS.  339 

the  northwest  corner  of  Ashburnham  ;  thence  southerly  on  the 
line  of  the  town  of  Winchendon  to  the  bounds  first  mentioned. 

District  Number  Eight.  —  Beginning  at  the  northwest  corner 
of  Captain  T.  Stearns'  farm  at  the  line  of  New  Hampshire  :  thence 
westerly  on  Rial  Cummings,  Daniel  Jones,  George  Wood  and 
Silas  Willard  to  the  southeast  corner  of  Silas  Willard's  farm  ; 
thence  on  District  Number  Seven  to  the  southeast  corner  of 
William  Houghton 's  land  ;  thence  southeasterly  to  the  northwest 
corner  of  Lewis  Willard's  farm  ;  thence  to  the  southeast  corner  of 
said  Lewis  Willard's  farm  ;  thence  easterly  to  land  of  Charles 
Hastings  ;  thence  to  the  northwest  corner  of  said  Hastings'  land  ; 
thence  southeasterly  to  land  of  Oliver  Marble  or  Oliver  Green  ; 
thence  easterly  to  land  of  Jesse  Ellis  ;  thence  north  to  the  State 
line  at  land  of  Elnathan  Lawrence  ;  thence  on  said  State  line  to 
the  bounds  first  mentioned. 

District  Number  Nine.  —  Beginning  at  the  junction  of  the 
Ashby  road  and  the  road  leading  to  Emery  Fairbanks' ;  thence 
westerly  on  District  Number  One  to  the  south  end  of  Meeting- 
house pond ;  thence  northerly  on  District  Number  Ten  to  John 
Lane's  land ;  thence  easterly  to  Jesse  Ellis'  land  ;  thence  southerly 
to  the  north  end  of  Brooks'  pond ;  thence  on  District  Number 
Two  to  the  east  side  of  Mount  Hunger ;  thence  westerly'  to  the 
northwest  corner  of  Stephen  Lane's  pasture ;  thence  on  District 
Number  Three  to  the  bounds  first  mentioned. 

District  Number  Ten.  —  Beginning  in  the  centre  of  the  road 
five  rods  north  of  Joel  Foster's ;  thence  westerly  to  the  south- 
westerly corner  of  Captain  Francis  Lane's  farm ;  thence  to  the 
northwest  corner  of  Caleb  Ward's  land ;  thence  easterly  and 
northerly  on  the  pond  to  the  northwest  corner  of  Jacob  Ward's 
farm  ;  thence  easterly  to  the  northwest  corner  of  Lewis  Willard's 
farm  ;  from  thence  to  the  southeast  corner  of  said  Lewis  Willard's 
farm ;  thence  south  to  the  Meeting-house  pond  ;  thence  south  on 
the  west  side  of  said  pond  to  the  south  end ;  thence  westerly  and 
northerly  on  District  Number  One  to  the  bounds  first  mentioned. 

Few  changes  in  the  boundaries  of  these  districts  are  noted 
until   1850,  when,  by  the  division  of  the  first  district,  the 


340  HISTORY   OF  ASHBURNHAM. 

eleventh  was  organized.  This  measure  was  warmly  debated 
and  was  carried  by  a  small  majority  and  at  best  it  must  be 
regarded  as  a  measure  of  doubtful  expediency. 

Under  the  provisions  of  the  recent  school  laws  of  the  State, 
with  which  all  are  presumed  to  be  familiar,  several  attempts 
to  vacate  the  district  system  were  defeated  by  a  majority  of 
the  town.  In  the  mean  time  the  measure  was  fully  debated 
and  was  met  with  accumulating  support.  In  1878  the 
school  district  system  was  abolished  and  the  appraisal  of  the 
houses  and  other  school  property  was  referred  to  the  select- 
men. Since  then  the  employment  of  the  teachers  and  the 
prudential  affairs  of  the  schools  have  devolved  upon  the 
committee  of  supervision.  For  half  a  century,  under  the 
school  code  of  1827,  the  districts  were  organized  corpora- 
tions, assuming  and  exercising  the  control  of  their  prudential 
affairs.  Previous  to  that  date  the  town,  in  the  choice  of  the 
prudential  and  superintending  committees  and  in  building 
school-houses,  maintained  a  control  over  the  schools  which 
was  renewed  in  1878  when  the  district  system  was  abolished. 
In  the  early  history  of  the  schools  the  town  chose  two  com- 
mittees instead  of  one,  yet  in  theory,  and  so  far  as  the  source 
of  authority  is  concerned,  the  ancient  and  the  modern  sys- 
tems, separated  by  fifty  years,  are  practically  the  same. 

Very  little  information  of  the  first  school-houses  is  found 
in  the  records,  and  in  some  instances  the  action  of  the  town 
appears  contradictory.  In  1782  it  was  ordered  "that  each 
school  quarter  build  school-houses  by  themselves  if  they  are 
willing  to  have  houses  and  that  each  quarter  assess  them- 
selves for  that  purpose."  Within  three  months  fi-oni  the 
foregoing  vote  the  town  "  granted  one  hundred  and  twenty 
pounds  to  be  laid  out  in  building  school-houses  and  voted 
that  each  quarter  draw  their  proportion  of  it,"  and  at  the 
same  meeting  permission  was  granted  to  build  a  school-house 


PUBLIC   SCHOOLS.  341 

'on  the  coimnon.  In  178G  sixty  pounds  and  in  1793  seventy- 
live  pounds  was  "granted  to  linish  the  school-houses."  In 
179i»  the  town  appropriated  seventy-tive  dollars  "towards 
Imilding  a  school-house  in  Lieut.  eTohn  Adams'  ward  in  room 
of  the  one  lately  burned."  Three  years  later  it  was  voted 
to  give  Joseph  Gibbs'  school  district  tifty  dollars  towards 
building  a  school-house.  This  vote  is  connected  with  the 
reorganization  of  a  ninth  district  which  subsequently  became 
known  as  the  fourth  district.  At  this  date  the  districts  were 
not  numbered  and  Avere  distinguished  by  the  name  of  some 
prominent  citizen.  In  1809,  when  many  of  the  school-houses 
were  found  too  small  or  in  need  of  repair,  the  town  asserted 
its  independence  of  continued  responsibility  in  the  premises 
in  a  declaration  that  "each  school  district  should  l)uild  its  own 
school-house." 

It  is  apparent  from  the  records  and  confirmed  by  tradition 
that  a  school-house  was  built  on  the  northwest  part  of  the 
common  at  the  close  of  the  Revolution.  In  1809  a  new  house 
was  built  on  the  common  north  of  land  of  Moses  Tottingham 
and  east  of  the  highway  leading  south  from  the  old  meeting- 
house. It  was  removed  to  the  village  in  1818.  The  site 
then  selected  has  been  occupied  to  the  present  time.  At  an 
■early  date  there  was  a  school-house  at  the  foot  of  the  Charles 
Lawrence  hill,  but  changes  in  the  boundaries  of  the  districts 
joined  the  families  in  that  vicinity  to  the  second  and  the 
•eighth  districts.  A  school-house,  which  was  burned  in  1810, 
stood  many  years  on  the  ledges,  east  of  the  residence  of 
Warren  E,  Marble  and  not  far  from  the  house  of  Nathan  and 
Oliver  Taylor,  and  a  second  building  was  erected  on  the 
same  site.  This  was  removed  sixty  or  more  years  ago  and 
stood  several  years  across  the  road  from  its  present  location. 
The  flowage  of  the  meadow  caused  the  last  removal.  It  has 
been  repaired  frequently  and  is  yet  a  comfortable  school- 


342  HISTOEY   OF   ASHBUENHAM. 

house.  Ill  the  third  district,  after  the  first  house  was  burned 
another  was  built  near  the  residence  of  Newell  Marble  which 
was  succeeded  by  a  brick  house  which  proved  too  heavy  for 
the  moist  ground  on  Avhich  it  stood,  and  was  replaced  by  the 
present  frame  building  about  forty  years  ago. 

An  early  house  in  the  fourth  district,  built  above  eighty 
years  ago,  stood  in  the  mill-yard  of  Cyrus  A.  Jefts.  The 
present  house  was  built  in  1838.  A  few  years  before  the 
close  of  the  past  century,  a  school-house  was  erected  about 
two  hundred  yards  north  of  the  residence  of  Benjamin  E. 
Wetherbee.  The  next  house  in  this  vicinity  was  located 
about  as  far  west  of  the  residence  of  Mr.  Wetherbee  and  was 
burned  almost  forty  years  ago.  In  1848  a  two-story  brick 
house  was  built  on  the  present  site.  This  house  was  burned 
in  1865.  The  new  house,  commodious  and  substantial,  was 
built  in  1867.  Another  ancient  school-house  was  erected  on 
the  old  road  to  Winchendon  and  near  the  Frederick  Crosby 
place.  Many  years  ago  it  was  removed  or  a  new  one  built 
near  the  Astor  House.  Later  the  centre  of  population  was 
in  Burrageville  where  rooms  were  rented  for  the  accommo- 
dation of  the  school.  In  1882  the  present  house  was  built. 
A  portion  of  Number  Seven  has  formed  a  part  of  several 
geographical  districts.  Tradition  stoutly  affirms  that  in  very 
early  times,  for  the  accommodation  of  a  large  section  of  the 
town,  there  was  a  school-house  west  of  the  saw-mill  of  Isaac 
D.  Ward  and  on  an  old  road  leading  from  and  north  of  the 
meeting-house  in  North  Ashburnham.  The  tradition  is  prob- 
ably in  accordance  with  the  fact  and  it  is  also  certain  that 
one  hundred  years  ago  a  house  was  built  on  a  road  long 
since  discontinued,  and  about  eighty  yards  north  of  the 
residence  of  Nathaniel  R.  Butler.  The  house  was  burned  in 
1812.  Immediately  another  was  built  north  of  the  village 
of  North  Ashburnham  at  the  junction  of  the  Rindge  road 


PUBLIC   SCHOOLS.  343 

and  a  road  now  discontinued.  In  response  to  changes  made 
in  the  boundaries  of  the  district  the  house  was  removed  to  a 
point  on  the  road  leading  from  the  Deacon  Jones'  place  to 
the  present  site.  The  liouse  near  the  residence  of  Henry 
Tuckerman  was  built  in  1850,  and  is  situated  two  miles  from 
the  centre  of  the  original  district.  The  first  school-house  in 
the  eighth  district,  built  at  an  early  date,  was  located  on 
the  Stearns  road,  a  short  distance  from  the  present  house. 
It  was  burned  in  1814  and  its  successor  built  the  follow- 
ing year.  The  school-house  in  the  ninth  district  was  so 
thoroughly  constructed  at  the  organization  of  the  district  that 
attentive  repairs  have  continued  its  preservation.  The  school- 
house  provided  in  Lane  Village  at  the  organization  of  the 
district  was  continued  until  1852  when  the  present  substan- 
tial house  was  erected. 

The  commencement  of  the  present  century  was  the  begin- 
ning of  a  new  era  in  the  cause  of  popular  education.  The 
efibrts  of  the  past  had  taken  root  for  a  more  vigorous  growth, 
and  many  happy  changes  occurred  within  a  few  years.  In 
most  cases,  to  learn  to  read,  write  and  spell,  with  some 
knowledge  of  the  rules  of  arithmetic,  was  all  that  had  been 
attempted.  The  text-books  in  use  previous  to  1800  were 
not  numerous,  and  of  a  most  primitive  character.  Dil- 
worth's  and  Perry's  Spelling-Book,  and  Pike's  Arithmetic 
would  cut  a  sorry  figure  in  the  school-room  at  the  present 
time.  Late  in  the  past  century,  Webster's  Reader  found  its 
way  into  the  school-room,  as  well  as  a  small  abridgment  of 
Morse's  Geography,  which  gave  the  briefest  description  of 
the  earth's  surface,  and  contained  many  startling  facts. 
Alexander's  Grammar  was  in  the  hands  of  only  the  most 
advanced  and  ambitious  pupils.  In  any  mention  of  the  books 
of  the  period,  the  New  England  Primer  must  not  be  omitted. 
This  volume  of  diminutive  size,  filled  with  wholesome  truths, 


344  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

was  found  at  every  fireside,  and  was  received  in  the  school- 
room as  a  reading-book  and  safe  counsellor.  Every  Satur- 
day, and  sometimes  more  frequently,  the  entire  school  was 
required  to  "say  the  catechism,"  as  found  in  this  little  volume. 
These  exercises,  and  the  truths  inculcated,  are  not  forgotten 
by  the  aged  among  us,  but  are  shining  brightly  in  their 
waning  years.  To  them  education,  in  an  intellectual  sense, 
was  simply  the  measure  of  mental  force,  furnishing  facilities 
to  action,  while  these  moral  instructions  were  seized  upon  to 
direct  and  be  the  guiding  principle  of  their  lives. 

From  an  early  date  the  most  successful  teachers  in  the 
public  schools  have  been  natives  and  residents  of  this  town. 
Within  the  limits  of  this  chapter  it  would  be  impossible  to 
name  even  those  who  secured  an  enduring  reputation  in  the 
traditions  of  the  town.  As  early  as  1790,  Hon.  Samuel 
Appleton,  then  of  New  Ipswich,  was  an  instructor  one  term 
at  least  in  the  first  humble  school-house  on  the  old  common. 
Captain  Caleb  Wilder,  portly  in  form,  genial  in  manner,  yet 
firm  in  discipline,  was  a  successful  teacher  many  years. 
Master  Jesse  Stearns,  the  physical  counterpart  of  Mr. 
Wilder,  upright  in  bearing  and  incisive  in  manner,  was  em- 
ployed in  several  districts.  His  fame  as  a  teacher  is  familiar 
to  the  traditions  of  several  towns  in  this  vicinity.  These 
worthies  were  succeeded  by  Hosea  Green,  Eleazer  Flint  of 
Winchendon,  Stephen  Wyman  of  Ashby,  Artemas  Longley, 
Ebenezer  Frost,  Hon.  William  B.  Washburn,  Hon.  Amasa 
Norcross  and  many  natives  of  Ashburnham  whose  dis- 
tinguished labor  will  be  noticed  in  the  family  registers. 

It  has  been  stated  that  the  first  appropriation  made  for 
schools  in  1767  was  eight  pounds.  •'  With  the  exception  of 
the  years  1768,  1769  and  1776,  in  which  no  appropriation 
was  made  for  this  purpose,  the  town  raised  twelve  pounds 
annually  until  and  including   1777.     In  1778,  £40;    1779, 


PUBLit   SCHOOLS.  345 

£200;  1780,  £1000;  1781,  £4000  were  respectively  voted, 
but  on  account  of  the  rapid  depreciation  of  the  currency 
during  the  Revolution,  the  schools  did  not  receive  any  sub- 
stantial benefit  over  the  former  years.  For  several  years 
after  the  Revolution  £50  was  annnally  raised  and  then  the 
amount  was  increased  from  year  to  year  until  in  the  year 
1800,  $300  was  appropriated,  and  the  gradual  increase  to  the 
present  time  is  briefly  represented  in  the  sums  raised  through 
the  decades  of  the  present  century  :  1810,  $400 ;  1820, 
$500;  1830, $500;  1840, $900  ;  1850,  $1400  ;  1860, $1700  ; 
1870,  $3000;  1880,  $2800.  From  1872  to  1875,  $3500, 
and  from  1880  to  1884,  $3000  has  been  appropriated  for  the 
schools  of  the  town. 

From  the  first  the  amount  of  school  money  was  determined 
by  the  town,  but  the  vote  was  only  the  united  voice  of  the 
districts.  The  tax  was  assessed  and  collected  by  the  officers 
of  the  town  because  they  could  most  readily  and  accurately 
proportion  the  amount  each  person  should  pay,  but  the 
school  money  was  received  and  expended  by  the  agents  of 
the  districts.  Beyond  the  slender  assistance  of  the  towns, 
the  public  schools,  in  their  infancy,  were  not  the  growth  of 
public  support  nor  the  creation  of  State  legislation,  but  were 
spontaneous  in  the  several  communities  to  meet  the  demands 
of  each.  Our  common  school  system  has  clearly  originated 
with  the  people.  The  perfection  of  our  code  of  school  laws 
rests  in  the  fact  that  it  is  not  creative  but  that  it  has  rather 
seized  and  solidified  the  most  advanced  methods  and  the 
fullest  measure  of  public  sentiment.  The  law  has  seldom 
introduced  new  forms  and  unfamiliar  methods,  but  has  been 
content  in  the  encouragement  and  support  of  those  at  once 
familiar  and  approved  by  the  people.  The  schools  have  con- 
tinually been  in  advance  of  the  statutes. 


346  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

The  settlers  in  the  towns  in  this  vicinity  divided  them- 
selves into  communities  of  convenient  proportions,  which 
existed  upon  the  slender  authority  of  the  town  for  sixty 
years  before  the  law  vested  these  school  districts  with  cor- 
porate power.  The  towns,  in  behalf  of  the  districts,  con- 
tinued to  raise  money  for  the  establishment  and  maintenance 
of  schools  a  long  time  before  there  was  any  statute  compel- 
ling an  appropriation  which  had  been  uniformly  and  cheer- 
fully made.  The  town,  and  later  the  several  districts,  built 
school-houses  and  subsequently  the  law  gave  them  permission 
to  continue  a  laudable  practice.  The  people  in  the  capacity 
of  a  town  chose  "  committees  to  visit  and  inspect  the 
schools  "  many  years  before  the  statutes  made  mention  of  a 
superintending  school  committee.  True,  law  has  given  uni- 
formity and  perfection  to  our  school  system,  but  the  whole 
of  it  has  sprung  from  and  has  first  been  tested  and  approved 
by  the  people. 

Various  methods  for  the  division  of  the  school  money 
among  the  districts  have  been  employed.  A  few  years  each 
district  has  received  an  equal  share  of  the  annual  appropria- 
tion without  regard  to  the  tax  paid  by  the  district  or  the 
number  of  scholars  attending  school.  This  system  wa& 
succeeded  by  a  division  according  to  the  number  of  scholars 
and  also  on  the  basis  of  the  wealth  or  the  tax  paid  by  each 
district.  After  a  trial  of  one  and  then  another  of  these 
antagonistic  systems  for  several  years,  a  compromise  was 
adopted  which  led  to  an  absolute  division  of  the  greater  part 
and  a  discretionary  division  of  the  remainder  of  the  school 
appropriation. 

From  1868  to  1875  the  town  maintained  a  high  school 
one  or  more  terms  each  year  with  a  reasonable  measure  of 
success.  The  schools  were  assembled  in  the  basement  of 
the  armory  and  in  the  school-houses  in  the  first  and  eleventh 


PUBLIC   SCHOOLS.  347 

districts.  The  teachers  were  Samuel  J.  Bullock,  Melvin  O. 
Adams,  Charles  E.  Woodward,  Fred  W.  Russell,  Francis 
A.  Whitney,  Martin  H.  Fiske,  F.  T.  Beede,  Mary  A. 
Sawyer  and  E.  A.  Hart  well. 

Commencing  with  the  inauguration  of  Cushing  Academy 
in  1875,  the  youth  of  this  town  have  enjoyed  the  benefit  of 
a  permanent  high  school.  For  several  years  the  town  paid 
one  thousand  dollars  and  at  present  is  paying  seven  hundred 
dollars  annually  to  the  academy  for  the  maintenance  of  a  high 
school  department  without  tuition  from  resident  pupils. 

The  prudential  affairs  of  the  districts,  including  the 
employment  of  the  teachers,  were  conducted  by  the  select- 
men until  1778.  At  this  date  the  town  proceeded  to  choose 
a  prudential  committee,  or  agent,  for  each  district  and  con- 
tinued to  exercise  this  authority  for  fifty  years.  Not  until 
1828  were  there  any  district  organizations.  The  laws  of 
1827  introduced  many  substantial  improvements.  By  it  the 
districts  were  permitted  to  assume  the  control  of  their  local 
affairs,  and  towns  were  required  to  choose  annually  a  com- 
mittee of  supervision.  Previous  to  this  date  the  choice  of 
a  superintending  committee  was  optional  with  the  towns. 
Commencing  at  an  early  date  three  or  more  persons,  styled 
"a  committee  to  visit  the  schools,"  were  chosen  nearly  every 
year,  but  under  the  operation  of  the  new  law  the  committee 
of  supervision  was  vested  with  increased  authority  and 
dignity. 

The  first  committee  "  to  view  "  the  schools  was  chosen  in 
1793.  It  included  the  minister,  the  selectmen  and  Joshua 
Smith,  Stephen  Eandall,  John  Adams,  Jacob  Willard  and 
Enos  Jones.  In  the  years  immediately  following,  to  Joseph 
Jewett,  William  Pollard,  John  Whiteman,  Ezra  Dana, 
William  Stearns,  Elisha  White,  Dr.  Abraham  Lowe, 
Thomas  Adams,  Timothy  Crehore,  Isaac  Whitmore,  Francis 


348  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

Lane,    Joshua   Townsend,    Amos    Wetherbee    and    Samuel 
Wilder  was  committed  the  supervision  of  the  schools. 

During  the  first  decade  of  the  present  century  there  is  no 
record  of  the  election  of  a  superintending  committee.  Com- 
mencing in  1811,  with  the  exception  of  four  years,  from 
three  to  nine  persons  have  been  annually  elected  ;  introduc- 
ing new  names  each  year  the  roll  of  the  committee  is  the 
register  of  a  legion.  The  names  of  those  who  have  served 
two  or  more  years,  the  date  of  their  first  election  and  the 
term  of  service  are  appended  :  Rev.  John  Gushing,  1811 
(4)  ;  Caleb  Wilder,  1811  (7)  ;  Jesse  Stearns,  1811  (5)  ; 
Ivers  Jewett,  1811  (6)  ;  Dr.  Abraham  Lowe,  1811  (3)  ; 
Jacob  Harris,  1812  (2)  ;  George  R.  Cushing,  1813  (9)  ; 
Caleb  Ward,  1815  (3)  ;  Jacob  Harris,  Jr.,  1816  (2)  ;  Dr. 
Abraham  T.  Lowe,  1818  (2)  ;  Jonas  Willard,  1818  (2)  ; 
Charles  Stearns,  1820  (3)  ;  Rev.  George  Perkins,  1826 
(4)  ;  Hosea  Green,  1826  (2)  ;  Thomas  Bennett,  1826  (2)  ; 
Colonel  Enoch  Whitmore,  1826  (3)  ;  John  C.  Glazier,  1828 
(3)  ;  Gilman  Jones,  1829  (2)  ;  Ebenezer  Frost,  1829  (12)  ; 
Rev.  George  Goodyear,  1833  (4)  ;  George  G.  Parker,  1833 
(2)  ;  Rev.  John  W.  Case,  1835  (2)  ;  Dr.  Nathaniel  Pierce, 
1835  (3)  ;  Dr.  William  P.  Stone,  1838  (3)  ;  Jerome 
W.  Foster,  1839  (8);  John  A.  Conn,  1841  (10):  Elliot 
Moore,  1841  (3 )  ;  William  P.  Ellis,  1845  ( 3)  ;  Rev.  Elna- 
than  Davis,  1847  (3);  Dr.  Alfred  Miller,  1848  (10); 
Rev.  Josiah  D.  Crosby,  1850  (11);  Francis  A.  Whitney, 
1850  (16)  ;  Edward  S.  Flint,  1855  (3)  ;  Levi  W.  Russell, 

1856  (2)  ;  Hosea  F.  Lane,  1857  (3)  ;  Charles  W.  Burrage, 

1857  (3)  ;  Albert  H.  Andrews,  1858  (4)  ;   Dr.  L.  L.  Whit- 
more, 1860  (4)  ;  Henry  Tuckerman,  1860  (3)  ;  JohnW.  Fay, 

1860  (2);    Asher  Moore,  1860  (4);    Ohio  Whitney,  Jr., 

1861  (3)  ;  Samuel  Howard,  1862  (3)  ;  Dr.  Theron  Temple, 
1864  (3)  ;  Charles  E.  Woodward,  1865  (11)  ;  Dr.  Harvey  D. 


PUBLIC    SCHOOLS.  349 

Jillson,  1867  (3);  Rev.  Daniel  Wight,  1870  (o)  ;  Nathan 
Eaton,  1870  (8);  Wilbur  F.  Whitney,  1870  (10);  Eev. 
Leonard  S.  Parker,  1872  (5);  Marshall  Wetherbee,  1873 
(3)  ;  Charles  F.  Rockwood,  1876  (  6 ) ;  Prof.  James  E.  Vose, 
1878  (3) ;  Fred  D.  Lane,  1880  (5)  ;  Mrs.  Mary  S.  Barrett, 
1880  (3). 


CHAPTER   XIII. 

THE    GUSHING    ACADEMY. 

INCIDENTAL  FEATtTRES  OF  THE  ENDOWMENT.  THE  WILL  OF  THOMAS  PARK- 
MAN  CUSHING. — THE  TRUSTEES. — PROGRESS  OF  EVENTS.  — WINCHES- 
TER     SQUARE. THE     EDIFICE.  DEDICATION.  THE      SCHOOL      FUND.  

JEWETT  HALL. THE   CROSBY  SCHOLARSHIP. LIBRARY    AND    APPARATUS. 

PROFESSOR    PIERCE.  PROFESSOR    VOSE.  BOARD    OF    TRUSTEES,  PAST 

AND    PRESENT. 

The  causes,  which  led  to  the  endowment  of  Gushing 
Academy  and  its  establishment  in  Ashburnham,  are  not 
adventitious.  In  the  mission  of  the  school  the  ministry  of 
the  father  is  renewed  in  the  munificence  of  the  son.  Illib- 
eral and  ungenerous  would  be  the  thought  that  by  a  single 
act  of  beneficence  on  the  part  of  Thomas  Parkman  Gushing 
the  academy  bearing  his  name  was  founded.  An  impulse 
of  princely  benevolence  without  the  means  to  sustain  it,  or 
the  wisdom  to  direct  its  course,  is  unavailing.  The  pre- 
requisites to  the  endowment  of  Gushing  Academy  were  a 
life  of  toil,  supported  by  habits  of  frugality,  and  the  wisdom 
displayed,  in  the  conditions  of  the  bequest,  was  the  fruitful 
thought  of  a  sagacious  mind.  When  the  youth  left  the 
parental  roof  engaging  at  an  early  age  in  the  activities  of 
life,  the  seminary  was  deferred  only  by  the  measure  of  a 
lifetime,  and  as  often  as  his  thought  returned  to  the  place 
of  his  nativity  and  the  familiar  scenes  of  his  childhood,  its 
location  in  Ashburnham  was  assured. 

350 


THE    GUSHING   ACADEMY.  351 

The  events  of  the  past,  the  utility  of  the  present  and  the 
possibilities  of  the  future  can  be  most  clearly  presented  in 
an  unpretentious  narrative  of  what  has  been  done  and  what 
is  contemplated  by  the  trustees  who  have  faithfully  and  suc- 
cessfully executed  the  express  desire  and  have  created  in 
substantial  form  the  image  of  the  matured  thought  of 
Thomas  Parkman  Gushing.  With  meteoric  splendor,  the 
Gushing  Academy  did  not  spring  into  existence.  Like  the 
sturdy  oak  its  growth  has  been  slow  and  solidified.  Its 
character  and  features,  cemented  and  hardened  by  the  lapse 
of  years,  are  strong  and  enduring.  The  visible  origin  of  the 
institution  is  the  will  and  testament  of  Mr.  Gushing,  dated 
July  30,  1850.  In  its  provisions  it  is  a  most  happy  alliance 
of  wisdom  and  philanthropy,  of  liberality  and  prudence. 
There  is  no  shadow  of  an  impulse.  It  is  the  language  and 
it  carries  the  impress  of  a  conclusion.  It  is  apparent  that 
every  clause  of  this  beneficent  document  was  formulated  and 
clear  in  the  mind  of  its  author  before  it  was  written.  Nor 
need  we  invoke  the  license  of  imagination  to  presume  that 
on  some  of  the  hills  in  Ashburnham  he  was  accustomed  to 
behold  in  the  clear  lines  of  reality  the  completed  edifice  on 
which  the  thought  of  his  mind  was  so  vividly  inclined ;  that 
he  beheld  the  established  seats  of  learnins;  shedding-  their 
beneficent  rays  of  light  and  knowledge  over  a  wide  expanse 
of  country,  and  that  with  his  mind  thus  allied  to  the  future, 
his  appeal  for  the  cooperation  of  others  was  the  prayer  of 
an  earnest  purpose  that  these  influences  should  not  fade  with 
the  lapse  of  years. 

The  language  of  the  testator  in  the  eighteenth  item  of  his 
will  is  evidence  that  his  plans  were  fully  matured  and  "that 
he  was  earnest  upon  the  subject  of  education  as  the  saving 
grace  of  the  republic." 


352  HISTORY    OF    ASHBURNHAM. 

And,  whereas,  it  is  my  opinion  that  the  stability  of  our  Laws, 
and  the  safety  of  our  Government,  the  right  direction  of  our 
Republican  Institutions,  the  preservation  of  virtue,  and  of  good 
morals  :  and,  in  short,  the  well-being  and  happiness  of  society, 
depend  in  a  great  degree  upon  the  general  diffusion  of  practical 
and  useful  knowledge  among  the  people,  I  am  particularly  desi- 
rous of  using  a  portion  of  the  estate  with  which  God  has  blessed 
me,  for  the  promotion  of  so  important  an  object  as  that  of 
improving  the  education,  and  thus  of  strengthening  and  enlarging 
the  minds  of  the  rising  and  of  future  generations.  Hoping  that 
others  having  similar  views  and  opinions,  will  hereafter  cooperate 
with  me  towards  effecting  the  same  great  and  desirable  end :  my 
Will,  therefore,  further  is,  That  two  schools  or  seminaries  of 
learning,  shall  be  established  and  forever  continued  in  my  native 
town  of  Ashburnham,  in  the  Commonwealth  of  Massachusetts ; 
entirely  distinct,  and  separated  from  each  other  by  a  distance  of 
at  least  a  quarter  of  a  mile  —  the  one  for  males  of  over  ten  years 
of  age,  and  the  other  for  females  of  over  ten  years  of  age.  And 
for  the  foundation  and  endowment  of  these  schools,  I  give  to  the 
Executors  hereinafter  named,  and  to  their  successors  forever,  in 
trust  only,  as  follows. 

Following  with  unfailing  precision  of  statement  and  having 
appealed  to  the  cooperative  philanthropy  of  others,  the  donor 
enumerates  several  specific  bequests  "  for  improving  the 
education  and  thus  streno;thening  and  enlarging  the  minds  of 
the  risino'   and  of  future    generations."     In  regard   to  the 

Co  o 

magnitude  of  the  bequest  it  is  sufficient  in  this  connection  to 
state  that  in  round  numbers  ninety-six  thousand  dollars  was 
placed  to  the  credit  of  the  Gushing  Academy  immediately 
after  its  organization  under  the  charter  of  1865.  The  founder 
of  our  academy  did  not  fail  to  provide  for  the  future.  With 
implicit  confidence  in  "the  judgment  and  discretion  of  the 
trustees  "  and  in  "  the  wisdom  and  foresight  of  the  Legisla- 
ture "  his  advisory  wishes  are  clearly  set  forth. 


THE    GUSHING   ACADEMY.  353 

And,  in  order  to  render  the  seminaries  of  learning  herein  estab- 
lished more  efficient  and  extensively  useful  by  an  enlarged  founda- 
tion, it  is  ray  further  Will  that  the  Trustees  hereinafter  named, 
shall  diligently  and  promptly  invest  the  several  sums  herein  given 
to  them,  in  trust,  as  they  may  be  realized,  for  the  foundation  of 
said  seminaries  in  such  funds  and  securities  as  they  in  their  dis- 
cretion shall  think  best,  and  reinvest  the  income  of  the  same  during 
the  period  of  ten  years  after  my  decease.  When  that  period  shall 
have  elapsed,  my  further  Will  is,  that  the  Trustees,  hereinafter 
named,  shall  apply  for,  and  obtain  from  the  Legislature  of  this 
Commonwealth,  a  suitable  Act  of  Incorporation  or  Charter,  under 
which  all  the  business  and  affairs  of  the  schools  herein  founded 
may  be  conducted  forever.  The  details  of  the  Act,  such  as  the 
number  of  Trustees  under  it,  how  they  shall  be  appointed  or 
elected,  so  as  to  insure  as  far  as  possible  in  perpetuity,  a  succession 
of  honest,  honorable,  judicious  and  intelligent  men ;  the  guards 
to  be  adopted  to  prevent  the  waste  or  loss  of  the  property  belong- 
ing to  the  institution,  etc.,  etc.,  I  leave  to  the  good  judgment  and 
discretion  of  the  Trustees  hereinafter  named,  and  to  the  wisdom 
and  foresight  of  the  Legislature. 

The  trustees  selected  by  the  testator  were  Eev.  Dr.  Francis 
Way  land,  a  brother  of  his  wife  ;  Hon.  Heman  Lincoln,  who 
married  his  sister  ;  William  D.  Sohier,  Esq.,  for  many  years 
his  legal  adviser ;  and  Hon.  Charles  G.  Loring.  Mr.  Sohier 
resigning,  the  appointment  of  the  remaining  gentlemen  was 
approved  and  the  will  confirmed  by  the  Probate  Court 
December  26,  1854.  The  immediate  control  of  the  fund  was 
committed  by  his  associates  to  Mr.  Loring.  In  accordance 
with  the  express  desire  of  Mr.  Cushing,  ten  years  having 
elapsed,  an  act  of  incorporation  was  secured  in  1865,  and  the 
trustees  of  the  will  were  succeeded  by  a  board  of  trust 
created  by  the  charter. 

The  trustees,  thirteen  in  number,  with  power  to  fill 
vacancies  were  as  follows  :  Rev.  Dr.  Francis  Wayland  of 


354  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

Providence,  R.  I.  ;  Hon.  Alexander  H.  Bullock  of  Worcester ; 
Rev.  Josiah  D.  Crosby;  Rev.  Asa  Rand;  Hon.  Ohio  Whit- 
ney, Jr.  ;  Jerome  W.  Foster,  Esq.,  and  George  C.  Win- 
chester of  Ashburnham ;  Dr.  Abraham  T.  Lowe  of  Boston ; 
Ebenezer  Torrey,  Esq.,  Hon.  Alvah  Crocker  and  Hon. 
Amasa  Norcross  of  Fitchburg ;  Rev.  Abijah  P.  Marvin  and 
Isaac  M.  Murdock  of  Winchendon.  At  the  organization  of 
the  board,  September  6,  1865,  Rev.  Dr.  Wayland  was 
chosen  president,  Mr.  Torrey  treasurer  and  Rev.  Mr. 
Crosby  secretary.  Upon  the  death  of  Rev.  Dr.  Wayland, 
he  was  succeeded  by  Governor  Bullock  July  10,  1867. 
As  none  of  the  original  fund  could  be  used  for  building 
purposes,  the  board  of  trust  early  decided  to  build  whenever 
the  accumulations  would  be  found  sufficient.  Under  the 
sagacious  management  of  Mr.  Loring  and  his  able  successor, 
Mr.  Torrey,  the  fund  accumulated  beyond  the  most  sanguine 
expectations. 

In  the  mean  time  the  trustees  clearly  perceived  that  the 
school  could  be  organized  earlier,  by  several  years,  if  only 
one  edifice  was  erected.  After  mature  deliberation,  and 
mindful  of  the  provision  of  the  testator  that  while  there 
was  to  be  only  one  institution  but  accommodated  in  two 
school  buildings,  separated  from  each  other  by  a  distance  at 
least  of  a  quarter  of  a  mile,  they  obtained  the  unqualified 
consent  of  the  heirs,  and  of  the  executors  of  the  will  to  a 
modification  of  the  plan  of  the  founder  in  a  single  provision. 
The  separate  education  of  the  sexes  in  schools  and  seminaries 
was  more  warmly  advocated  at  the  time  the  bequest  was 
made  than  in  later  years.  The  tendency  of  public  sentiment 
which  probably  influenced  Mr.  Cushing  with  equal  force 
appealed  in  another  direction  to  the  board  of  trust. 

In  1873  the  accumulation  of  the  fund  was  found  sufficient 
to  meet  the  expense  of  a  suitable   school  edifice,  and  while 


THE    GUSHING   ACADEMY.  355 

the  location  of  the  building  was  under  consideration,  the 
<]uestion  was  happily  solved  by  the  liberality  of  George  C. 
Winchester  who  presented  the  corporation  the  site  of  the 
institution  with  ample  grounds  for  the  accommodation  of  the 
school  which,  in  appreciative  recognition  of  the  donor,  has 
received  the  name  of  "Winchester  Square." 

The  academy  and  the  square  having  other  names  would  be 
held  in  less  esteem.  The  park  and  the  building  are  a  memo- 
rial of  the  first  and  the  second  ministers  of  Ashburnham. 
The  analogy  is  complete.  Eev.  Jonathan  Winchester  laid 
the  foundations  of  a  church  and  defined  a  field  of  labor. 
Rev.  John  Gushing  builded  in  fair  proportions  on  a  site 
selected  and  a  structure  begun.  These  venerable  names, 
living  in  the  memories  and  history  of  the  town,  are  together 
perpetuated  through  the  thoughtful  tributes  of  their 
descendants. 

While  under  the  general  control  of  the  board  of  trustees, 
the  construction  of  the  school  edifice  was  referred  to  George 
C.  Winchester,  Ebenezer  Torrey  and  Jerome  W.  Foster. 
In  1871  Ohio  Whitney,  who  was  the  efficient  superintendent 
of  construction,  was  chosen  to  fill  a  vacancy  caused  by  the 
death  of  Mr.  Foster.  The  entire  cost  of  the  building  and 
the  furniture  was  $92,611.75. 

The  material  of  the  building,  one  hundred  and  thirty-two 
feet  in  length  and  fifty-two  feet  in  width,  is  granite  and 
brick.  Above  a  light  and  commodious  basement  of  granite 
are  two  spacious  stories  of  brick  with  granite  trimmings, 
surmounted  by  a  Mansard  roof  which  encloses  a  principal 
hall  extending  the  length  and  breadth  of  the  building. 
There  are  projecting  turrets  at  the  corners  and  a  lofty 
central  tower  which  contains  a  heavy  bell  and  an  expensive 
clock.  In  symmetry  of  outline,  in  elegance  and  thorough- 
ness of  construction  and  in  the  convenience  of  all  its  appoint- 


356  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

ments,  the  edifice  of  the  Gushing  Academy  is  equalled  by 
none  in  this  vicinity.  Facing  the  rising  sun,  and  overlook- 
ing the  village  and  the  spreading  valley  below,  it  occupies  a 
commanding  site  and  will  long  remain  a  conspicuous  figure 
in  the  landscape  and  in  the  continued  annals  of  the  town. 
The  building  was  mainly  completed  during  the  year  1874. 
It  was  substantially  furnished  the  following  season  and 
dedicated  September  7,  1875.  Addresses  were  delivered  by 
Governor  Bullock,  president,  and  by  Rev.  Mr.  Crosby, 
Rev.  Mr.  Marvin,  Hon.  Amasa  Norcross  and  Professors 
Hubbard  and  Thompson  of  the  board  of  trust.  A  liberal 
course  of  study  had  been  arranged  and  the  school  was  opened 
the  following  day. 

The  accumulating  Gushing  fund,  after  meeting  the  cost  of 
construction  of  the  school  edifice,  was  found  in  November, 
1876,  to  be  $120,542.34,  and  since  that  date  the  fund 
remains  unimpaired,  the  income  only  being  used  for  the 
maintenance  of  the  school. 

The  spacious  dwelling,  appropriately  named  Jewett  Hall, 
and  now  employed  in  the  accommodation  of  instructors  and 
pupils  connected  with  the  school,  was  presented  to  the  cor- 
poration by  Gharles  Hastings,  and  the  Grosby  house  on  Geu- 
tral  street  was  donated  by  Rev.  Josiah  D.  Grosby  to  found, 
in  memory  of  his  wife,  the  Elvira  W.  Grosby  scholarship. 

A  library  of  nearly  two  thousand  volumes,  including 
generous  donations  from  Dr.  A.  T.  Lowe  of  Boston  and 
from  several  residents  of  this  town,  has  been  collected  and 
will  become  of  inestimable  service  to  the  school.  The 
apparatus  for  scientific  illustration  and  experiment  is  annu- 
ally increasing.  Prominent  in  this  department  is  a  valuable 
telescope,  presented  by  J.  H.  Fairbanks  of  Fitchburg. 

The  mission  of  Gushing  Academy  is  scarce  begun.  Its 
brief  history,  if  conspicuous  and   honorable,    fades   in   the 


THE    GUSHING   ACADEMY.  357 

Jight  and  warmth  of  its  hopes  and  its  aspirations.  These 
pages  are  annals  of  the  past.  The  face  of  this  youthful,  vig- 
orous institution  is  turned  the  other  way.  Situated  in  a 
broad  field,  with  a  rapidly  increasing  patronage,  and  bear- 
ing the  confidence  of  the  public,  it  enters  upon  its  second 
decade  with  hope  and  courage. 

The  first  principal  of  Gushing  Academy  was  Edwin 
Pierce,  A.  M.,  who  continued  in  charge  four  years,  and 
whose  name  is  honorably  associated  with  the  initial  history 
of  the  institution.  The  excellent  reputation  of  Professor 
Pierce  as  a  scholar  and  an  able  instructor  led  the  board  of 
trustees  to  solicit  his  services  and  to  his  care  they  confided 
the  school  with  unlimited  confidence.  In  character,  in  purity 
of  motives  and  in  faithful,  earnest  endeavors  to  carry  the 
school  through  the  exacting  ordeal  of  its  inauguration,  the 
confidence  of  the  trustees  was  not  misplaced.  In  the  prog- 
ress of  his  labors  in  this  institution  it  gradually  became 
apparent  to  Professor  Pierce  and  to  the  board  of  trustees 
that  they  were  not  in  full  sympathy  in  regard  to  discipline 
and  that  there  was  a  failure  of  cooperation  on  the  part  of 
all  the  friends  of  the  academy.  With  the  universal  confi- 
dence and  respect  of  the  community,  Mr.  Pierce  retired 
from  labors  auspiciously  begun  in  June,  1879.  From  the 
first  he  was  recognized  as  a  cultured  gentleman  and  in  all 
his  relations  with  the  school  and  with  the  people  he  was 
frank,  sincere  and  honorable. 

Edwin  Pierce,  son  of  Dana  and  Diadema  (Paul)  Pierce, 
was  born  at  Barnard,  Vermont,  June  25,  1826.  He  pur- 
sued a  preparatory  course  of  study  at  Woodstock,  Vermont, 
and  at  Kimball  Union  Academy,  Meriden,  New  Hampshire, 
and  was  graduated  at  Dartmouth  College  1852.  The  suc- 
ceeding four  years  he  was  instructor  of  Latin  and  Greek  at 
Seneca  Collegiate  Institute,  Ovid,  New  York.     From  1856 


358  HISTORY    OF    ASHBURNHAM. 

to  1863  he  was  professor  of  Latin  and  Greek  at  Yellow 
Spring  College,  Iowa ;  his  connection  with  that  institution 
was  severed  by  its  decline  at  the  outbreak  of  the  Rebellion. 
During  the  succeeding  eight  years  he  successfully  taught  a 
private  school  in  Jersey  City,  New  Jersey,  and  later  he 
taught  the  classics  in  the  High  School  of  Cleveland,  Ohio, 
until  he  became  connected  with  Cushing  Academy.  He 
now  resides  at  West  Newton,  Massachusetts. 

Professor  Pierce  was  succeeded  by  Professor  Vose  who 
has  been  a  member  of  the  faculty  since  the  opening  of  the 
academy.  During  the  past  six  years  he  has  continued  the 
efficient  principal  of  the  school  and  his  successful  administra- 
tion has  been  a  continued  season  of  prosperity.  His  service 
to  the  school  and  to  the  cause  of  education  cannot  be  esti- 
mated until  the  remaining  chapters  are  added  and  his  labor 
is  completed. 

Prof.  James  E.  Vose,  son  of  Edward  L.  and  Aurelia 
(Wilson)  Vose  of  Antrim,  New  Hampshire,  was  born  July 
18,  1836.  His  life  has  been  devoted  to  educational  pursuits. 
He  has  had  charge  of  several  institutions  of  learning  and 
was  principal  of  Francestown  (New  Hampshire)  Academy 
two  years  immediately  preceding  his  removal  to  this  town. 
He  is  the  author  of  an  English  Grammar,  and  in  1877  he 
delivered  the  Centennial  Address  at  Antrim  which  is  pub- 
lished in  the  History  of  that  town. 

Of  the  persons  who  constituted  the  original  l>oard  of  trust 
only  four  now  remain.  The  term  of  service  and  the  date  of 
appointment  of  the  trustees  are  briefly  stated  : 

Francis  Wayland,  1865,  died  1867. 

Alexander  H.  Bullock,  1865,  resigned  1876. 

Josiah  D.  Crosby,  1865. 

Asa  Rand,  1865,  died  1871. 

Ohio  Whitney,  Jr.,  1865,  died  1879. 


THE   GUSHING  ACADEMY. 


359 


Jerome  W.  Foster, 

1865,  died  1871. 

George  C.  Winchester, 

1865,  resigned  1882. 

Abraham  T.  Lowe, 

1865. 

Ebenezer  Torrey, 

1865. 

Alvah  Crocker, 

1865,  died  1874. 

Amasa  Norcross, 

1865. 

Abijah  P.  Marvin, 

1865,  resigned  1880. 

Isaac  M.  Murdock, 

1865,  died  1875. 

George  H.  Barrett, 

1873. 

Leonard  S.  Parker, 

1874. 

Eli  A.  Hubbard, 

1874,  resigned  1879. 

Charles  0.  Thompson, 

1875,  resigned  1882. 

B.  K.  Pierce, 

1879. 

George  F.  Stevens, 

1879. 

Francis  A.  Whitney, 

1879. 

Orlando  Mason, 

1880. 

Charles  Winchester, 

1882. 

Henry  M.  Tyler, 

1882. 

George  P.  Davis, 

PTestdents : 

1882. 

Rev.  Dr.  Wayland, 

1865-1867. 

Gov.  Bullock, 

1867-1876. 

Dr.  Lowe, 

1876. 

Vice-Presidents : 

Gov.  Bullock, 

1865-1867. 

Hon.  Amasa  Norcross, 

1867. 

Treasurers  : 

E.  Torrey,  Esq., 

1865-1876. 

Hon.  Ohio  Whitney, 

1876-1879. 

G.  F.  Stevens,  Esq., 

1879. 

Clerics  : 

Rev.  J.  D.  Crosby, 

1865-1876. 

Col.  Geo.  H.  Barrett, 

1876. 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

BOUNDARIES. 

DONATIONS    OF    LAND    TO  OTHER    TOWNS.  ORIGINAL  AREA.  — PROVINCE    LINE. 

INCORPORATION  OF    ASHBY.  GARDNER.   AREA    SEVERED    FROM    ASH- 

BURNHAM.  THE    FAMILIES.  LAND     ANNEXED    TO    ASHBT.  THE    PETI- 
TIONERS.  ASHBURNHAM    RESISTS.  NEW    BOUNDARIES.  THE  FAMILIES. 

ANEW  TOWN  PROPOSED.  MEETING-HOUSE  BUILT.  RENEWED  EFFORT 

AND    OPPOSITION.  JOHN    WARD     AND     WILLIAM      BARBELL     ANNEXED.  

PETITION    OP    GEORGE   WILKER    AND    OTHERS. 

Encroachment  upon  the  borders  of  this  town  has  been  a 
favorite  pursuit  of  our  neighbors.  Four  considerable  tracts 
of  land  have  been  severed  from  the  original  township,  and 
other  attempts  have  been  successfully  resisted.  Our  fathers 
could  spare  the  land  such  as  it  was,  and  no  doubt  both  the 
donors  and  the  recipients  wished  it  had  been  better,  but  the 
loss  of  several  worthy  citizens  was  a  more  serious  considera- 
tion. According  to  the  surveys  of  the  several  grants  the 
original  township  contained  twenty-seven  thousand  one 
hundred  and  ninety  acres.  The  early  surveys  were  of  liberal 
proportions.  The  wilderness  from  which  the  grants  were 
severed  was  large  and  there  was  no  one  to  protect  the 
province  from  excessive  measurements.  The  actual  area  of 
this  township  was  very  nearly  thirty-one  thousand  acres. 
The  first  encroachment  upon  our  domain  of  fair  proportions 
was  by  the  province  of  New  Hampshire  in  1741.  By  this 
act  eight  hundred  and  seventy-seven  acres  were  severed  from 
Dorchester  Canada.     The    incorporation  of  Ashby  severed 

360 


BOUNDARIES.  361 

about  lifteen  hundred  acres  from  the  area  of  this  town. 
The  proceedings  were  so  intimately  connected  with  the  in- 
corporation of  Ashburnham  that  they  were  admitted  in  an 
earlier  chapter  of  these  annals. 

The  erection  of  a  new  town  out  of  parts  of  Ashburnham, 
Westminster,  Templeton  and  Winchendon  was  earnestly 
debated  and  the  preliminaries  arranged  as  early  as  1774. 
In  the  intent  of  the  petitioners,  in  the  generous  impulse  of 
the  remaining  portions  of  the  several  towns,  in  the  general 
policy  of  the  General  Court  to  increase  the  number  of  the 
towns  in  the  province,  in  the  spirit  of  the  event,  Gardner  is 
a  decade  older  than  the  number  of  its  years.  The  Ee volution 
delayed  but  did  not  defeat  the  project.  In  the  dawn  of 
returning  peace  it  was  successfully  renewed.  So  far  as  the 
action  of  Ashburnham  is  concerned,  the  suggestion  of  a  new 
town  near  the  close  of  the  Revolution  was  not  presented  as  a 
new  measure,  but  as  a  continuation  of  the  proceedings 
begun  several  years  earlier.  In  1774,  or  eleven  years  before 
Gardner  was  incorporated,  the  town  "voted  that  the 
petitioners  from  Westminster  and  other  towns  be  so  far 
answered  in  their  petition  as  to  take  the  lands,  after  named, 
from  this  town  beginning  at  the  northwest  corner  of  Kelton's 
lot,  number  46,  second  division,  and  running  from  thence  on 
a  straight  line  to  the  southeast  corner  of  William  Ames'  lot, 
number  55,  in  the  second  division,  and  the  said  corner  of 
land  is  voted  off  to  join  with  the  other  towns  to  be  incor- 
porated into  a  district."' 

Referring  to  this  vote  it  was  proposed  in  1781,  "To  see  if 
the  town  would  vote  off  two  ranges  of  lots  in  addition  to 
what  was  formerly  voted  off  in  the  southwest  corner." 
Whereupon  the  town,  May  21,  1781,  amended  the  former 
vote  but  added  only  a  small  part  of  the  two  ranges  included 
in  the  proposition. 


362  HISTORY   OF    ASHBURNHAM. 

Voted  that  the  southwest  coriier  of  this  town  be  set  off  to  join 
with  a  part  of  Westminster  and  Winchendon  into  a  separate  town 
as  far  as  the  following  lots  viz.  :  beginning  at  the  northwest 
corner  of  lot  number  45,  second  division  ;  from  thence  by  the 
north  line  of  said  lot  to  the  northeast  corner  of  said  lot ;  from 
thence  straight  to  the  northeast  corner  of  lot  number  55,  second 
division  ;  thence  by  the  east  line  of  said  lot  to  Westminster  town 
line.     Including  2348  acres. 

The  point  of  beginning,  as  defined  by  this  vote,  is  about 
eighty  rods  north  of  the  point  established  in  1774.  The 
other  terminus  in  Westminster  line  is  the  same  in  both  votes. 
When  Gardner  was  incorporated  four  years  later  the  land 
severed  from  Ashburnham,  and  consequently  the  line  then 
established  between  the  two  towns,  coincided  at  all  points 
with  the  line  defined  in  the  last  vote  of  this  town.  In  later 
years  the  line  has  been  broken  at  two  points,  at  least,  for  the 
accommodation  of  individuals.  The  records  of  Ashburnham 
in  this  connection  define  only  one  of  the  boundary  lines  of 
the  territory  severed  from  this  town.  If  the  existing  lines 
between  Ashburnham  and  Winchendon  and  between  Ash- 
burnham and  Westminster  be  extended,  the  former  southerly 
and  the  latter  southwesterly,  they  will  meet  at  Gardner 
Centre,  and  with  the  former  line  will  enclose  the  triangular 
area  that,  until  1785,  was  a  part  of  Ashburnham.  Con- 
cerning the  number  of  acres  included  within  these  lines  the 
doctors  disagree.  Kev.  Dr.  Cushing,  in  his  historical  dis- 
course, estimates  it  at  four  thousand  acres.  To  the  record 
of  the  vote  the  town  clerk  has  appended,  "  including  2348 
acres."  This  amount  is  too  small  but  it  is  much  nearer 
exactness  than  the  more  liberal  conjecture  of  Mr.  Cushing. 

Ashburnham,  still  rich  in  the  extent  of  its  territory,  could 
easily  afibrd  the  lands  donated  to  the  new  town,  but  the  loss 
of  several  worthy  citizens  from  the  municipal  community 


BOUNDARIES.  363 

was  a  more  important  consideration.  The  families  residing 
on  the  area  severed  from  this  town  were  in  themselves  and 
have  continued  in  their  descendants  a  material  element  of  the 
character  and  population  of  Gardner. 

Captain  Samuel  Kelton  came  from  Needham  to  this  town 
1778,  and  settled  on  land  belonging  to  the  heirs  of  Edward 
Kelton  who  was  an  early  proprietor  of  right  number  47,  and 
afterwards  of  right  number  49.  The  eminent  services  of 
Captain  Kelton  are  noticed  in  another  connection.  He 
resided  on  the  northern  part  of  the  land  set  off  to  Gardner 
and  near  the  line  of  Winchendon.  In  1785  his  family  com- 
prised a  wife  and  three  or  four  children.  One  child  died  in 
this  town  November  30,  1780. 

Marvi'ick  Hill,  from  Medway,  and  five  sons,  three  of  whom 
had  families,  resided  in  this  town  several  years  before  their 
farms  were  annexed  to  Gardner.  Moses  Hill,  the  eldest  son, 
had  four  children  in  1785,  and  in  the  family  of  Jesse  Hill, 
another  son  of  Marvrick,  were  three  or  four  children.  Mr. 
Cushing  has  left  the  record  of  the  baptism  of  James  Marvrick 
and  Thomas  Adams,  sons  of  Moses  Hill,  and  Enos  and 
William,  sons  of  Samuel  Kelton,  baptized  at  the  house  of 
Mr.  Hill,  at  a  lecture.  In  another  connection  Mr.  Cushing 
refers  to  "  the  lecture  at  Mr.  Hill's  in  the  southwest  part."^ 
In  these  families  there  were  probably  twenty-two  persons. 

Josiah  Wilder  removed  to  this  town  from  Sterling  about 
1776.  His  wife  and  one  child  died  in  1782,  and  he  married, 
second,  February  4,  1784,  Joanna  Baker.  He  was  a  distant 
relative  of  other  families  of  same  name  in  this  town.  Three 
children  were  living  in  1785. 

Jonas  Kichardson  came  from  Shrewsbury  in  1781,  and  was 
admitted  to  the  church  in  Ashburnham  October  21  of  that 
year.  In  1785  his  family  consisted  of  his  wife  and  eight 
children,  the  eldest  thirteen  years  of  age. 


364  HISTORY    OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

John  White  was  born  in  Lexington,  June  1,  1748,  and 
settled  in  the  east  part  of  the  tract  annexed  to  Gardner  about 
six  years  before  the  incorporation  of  that  town.  There  were 
three  children  in  1785. 

Peter  Goodale  was  born  in  Shrewsbury,  December  12, 
1751.  He  was  married  in  the  north  parish  of  Shrewsbury, 
now  West  Boylston,  March  9,  1775,  and  their  eldest  child 
was  born  there  December  23,  1775.  Soon  after  the  last 
date  the  family  removed  to  this  town.  They  had  four 
children  when  Gardner  was  incorporated. 

Scarcely  had  Ashburnham  generousl}'^  and  good-humoredly 
contributed  materially  to  the  creation  of  Gardner  before 
another  draft  was  made  upon  its  domain  and  inhabitants. 
This  time,  the  attack  was  made  upon  the  opposite  corner  of 
the  town.  In  the  end  it  was  vigorously  opposed.  The 
original  line  of  Ashby  extended  from  an  existing  town 
bound  on  Blood  or  Prospect  hill,  nearly  due  north  to  the 
State  line.  For  twenty-five  years  the  northeast  corner  of 
Ashburnham  was  nearly  two  miles  east  of  the  present  corner. 
A  number  of  fomilies  in  this  part  of  the  town  for  several 
years  had  not  been  in  sympathy  with  a  majority  of  the  town 
in  the  support  of  the  ministry.  And  as  soon  as  a  new  meet- 
ing-house was  proposed  their  slumbering  discontent  was 
fanned  in  open  revolt.  In  the  spring  of  1791,  under  the 
leadership  of  John  Abbott,  they  signified  to  Ashby  a  desire 
to  be  annexed  to  that  town.  Ashby  promptly  responded  in 
a  vote  "  to  receive  Isaac  Whitney,  Josiah  Burgess,  James 
Pollard,  James  Bennett,  Joseph  Damon,  Jeremiah  Abbott, 
John  Hall,  Daniel  Brown,  John  Abbott,  Amos  Brooks, 
John  Shattuck  and  others  with  their  lands  together  with  the 
non-resident  land  within  the  bounds  of  a  plan  that  they  shall 
exhibit  to  the  town  if  they  can  be  legally  annexed  to  this 
town."     The  following  month  a  meeting  was  convened   in 


BOUNDARIES.  365 

this  town  "  To  hear  the  petition  of  Ensign  John  Abbott  and 
others  requesting  to  be  voted  off  with  fourteen  hundred 
acres  of  land  to  be  annexed  to  Ashby  if  the  town  see  fit." 
The  town  did  not  see  fit.  The  petitioners  were  answered 
with  a  cold  and  unqualified  refusal.  Undaunted,  they 
renewed  their  solicitation  and  caused  another  meeting  to  be 
called  in  the  autumn  of  the  same  year.  At  this  stage  of  the 
proceedings  the  town  attempted  to  crush  the  revolt  by  paci- 
fying the  leader  of  it  and  proceeded  to  "  vote  off  "  about  five 
hundred  acres  including  the  homestead  and  other  lands  of 
Mr.  Abbott.  The  proposed  compromise  was  a  failure. 
The  petitioners  refusing  to  accept  the  proposition  renewed 
their  original  demands  and  secured  another  town  meeting 
early  in  the  spring  of  1792.  Again  the  town  refused  to 
grant  their  petition.  It  is  plain  the  petitioners  were  depre- 
ciating in  the  good  opinion  of  the  town.  The  gentleman, 
whom  they  styled  at  the  outset  as  Ensign  John  Abbott,  is 
now  called  Mr.  John  Abbott  and  soon  after  he  was  degraded 
to  plain  John  Abbott.  Another  town  meeting  was  called 
in  May,  1792,  at  which  the  town  "voted  to  oppose  any 
families  or  land  being  taken  from  this  town  and  annexed  to 
Ashby  more  than  was  voted  off  at  a  former  meeting  and  that 
the  representative  act  in  behalf  of  the  town  in  that  matter 
at  the  General  Court,  —  the  vote  being  unanimous  except 
seven  persons  and  those  were  petitioners  for  being  set  off." 

The  issues  were  now  sharply  defined  and  the  controversy 
was  transferred  to  the  Legislature.  Samuel  Wilder,  Abra- 
ham Lowe  and  Jacob  Willard  were  chosen  to  remonstrate 
with  the  Legislature  against  this  encroachment  upon  the 
territory  of  the  town.  Jacob  Willard,  also,  was  the  repre- 
sentative at  this  time.  The  earnest  effort  of  the  town  and 
its  agents  in  opposition  to  the  measure  was  met  with  defeat. 
The  act,  severing  the  land  of  the  petitioners  from  this  town. 


366  HISTORY    OF    ASHBURNHAM. 

was  passed  November  16,  1792.  By  the  terms  of  the  act 
the  northeast  corner  of  Ashburnham  on  the  State  line  was 
established  five  hundred  and  four  rods  west  of  the  former 
bound  and  at  land  of  James  Spaulding.  The  dividing  line 
from  the  new  corner  extended  southerly  by  the  east  line  of 
James  Spaulding  one  hundred  and  forty-five  rods,  and 
thence  southeasterly  eight  hundred  and  seventy  rods  to  the 
line  of  Ashby.  Henry  Hall,  Sen.,  who  lived  within  these 
limits,  did  not  join  in  the  petition.  His  farm  was  divided 
hj  this  proposed  line  and  by  a  special  clause  in  the  act  all 
his  land  remained  in  this  town. 

If  the  purpose  of  the  Legislature  had  been  faithfully 
executed  the  dividing  line  between  Ashburnham  and  Ashby 
would  have  been  located  between  Ward  and  Watatic  ponds 
and  would  have  annexed  to  Ashby  a  larger  area  than  was 
subsequently  included  within  the  established  bounds. 
When  the  line  was  run  southeasterly  from  the  State  line, 
local  attraction  at  the  base  of  Watatic  mountain  caused  a 
variation  of  the  needle,  deflecting  the  course  to  the  east. 
Giving  a  liberal  construction  to  the  act  of  the  Legislature, 
the  line  was  run  straight  to  Blood  or  Prospect  hill.  The 
selectmen  of  Ashburnham  and  Ashby  in  a  joint  report 
informed  their  respective  towns,  "That  when  we  came  to 
the  easterly  corner  of  Potatuck  hill  a  mine  drawed  the 
needle  and  ran  between  Henry  Hall  Jr.'s  house  and  barn 
and  came  to  the  old  line  between  Ashburnham  and  Ashby 
on  a  hill  called  Prospect  hill  and  erected  a  stake  and  stones." 
The  line  here  described,  which  was  run  according  to  the 
needle  and  not  according  to  law,  has  been  maintained  to  the 
present  time ;  the  only  exception  being  a  slight  change  to 
restore  to  Ashburnham  a  part  of  the  farm  of  Lemuel  Whit- 
ney, formerly  of  Henry  Hall,  Jr.,  which  had  been  divided 
by  the  new  line.     The  hidden  mine  at  the  base  of  Watatic 


BOUNDARIES.  367 

saved  the  town  many  acres  of  land.  It  is  the  only  mine  in 
Ashburnham  that  has  been  successfully  operated.  At  the 
beginning  it  was  worked  for  all  it  was  worth  and  possibly 
its  resources  were  early  exhausted. 

The  families  transferred  to  Ashby  included  those  of  John 
Abbott,  five  children ;  Jeremiah  Abbott,  two  children ; 
Daniel  Brown,  three  children  ;  James  Bennett,  two  children  ; 
John  Hall,  one  child ;  Amos  Brooks,  eight  children ;  Isaac 
Whitney,  four  children ;  Judah  Whitney,  one  child ;  the 
widow  of  Ephraim  Whitney,  two  children  ;  James  Pollard, 
John  Shattuck  and  Joseph  Damon. 

The  remorseless  knife  of  the  General  Court,  which  three 
times  had  clipped  a  considerable  tract  from  the  corners  of 
the  township,  was  next  brandished  over  the  peaceful  hamlets 
in  the  southeast  part  of  the  town.  These  depredations  on 
the  borders  were  becoming  a  most  serious  matter.  The 
original  pentagonal  township,  with  its  sharp,  projecting 
corners,  would  soon  be  trimmed  to  a  diminutive  circle  if 
the  process  was  not  stayed.  The  project  of  creating  a  new 
town  out  of  adjoining  portions  of  Ashburnham,  Westmin- 
ster, Fitchburg  and  Ashby,  now  buried  beneath  the  accu- 
mulating dust  of  ninety  years,  was  bold  and  aggressive. 
The  measure  was  forwarded  with  ability,  but  was  crushed 
beneath  the  united  opposition  of  the  four  adjoining  towns. 
A  list  of  the  names  of  the  persons  engaged  in  the  enterprise, 
and  living  within  the  limits  of  the  proposed  township,  has 
been  preserved.  It  bears  the  names  of  thirty  citizens  of 
Fitchburg,  sixteen  of  Westminster,  six  of  Ashburnham  and 
two  of  Ashby.  Eight,  and  possibly  more,  names  were 
added  previous  to  1791  and  one  or  more  of  these  resided 
in  Ashburnham.     The  movement  originated  in  1785. 

The  petitioners  continued  their  solicitations  and  the  town 
a  persistent  opposition   until  the  beginning  of  the  present 


368  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

century.  In  the  mean  time  the  petitioners  adopted  a  limited 
organization  and  built  a  meetins^-house  and  laid  out  a  com- 
mon  in  anticipation  of  securing  from  the  Legislature  the 
desired  act  of  incorporation.  The  meeting-house  was  built 
by  voluntary  contributions.  The  long  list  of  pledges  for 
the  material  presents  a  bewildering  assortment  of  sills, 
beams,  posts,  girts,  rafters,  boards,  shingles,  nails,  a  little 
money,  and  other  donations,  to  forward  the  undertaking. 
There  was  also  a  special  subscription  in  labor  and  stimulat- 
ing material  to  assist  in  framing  and  raising  the  building,  — 
containing  pledges  for  one  hundred  and  fifty-eight  days  labor 
at  framing,  seventy-five  at  raising,  a  few  modest  sums  of 
money,  twenty-four  bushels  of  rye,  one  hundred  and  fifty- 
eight  quarts  of  rum  and  forty-five  gallons  of  cider.  With 
Landlords  Cooper  and  Upton  living  hard  by  in  case  of  a 
failure  of  any  of  the  supplies,  these  doughty  church  builders, 
surveying  their  situation  with  complacency,  entered  on  their 
records,  "enough  has  been  subscribed  to  raise  and  cover 
the  meeting-house  except  a  part  of  the  boards  and  shingles." 
In  1789,  with  spirit  and  understanding,  as  long  as  the  last 
requisite  remained,  they  raised  a  frame  forty-five  feet  square. 
Two  years  were  consumed  in  fitful  efibrts  in  completing  the 
outside.  The  interior  was  never  fully  completed.  The 
building,  profanely  called  the  Lord's  barn  standing  in  plain 
view  on  Cooper  hill  in  Westminster,  was  a  familiar  object 
for  many  years.  At  a  late  day,  it  has  been  suggested  that 
the  impulse  which  led  to  the  building  of  this  house  was  a 
failure  of  sympathy  with  the  creed  of  the  suiTOunding 
churches.  The  most  reliable  information  leads  to  the  con- 
clusion that  they  were  adherents  to  the  prevailing  creed  and 
could  not  fairly  be  considered  as  an  association  of  dissenters. 
Their  first  effort  to  obtain  preaching  was  a  vote  extending  an 
invitation  to  the  Orthodox  ministers  in  Ashburnham,  Winch- 


BOUNDARIES.  369- 

endon,  Westminster,  Fitchburg  and  Lunenburg  to  preach 
to  them.  Many  of  the  leading  men  in  this  enterprise  were 
members  of  the  standing  order  in  the  several  towns  in  which 
they  lived.  Not  organizing  a  church  as  they  anticipated  at 
the  outset,  their  original  relations  were  continued  until  dis- 
solved by  death. 

Joshua  Billings,  Joseph  Gibbs  and  Reuben  Eice  were 
members  of  the  church  in  Ashburnham,  and  so  was  John 
Ward  who  lived  over  the  line  in  Westminster.  Even  under 
the  unyielding  discipline  of  the  time,  their  association  with 
this  movement  did  not  provoke  the  censure  of  the  church. 
The  Lord's  barn  and  its  builders  were  orthodox.  Of  itself 
the  old  meeting-house  in  Westminster  has  little  connection 
with  the  history  of  this  town  ;  but  as  a  part  of  a  more  com- 
prehensive project,  as  the  first  step  towards  the  incorporation 
of  the  proposed  town  of  Belvoir,  it  caused  our  fathers  great 
alarm.  The  erection  of  an  unpretentious  building  was  of 
little  moment,  but  this  persistent  attempt  to  slice  a  corner 
from  the  town  greatly  irritated  the  good  citizens  of  Ash- 
burnham. Four  town  meetings  were  called  at  an  early  date 
to  oppose  the  movement.  Samuel  Wilder,  Jacob  Willard 
and  John  Adams  were  chosen  to  confer  with  the  other  towns 
and  Joseph  Jewett,  Jacob  Willard  and  John  Adams  were 
instructed  to  oppose  the  petitioners  at  the  General  Court. 

The  residents  of  Ashburnham  included  in  this  movement 
were  Joseph  Gibbs,  Joshua  Billings,  Reuben  Rice,  Jonathan 
Winchester,  Thomas  Gibson  and  Silas  Whitney.  The 
scheme  was  revived  in  1815  when  forty-two  petitioned  for  a 
town  to  be  called  Vernon.  The  following  year  a  new 
petition  bearing  ninety-eight  names  was  considered  by  the 
General  Court  and  a  public  hearing  was  ordered.  This 
time  the  petitioners  suggested  the  name  of  Belvoir  for  the 
proposed  town.     Town  meetings  were  promptly  called  and 


,370  HISTORY   OF  ASHBURNHAM. 

Elisha  White,  George  R.  Gushing  and  Joseph  Jewett  were 
selected  to  oppose  the  Vernon  petition.  The  Belvoir 
petition  was  successfully  resisted  by  Elisha  "White,  Thomas 
Hobart  and  Abraham  Lowe,  and  thus  ended  a  contest  which 
had  been  continued  over  thirty  years.  From  beginning  to 
end  the  arguments  of  the  petitioners  were  the  same  and 
stated  with  little  change  of  language.  The  last  petition 
was  as  follows  : 

The  petition  of  the  undersigned  inhabitants  of  Fitchburg,  West- 
minster, Ashburnham  and  Ashby  hurabl}^  sheweth  that  whereas 
your  petitioners  are  situated  quite  distant  from  the  meeting-houses 
in  the  towns  to  which  we  respectively  belong  (especially  in  West- 
minster and  Fitchburg,  some  in  the  former  town  living  at  the 
distance  of  seven  miles  from  the  meeting-house),  and  the  land  on 
which  we  live  formed  as  if  nature  itself  intended  it  for  connection, 
and  the  interests  of  those  living  in  the  remaining  parts  of  the  towns, 
especially  in  Fitchburg  and  Westminster,  being  in  many  and  most 
respects  totally  different  from  ours,  it  is  therefore  the  prayer  of 
your  petitioners  that  the  General  Court  would  be  pleased  to  incor- 
porate us  into  a  distinct  and  separate  town  b}'  the  name  of 
Belvoir. 

But  Vernon  and  Belvoir  found  little  support  on  Beacon 
hill.  The  little  town  with  euphonious  titles,  so  clearly  out- 
lined in  the  hopes  and  imagination  of  the  petitioners,  was 
destined  to  slumber  in  the  gloom  of  defeat.  Ashburnham 
was  not  only  successful  but  recovered  cost  with  the  verdict. 
About  this  time  the  farms  of  John  Ward  and  William  Bar- 
rell  and  a  considerable  tract  of  non-resident  land  was  severed 
from  Westminster  and  annexed  to  this  town. 

Only  one  attempt  to  secure  a  change  of  the  boundaries  of 
the  town  occurred  after  this  date.  In  1827  George  Wilker 
and  twelve  others,  residing  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  town, 
petitioned  the  Legislature  to  annex  to  Ashby  all  the  land  in 


BOUNDARIES.  371 

Ashburuham  lying  east  of  a  straight  line  extending  from  the 
northwest  to  the  southwest  corner  of  Ashby.  Henry  Adams, 
Charles  Barrett  and  Hosea  Stone  were  chosen  to  remonstrate 
in  the  name  of  the  town.  The  following  year  the  petition 
was  renewed  and  the  Legislature  sent  a  committee  to  view 
the  premises.  The  town  chose  Joseph  Jewett,  Charles 
Barrett  and  Stephen  Marble  to  confer  with  the  committee. 
The  measure  was  defeated,  at  an  adjourned  session  of  the 
Legislature,  1828. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

ROADS    AXD    EAILROADS. 

THE  PRIMITIVE  ROADS.  THE  XORTHFIELD  ROAD.  —  EARLY  ROADS  IN  ASH- 

BURNHAM.  THE  GREAT  ROAD  TO  IPSWICH  CANADA.  A  COUNTY  ROAD. 

ROAD  TO  ASHBY  LINE.  NEW  ROADS.  THE  TOWN  INDICTED.  OTHER 

COUNTY  ROADS.  SOUTH  TURNPIKE.  THE  WINCHENDON  ROAD  AMENDED. 

TURNPIKES.  TEAMING.  EXPENDITURE.  ROAD  COMMISSIONERS. 

RAILROADS. 

Like  the  veins  in  the  human  system  centring  at  the  heart, 
the  primitive  roads  of  every  town  had  a  general  tendency 
towards  the  meeting-house.  It  was  not  until  the  movement 
of  surplus  production  gave  additional  employment  to  the 
roads  that  much  attention  was  paid  to  any  outward  facilities. 
The  early  roads  of  Ashburnham  were  for  the  benefit  of  the 
settlers  within  the  town.  The  onh"  roads  which  oft'ered  any 
suggestions  for  the  accommodation  of  the  surrounding  towns 
were  built  under  the  commands  of  the  court  and  in  opposition 
to  the  will  of  a  majority  of  the  inhabitants.  These  roads 
from  the  first  were  styled  County  roads,  and  to  keep  them 
in  repair  a  separate  tax  was  assessed  and  special  surveyors 
were  chosen .  The  family  of  Jeremiah  Foster  rode  into  town 
in  a  cart  drawn  by  oxen.  The  chaise  in  which  rode  the  wife 
of  Rev.  Mr.  Cushing  on  her  wedding  journey  from  West- 
borough  to  her  future  home  could  proceed  no  farther  than 
Fitchburg  and  the  remainder  of  the  way  was  performed  on 
horseback.     But  a  general  knowledge  of  these  early  times 

will  present  a  good  idea  of  the  first  roads  in  this  town.     So 

372 


ROADS   AND   RAILROADS.  373 

far  as  any  have  been  l)etter  or  poorer  than  the  average'  road 
of  the  time  the  fact  will  appear.  If  the  number  of  roads  in 
the  early  history  of  the  town  excites  surprise,  it  should  be 
remembered  that  every  settler  demanded  one  leading  from 
his  clearing  to  some  existing  road.  With  a  reasonable 
estimate  of  those  built  within  the  independent  grants  previous 
to  17(i5,  of  which  there  is  no  record,  it  appears  that  no  less 
than  forty-five  roads  were  laid  out  in  this  town  previous  to 
the  Revolution.  Many  of  these  were  only  a  continuation  of 
an  existing  road  or  the  substitution  of  a  more  feasible  route, 
and  in  the  mean  time  a  considerable  number  were  discon- 
tinued. 

While  Ashburuham  remained  a  part  of  the  vast  wilderness 
of  unappropriated  land,  bounded  on  the  south  by  Townsend, 
Lunenburg  and  Westminster,  and  on  the  east  and  west  by 
the  settlements  in  the  valleys  of  the  Merrimack  and  Connec- 
ticut rivers,  the  road  fi'om  Lunenburg  to  Northfield  was  cut 
through  the  forest.  The  distance  was  forty-two  miles  and  it 
was  constructed  about  1733.  John  Fitch,  in  a  petition  to 
the  General  Court,  states  that  in  1739  he  settled  on  the 
Northfield  road  seven  miles  above  Lunenburg.  Mr.  Fitch 
settled  where  Paul  Gates  now  resides,  in  the  southern  part 
•of  Ashby.  The  petition  establishes  the  location  of  the  road 
at  that  point,  and  the  account  of  the  Cambridge  and  the 
Bellows  or  Bluefield  grants  in  Chapter  I.  aifords  additional 
information  in  regard  to  its  course  through  this  town  and 
the  date  of  its  construction .  This  ancient  road  entered  Ash- 
buruham north  of  Russell  hill  and  near  the  point  where  the 
new  road  from  Rindge  to  Fitchburg  crosses  the  Ashby  line. 
It  continued  through  Lexington  farm  and  north  of  Mount 
Hunger  and  northwesterly  through  the  Bluefield  grant  into 
the  north  part  of  Winchendon.  When  the  proprietors  of 
Dorchester  Canada  established  the  boundary  lines  and  came 


374  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

into  possession  of  the  township,  they  found  this  road  ah'eady 
opened  and  extending  through  their  grant. 

In  1752  a  road  was  proposed  from  a  point  now  in  Ashby 
"  along  to  the  southward  of  Watatuck  hill  to  the  Bluefield 
road  so  called."  Other  mention  of  the  Bluefield  road  gives 
no  additional  information  in  regard  to  its  location  at  any 
point  in  its  course  through  this  town.  In  its  westward 
course  through  the  northern  part  of  Winchendon  it  was 
sometimes  called  the  Earlington  road,  for  the  reason  that  the 
grant  of  land  adjoining  Northfield  was  frequently  called 
Earlington,  or  more  correctly  Arlington,  now  Winchester, 
New  Hampshire.  The  road  Avas  constructed  l^y  the  Wil- 
lards.  Bellows  and  Boyntons  of  Lunenburg  to  forward  the 
settlement  of  that  grant.  The  first  road  proposed  })y  the 
proprietors  of  Ipswich  Canada  was  "  from  Earlington  to  the 
meeting-house  lot,"  meaning  from  some  point  in  the  Earling- 
ton or  Northfield  road  to  the  meeting-house  lot.  At  the 
next  meeting  they  oftered  six  pounds  "  to  such  proprietor  as 
shall  cut  a  horse  way  from  Earlington  road  to  the  meeting- 
house lot."  These  two  votes  are  parcels  of  the  same  project. 
The  magnificent  suggestion  in  the  Historj^  of  Winchendon 
that  the  first  vote  contemplated  a  road  from  Northfield  to 
Ipswich  Canada  is  extravagant.  In  the  first  vote  supply  the 
omission  of  the  word  "  road  "  after  Earlington ,  then  the  two 
votes  are  consistent.  In  an}'  other  light  the  worthies  of 
Winchendon  are  found  building  a  road  from  the  meeting- 
house lot  to  Earlington  and  supplementing  it  with  a  road 
from  the  same  point  to  the  Earlington  road. 

The  records  do  not  define  the  location  of  some  of  the 
earliest  roads  in  this  town,  but  a  considerable  sum  of  money 
was  expended  for  this  purpose  during  the  infancy  of  the  set- 
tlement. The  first  road,  which  can  be  definitely  located, 
was  between  the  saw-mill  and  "  the  place  where  the  meeting- 


ROADS    AND   RAILROADS.  375 

house  is  to  stand  as  strait  as  tlie  land  will  allow  of."  The 
first  road  of  considerable  length  would  naturally  be  some 
inlet  from  the  lower  towns.  In  1742  a  committee  was 
chosen  "to  clear  what  is  absolutely  necessary  in  the  eastern 
road  already  laid  out  and  to  see  if  a  better  road  could  be 
found  out  to  Lunenburg."  In  1743  "Edward  Hartwell, 
Esq.,  and  Mr.  Andrew  Wilder"  were  paid  for  marking  out 
a  road  from  the  meeting-house  to  the  west  line. 

In  1753  increased  sums  of  money  were  paid  to  committees 
and  laborers  on  account  of  the  roads,  but  without  reference 
to  their  location.  The  same  year  appears  an  article  "to  see 
if  it  would  be  agreeable  to  the  proprietors  to  have  the  great 
road  leading  to  Ipswich  Canada  and  Koyalshire  six  rods 
wide,  as  it  is  likely  to  be  the  principal  road  to  the  upper 
western  towns  and  Albany."  However  agreeable  it  might 
have  been  to  secure  a  road  of  such  ambitious  proportions, 
the  proprietors  voted  they  would  not  do  it,  and  it  is  possible 
Albany  never  heard  of  it.  The  truth  is,  the  proprietors  so 
long  delayed  the  building  of  any  suitable  road  to  the  line  of 
Ipswich  Canada,  that  soon  after  this  date  the  aid  of  the 
court  was  invoked  and  a  county  road  was  built.  In  the 
midst  of  these  proceedings,  with  a  buoyancy  of  spirit  that 
approaches  audacity,  the  proprietors  vote  to  perfect  all  the 
roads  in  the  township.    . 

In  1758,  and  in  succeeding  years,  with  little  change  in  the 
form  of  expression,  an  agent  is  chosen  "to  oversee  those  that 
shall  be  employed  in  working  at  the  road,  that  they  are 
faithful  in  their  service  and  have  no  more  allowed  them  than 
they  deserve."  In  1761  it  was  ordered  "that  the  same  com- 
mittee, that  laid  out  the  road  from  the  meeting-house  to  Mr. 
Winter's,  proceed  to  lay  out  said  road  till  it  comes  to  the 
road  by  Mr.  James  Colman's  house,  excepting  where  it 
goeth  through  Stoger's  form,  so  called."     Stoger's  farm  is 


S76  HISTORY   OF    ASHBURNHAM. 

another  name  for  Lexington  grant  or  the  Dutch  farms.  The 
proprietors  were  unable  to  tax  the  settlers  on  this  or  the 
other  grants  and  were  justly  excused  from  building  any  roads 
through  them.  Andrew  Winter  lived  near  the  west  line  of 
Lexington  grant  and  James  Coleman's  house  was  near  the 
Stacy  mill  in  Ashby.  In  1761  there  was  a  division  of  the 
highway  tax ;  six  pounds  was  expended  on  the  county  road, 
nine  pounds  in  the  south  part  and  four  and  one-half  pounds 
in  the  north  part  of  the  township. 

Xo  sooner  had  the  settlement  assumed  the  dignity  of  a 
town  than  the  building  and  maintenance  of  the  roads  became 
familiar  subjects  of  legislation.  Within  two  years  fourteen 
roads  were  laid  out  by  the  selectmen  and  accepted  by  the 
town.  Others  followed  in  rapid  succession.  While  many 
of  these  original  roads  now  constitute  a  part  of  the  existing 
highways  they  have  been  so  many  times  extended  and 
amended  that  their  identity  is  buried  beneath  the  weight  of 
continued  record.  The  first  road  laid  out  by  the  selectmen 
was  from  a  point  now  in  Ashby  to  meet  a  road  south  of  the 
Reservoir  pond  : 

June  27,  1765.  We  then  Laid  out  a  Road  from  Fitchburg  Line 
through  Bridge  Farm  and  then  the  marks  are  on  the  West  and 
South  side  of  the  Road  to  Stephen  Ames'es. 

N.  B.  The  above  said  Road  Runs  through  Lexington  Farm, 
so  Caled. 

The  bounds  are  generally  stated  in  very  indefinite  terms, 
but  a  majority  of  them  were  said  to  end  at  the  meeting-house 
or  in  some  road  leading  to  it  which  assists  in  locating  very 
many  of  them. 

Laid  out  a  road  from  Samuel  Fellows  Juner  to  the  meeting 
House  Running  North  Through  Wetherbees  Laud  and  Williams 
Land  and  Stones  Land  and  Turning  Northerly  on  Stones  Land 


ROADS    AND    RAILROADS.  377 

and  Dickersons  Land  and  Sampsons  Laud  and  Oaks  Land  and 
Wheelers  Land  and  Common  Land  till  it  comes  to  the  publick 
meeting  House,  is  two  Rods  wide  and  marked  on  the  easterly  side 
of  said  Road. 

The  general  course  of  the  above  road  recorded  in  1765  is 
stated,  but  like  many  others  its  location  at  intermediate 
points  cannot  now  be  determined.  In  some  instances,  like 
the  following,  the  care  of  a  road  was  assumed  by  the  town 
without  the  intervention  of  the  selectmen  : 

The  town  excepted  Mr.  Melvius  Road,  sd  Road  runs  from 
Nathan  Melvin's  by  Willi'"  Benjamins  and  through  Creehor's  Lot 
and  through  Simeon  Willards  Lot  &  Oliver  Willards  Lot,  and 
through  Mr.  Whitemoor's  Lot  through  Elisha  Coolidge's  Lot  to 
Bluefield  Road  sd.  Road  is  two  Rod  wide  and  marked  on  y* 
Northerly  side. 

The  first  county  road  was  not  a  voluntary  enterprise,  and 
probably  it  was  not  maintained  with  any  degree  of  enthu- 
siasm. In  1773  parties  residing  in  adjoining  towns  secured 
its  indictment.  The  town  "chose  Samuel  Wilder,  Esq.,  to 
make  answer  to  the  Court  of  General  Sessions  of  the  Peace 
to  be  holden  at  Worcester  the  last  Tuesday  of  March  instant 
to  an  Indictment  found  against  the  said  Town  by  the  grand 
Inquest  for  the  body  of  said  county,  for  not  mending  or 
keeping  in  repair  the  County  road  or  King's  Highway  from 
Winchendon  Town  line  to  the  meeting-house  in  Ashburn- 
ham." 

The  descriptive  portion  of  the  indictment  affords  some 
information  of  the  condition  of  the  road.  The  Court  Records 
declare  that  it  "was  founderous,  miry  and  rocky,  encum- 
bered with  great  stones,  deep  mud,  stumps  and  roots  and 
destitute  of  necessary  bridges  whereby  the  travelling  that  is 
necessary  in  &  through  the   same   road  is  greatly  impeded 


378  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

and  his  Majesty's  Liege  Subjects  who  have  occasion  and 
right  to  pass  and  repass  in  and  through  the  same  road  by 
themselves  and  with  their  horses,  teams  &  carriages  cannot 
conveniently  and  safely  pass  in  &  over  the  same  road  but  in 
so  doing  are  in  great  danger  of  losing  their  own  lives  &  the 
lives  of  their  cattle  &  of  breaking  and  destroying  their 
Carriages," 

Mr.  Wilder,  clothed  with  plenary  power,  went  to  Worces- 
ter to  make  answer  to  the  court,  but  when  he  heard  himself 
addressed  in  such  terms  it  is  impossible  to  imagine  what  he 
had  to  say.  To  face  a  court  breathing  anathema  and  making 
such  assault  upon  himself  and  his  town  required  great  cour- 
age and  fortitude.  Whether  fear  gave  strength  and  courage 
to  the  ambassador  or  his  utter  discomforture  appeased  the 
temper  of  the  court  is  uncertain.  In  any  event  the  case  was 
continued,  and  then  the  court,  possibly  in  sorrow  for  an 
assault  upon  innocence,  calmly  reviewed  the  field  and  came 
to  the  conclusion  that  inasmuch  as  the  road,  meanwhile,  had 
been  repaired  the  town  should  be  forgiven  on  the  payment 
of  five  shillings  and  costs. 

In  1776  the  maintenance  of  a  new  county  road  was  added 
to  existing  burdens.  For  several  years  after  this  date  a 
special  surveyor  was  chosen  for  the  "  south  county  road." 
It  extended  from  the  centre  of  the  town  past  the  school- 
house  in  the  first  district,  and  theiice,  nearly  by  the  present 
road,  past  the  Joseph  Harris'  place  to  the  Westminster  line. 

Soon  after  the  Revolution  the  project  of  a  county  road  from 
Winchendon  to  Westminster,  passing  through  the  south- 
west corner  of  the  town,  was  revived.  With  its  usual 
alacrity  in  such  cases,  the  town  instructed  the  selectmen  to 
oppose  the  road.  The  following  year  the  incorporation  of 
Gardner  intervened  and  with  other  legacies  the  town  trans- 
ferred all  responsibility  in  the  premises  to  the  young  town. 


ROADS  AND   RAILROADS.  379 

But  Asliburnluiiii  was  scarcely  relieved  from  one  vexation 
concerning  county  roads  before  others  of  a  more  weighty 
character  demanded  attention. 

In  1790  a  county  road  in  amendment  of  the  old  thorough- 
fare from  Winchcndon  Centre  was  proposed.  An  agent  was 
sent  to  Worcester,  but  his  efibrts  were  attended  with  limited 
success.  Three  years  later  the  petition  was  renewed,  and 
Samuel  Wilder,  Abraham  Lowe  and  Colonel  Francis  Lane 
were  selected  to  continue  an  active  opposition  to  the  project. 
The  town  instructed  their  committee  to  measure  all  the 
county  -roads  in  the  town  and  to  ask  the  court  if  any 
additional  burdens  would  be  reasonable  and  just.  Again,  a 
delay  was  etfected,  but  the  suspension  of  hostilities  was  only 
for  a  brief  season.  The  petition  was  renewed  in  1798. 
Samuel  Wilder,  on  whom  the  town  relied  for  council  and 
service  in  ever}^  emergency,  was  dead.  The  town  sent 
David  Gushing,  Joseph  Jewett  and  Hezekiah  Corey  to  the 
rescue,  but  without  avail.  The  road  was  laid  out  and  a 
majority  of  the  town  was  greatly  discomforted.  Before  the 
fate  of  this  road,  of  which  mention  will  be  made  again,  was 
decided  another  of  greater  proportions  was  proposed.  The 
preliminary  proceedings  were  brief.  Before  the  town  had 
fairly  set  its  face  against  it,  a  county  road  was  laid  -to  com- 
plete a  line  of  travel  from  Winchendon  Centre  to  Leominster, 
passing  through  this  town  by  the  town  farm  and  on  sub- 
stantially the  same  route  as  the  Fifth  Turnpike  was  subse- 
quently built ;  and,  in  fact,  the  county  road  influenced  the 
location  of  the  turnpike  which  was  Anally  accepted  in  room 
of  it.  One  of  the  advocates  of  this  county  road  was  Joseph 
Stone  who  lived  on  the  farm  later  owned  by  the  town.  In 
this  proceeding  Mr.  Stone  was  strongly  opposed  by  a  large 
majority  of  his  townsmen  and  public  sentiment  upon  this 
subject   is  reflected   in  the  records.     At  first,  the  road  was 


380  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

styled  Captain  Stone's  road,  but  as  the  controversy  grew 
warmer  it  was  called  Stone's  road,  and  there  is  a  tradition  in 
this  town  that  the  popularity  of  Mr.  Stone  faded  as  rapidly 
as  the  fortunes  of  the  road  were  advanced. 

After  the  road  was  laid  the  town  selected  Abraham  Lowe, 
Joshua  Smith  and  Joseph  Jewett  to  draw  up  a  remonstrance 
in  support  of  an  appeal  to  the  General  Court.  The  proposed 
construction  of  the  turnpike  offered  the  town  some  relief,  and 
measures  were  introduced  to  influence  the  location  of  the 
turnpike  in  a  manner  that  would  lead  the  court  to  discontinue 
the  original  road.  Ebenezer  Munroe,  Joseph  Jewett  and 
John  Gates  were  chosen  to  confer  with  the  directors  of  the 
turnpike,  and  upon  hearing  their  report  the  town,  1802, 
"  Voted  to  make  the  road  from  the  foot  of  the  hill  below 
Abraham  Foster's,  so  on  to  the  county  road  by  Oliver  Sam- 
son's, at  town  expense  on  condition  that  Stone's  road, 
so  called,  can  be  discontinued  and  the  town  be  at  no  more 
cost  or  expense  on  or  about  said  road.  Also  the  town  voted 
to  put  in  one  thousand  dollars  in  the  road  on  condition  that  it 
be  made  a  turnpike  road  to  run  from  Winchendon  line  by 
Nathaniel  Foster's  mill,  so  on  to  the  foot  of  Abraham  Foster's 
hill,  so  out  by  Oliver  Samson's.  Also  voted  to  put  in  five 
hundred  dollars  on  condition  that  they  go  with  the  road 
where  they  think  best  in  the  town,  Stone's  road,  so  called, 
to  be  discontinued  and  the  town  be  at  no  further  expense  on 
account  of  Stone's  road." 

The  following  year  the  town  made  a  fourth  proposition, 
offering  the  corporation  $1500  if  the  turnpike  was  constructed 
over  the  old  common .  The  corporation  accepted  the  smallest 
sum  offered  and  reserved  the  right  to  "go  with  the  road 
where  they  think  best  in  the  town."  The  turnpike  was 
built  in  1805  and  1806  and  the  count}-  road  was  discon- 
tinued. 


KOADS    AND    KAILROADS.  381 

The  town  next  directed  attention  to  an  amendment  of  the 
first  county  road  which  had  been  ordered  by  the  court.  To 
this  date  the  travel  from  Winchendon  was  compelled  to 
make  the  ascent  of  Meeting-house  hill,  and  thence  abruptly 
down  into  the  valley  as  it  proceeded  to  Fitchburg.  A  more, 
feasible  route  had  been  debated  for  several  years,  but  the 
town  steadily  refused  to  divert  any  travel  from  the  old  com- 
mon until  the  authority  of  the  court  had  been  invoked.  A 
section  of  new  road  was  now  built,  commencing  at  a  point 
on  the  old  road,  one  and  one-half  miles  west  of  the  old  com- 
mon and  meeting  the  road  again  in  front  of  the  present  resi- 
dence of  Seth  P.  Fairbanks.  This  road  was  built  in  1817  at 
a  cost  of  $1060.  It  was  clearly  a  benefit  to  the  public,  but 
the  dwellers  around  the  old  common,  and  many  others,  who 
shared  with  them  a  commendable  regard  for  the  centre  of 
their  town,  its  meeting-house,  its  cemetery,  its  pound  and 
its  aristocracy,  were  greatly  discomforted.  When  this 
enterprise  was  completed  it  was  the  most  thoroughly  con- 
structed section  of  road  in  the  town.  The  conditions 
required  it  "  to  be  sixteen  feet  between  the  ditches,  crowned 
eighteen  inches  in  the  centre  and  all  stones  to  be  removed 
that  come  within  six  inches  of  the  surface."  Before  this 
road  was  completed  measures  were  taken  to  secure  the 
indictment  of  the  road  leading  from  the  centre  of  the  town 
to  the  guide-board  near  the  house  of  Caleb  Ward  who  then 
resided  west  of  Lane  Village  and  near  Lower  Naukeag  lake. 
At  a  special  town  meeting  some  one  proposed  to  repair  the 
road  by  subscription  and  escape  an  indictment.  Thirty  days' 
labor  were  immediately  pledged,  and  then  the  town  com- 
placently directed  that  the  labor  be  performed  at  once, 
and  after  that  the  complaint  be  defended  by  the  town  if 
prosecuted. 


382  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

Commencing  with  the  present  centmy  there  was  an  era  of 
turnpikes.  After  the  extreme  depression  in  business,  which 
was  the  natural  consequence  of  the  drain  of  the  Revolu- 
tionary War,  the  country  made  substantial  progress  in 
wealth  and  development.  A  moderate  accumulation  of  cap- 
ital began  to  seek  channels  of  investment  and  every  enter- 
prise which  promised  a  fair  return  for  the  capital  employed 
failed  not  for  want  of  money  or  the  encouragement  and  support 
of  business  men.  Stimulated  by  an  increasing  travel  and 
traffic  to  and  from  the  centres  of  trade,  turnpikes  built  and 
controlled  by  corporations  were  extended  into  every  field  of 
supply.  Towns  on  the  lines  of  these  throroughfares  were 
greatly  benefited,  and  great  eftbrts  were  made  to  influence 
their  location.  Taverns,  stores  and  blacksmith  shops  were 
multiplied  and  many  of  them  were  mainly  dependent  on  the 
patronage  of  these  roads. 

An  early  line  of  travel  from  the  north  and  west  was  from 
Keene  through  Jaftrey  and  New  Ipswich  and  thence  to 
Boston  by  way  of  Townsend.  It  was  incorporated  in  1799, 
and  built  without  delay.  Another  turnpike  incorporated  1802, 
from  Keene  through  Winchendon  and  Leominster,  passed  by 
on  the  other  side.  This  Levite  came  nearer  and  indeed  was 
located  through  the  southwest  part  of  the  town,  but  it  was 
of  little  local  benefit.  It  is  now  included  in  the  town  roads, 
and  the  houses  of  John  M.  Pratt,  John  V.  Platts  and 
Stephen  Wood  are  on  the  line  of  it.  The  next  turnpike  in 
this  vicinity  came  no  nearer.  It  was  incorporated  in  1807 
and  completed  1811.  It  was  an  important  line  of  travel 
from  Keene  through  Rindge,  Ashby  and  Groton.  This 
turnpike  entered  Ashburnham  near  the  residence  of  Edwin 
J.  Stearns,  and  the  present  road  from  that  point,  where  there 
was  a  toll-gate,  to  the  Ashby  line  at  Watatic  pond,  marks 
its  course  through  the  corner  of  the  town.     While  this  turn- 


ROADS    AND   RAILROADS.  383 

pike  was  patronized  considerably  by  the  inhabitants,  it  was 
of  little  beneht  to  the  town.  If  AshbUrnham  was  not  highly 
favored  by  this  era  of  turnpikes,  the  inhabitants  generally 
escaped  the  losses  which  ultimately  attended  the  deprecia- 
tion of  stock. 

In  other  towns  many  men  of  comparative  wealth  were 
financially  ruined,  and  the  savings  of  the  poor,  which  were 
allured  by  golden  promises  from  the  scanty  accumulations 
of  continued  toil  and  many  self-denials,  were  lost  in  the 
general  ruin  which  ensued.  If  these  early  turnpikes  were 
not  successful  from  a  financial  standpoint  they  greatly 
encouraged  the  growth  and  development  of  the  country, 
and  by  competition  and  example  they  did  much  to  improve 
the  general  condition  of  the  other  roads. 

About  the  time  of  the  decline  of  the  turnpikes  a  large 
amount  of  money  was  expended  in  building  and  repairing 
roads.  A  new  line  of  travel,  in  which  this  town  had  a  lively 
interest,  was  opened  through  the  valley  of  Miller's  river  and 
from  Winehendon  through  the  centre  of  Ashburnham  to 
Fitchburg  and  the  lower  towns.  For  many  years  long  lines 
of  teams  and  a  great  amount  of  pleasure  travel  passed 
through  the  central  village.  Very  many  now  living  are 
fond  of  telling  of  the  heavy  wagons,  drawn  by  four,  six  and 
eight  horses,  laden  wath  produce  for  the  market  and  return- 
ing with  merchandise  for  the  country  stores,  or  of  the  four 
and  six  horse  stages  that  daily  passed  each  way.  The 
scenes  of  life  and  activity  that  attended  their  arrival  and 
departure  and  other  features  of  those  days  are  well  remem- 
bered. The  active  landlord  answered  the  demands  of  many 
guests,  while  the  busy  hostlers  in  the  spacious  barns  grew 
weary  in  attendance  upon  the  overflowing  stalls.  The 
hammer  of  the  smith  awoke  the  stillness  of  night  and  the  fire 
in  the  forge  scarcely  burned  out  before  the  beginning  of  a 


384  HISTORY    OF    ASHBURNHAM. 

new  day.  A  much  larger  business  to-day  is  done  with  one 
tithe  of  the  noise  and  confusion  of  the  olden  time.  Then, 
the  newspapers,  unaided  by  the  telegraph  and  other  modern 
facilities,  gave  little  information  of  passing  events.  Items 
of  intelligence  were  noisily  communicated  by  word  of  mouth 
while  bustling  crowds  around  the  taverns  and  the  stores 
gathered  the  latest  news  from  the  passing  traveller.  Now, 
the  current  price  of  commodities  and  the  records  of  the 
world  are  gleaned  from  the  papers  in  the  quiet  retirement  of 
home.  Then,  orders  for  goods  and  the  general  intercourse 
of  trade  were  often  verbal  messages  transmitted  through 
many  mouths.  The  message  of  to-day,  silently  committed 
to  the  mail,  or  to  the  swifter  transmittal  of  the  telegraph 
and  the  responding  shipment  of  merchandise,  left  by  the 
passing  train,  are  in  happy  contrast  with  the  noisy  methods 
of  the  olden  time. 

During  the  construction  of  the  Fitchburg  railroad  from 
point  to  point,  the  teams  and  stages  in  that  direction  made 
shorter  journeys,  but  the  condition  of  affiiirs  at  this  point  was 
not  materially  changed  ;  but  the  building  of  the  Vermont  and 
Massachusetts  and  the  Cheshire  railroads  which  soon  followed 
drove  the  stages  and  the  teams  from  the  road. 

The  amount  expended  for  the  annual  repair  of  the  roads 
during  the  early  history  of  the  town  conformed  to  the  in- 
crease of  population  and  secured  highways  that  reasonably 
met  the  requirements  of  the  times.  The  appropriation  in 
1770  was  £35  ;  in  1773,  £80  ;  in  1790,  £120  ;  in  1800  the  sum 
was  increased  to  $900.  For  many  years  the  town  chose  one 
and  sometimes  two  surveyors  for  the  county  roads  and  com- 
mitted the  town  roads  to  the  care  of  from  two  to  ten  persons, 
the  number  being  gradually  increased  as  the  roads  were 
extended  and  more  thoroughly  repaired.  In  1818  the  town 
was  divided  into  twenty-one  highway  districts.     The  county 


ROADS   AND   RAILROADS.  385 

roads  and  turnpikes,  gradually  losing  their  individual  charac- 
ter, were  included  among  the  several  districts.  In  1845  the 
number  of  highway  districts  was  increased  to  twenty-five, 
which,  with  slight  changes,  were  continued  until  a  recent 
date.  From  the  first,  and  until  the  present  system  was 
adopted,  a  surveyor  was  annually  chosen  for  each  district. 
In  1832  and  1837  the  town  voted  to  raise  one-half  the  usual 
amount  in  money,  but  before  the  tax  was  assessed  the  action 
was  reconsidered  and  the  former  system  of  a  labor  tax  was 
continued  until  a  comparatively  recent  period.  The  amount 
annually  expended  for  the  repair  of  the  highways  was  gradu- 
ally increased  from  $900  to  $1500  ;  the  last  sum  was  deemed 
sufficient  until  1865,  when  $1800  was  raised,  and  since  that 
date  the  amount  has  ranged  from  $2500  to  $4500.  In  1870 
the  town  committed  the  care  of  the  highways  to  the  select- 
men and  the  following  year  a  board  of  commissioners  was 
established.  The  members  are  elected  for  three  years.  On 
this  board  Simeon  Merritt  has  served  eleven  years  ;  Samuel 
Howard,  nine  years ;  Jesse  Parker,  two  years ;  Stephen 
Wood,  three  years ;  Frederic  E.  Willard,  three  years ; 
Charles  H.  Whitney,  one  year ;  Robert  W.  Mclntire,  six 
years ;  Charles  W.  Whitney,  2d,  five  years ;  Justin  W. 
Bemis,  one  year.  The  three  last  named  constitute  the 
present  board. 

Railroads.  — The  charter  of  the  Vermont  and  Massachu- 
setts railroad,  now  operated  by  the  Fitchburg  railroad,  is 
dated  March  15,  1844,  but  the  road  was  graded  from  Fitch- 
burg to  South  Ashburnham  in  the  summer  and  autumn 
preceding  and  in  anticipation  of  an  act  of  incorporation.  At 
this  point  there  arose  an  animated  contest  over  the  continued 
location  of  the  road.  For  two  years  it  was  an  even  question 
whether  it  would  be  extended  through  Gardner  or  through 
Winchendon.     In  this  controversy  the  town  of  Ashburnham 

25 


386  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

was  an  indifferent  spectator,  as  in  either  event  it  would  not 
materially  change  its  course  through  this  town.  The  busi- 
ness men  early  perceived  that  the  route  through  Gardner, 
which  was  finally  adopted,  would  accommodate  this  town  as 
well  as  the  other,  and  it  would  also  leave  an  invitation  to  the 
Cheshire  railroad,  then  in  contemplation,  to  build  from 
Winchendon  through  Ashburnham  Centre  to  Fitchburg. 
For  a  season  the  town  was  so  deeply  engrossed  with  this 
project  that  little  attention  was  paid  to  the  controversy  over 
the  location  of  the  first  railroad  that  was  built  within  the 
town.  The  causes  and  influences  which  controlled  the  loca- 
tion of  both  of  these  roads  were  wholly  outside  of  Ash- 
burnham, and  while  a  considerable  portion  of  the  town  were 
disappointed  neither  of  them  approached  the  central  village. 
Both  of  the  roads  have  been  of  material  benefit  to  the  town. 
The  Ashburnham  Railroad  lies  wholly  within  this  town 
and  materially  contributes  to  the  general  prosperity  of  the 
place.  It  is  young  in  years  and  limited  in  length,  yet  it  has 
more  history  to  the  linear  mile  and  in  certain  years  of  its 
duration  has  developed  more  stratagem  than  has  attended  the 
fortunes  of  many 'older  and  longer  roads.  The  difficulties 
which  surrounded  its  construction  and  early  management  are 
fortunately  settled  and  only  the  exterior  history  of  the  road 
demands  attention.  In  May,  1871,  a  charter  was  obtained 
for  a  line  of  railroad  from  the  junction  of  the  existing  roads 
to  the  central  village,  a  distance  of  about  two  miles.  A  com- 
mittee, consisting  of  George  C.  Winchester,  Austin  Whitney, 
William  P.  Ellis,  Ohio  Whitney  and  George  H.  Barrett, 
was  immediately  chosen  to  solicit  subscriptions  to  the  capital 
stock  which,  at  this  stage  of  the  proceedings,  was  limited  to 
one  hundred  thousand  dollars.  To  aid  and  encourage  the 
enterprise  the  town  of  Ashburnham,  on  a  vote  to  invest  five 
per  cent,  of  its  valuation,  purchased  shares  to  the  amount  of 


ROADS   AND  llAILROADS.  387 

forty -eight  thousand  doUars.  Eleven  thousand  five  hundred 
dolhirs  was  subscribed  by  three  men  residing  in  Fitchburg 
and  in  Boston  and  the  remainder  of  the  stock  was  taken  by 
residents  of  this  town.  At  the  organization  of  the  corpora- 
tion which  promptly  ensued,  George  C.  Winchester,  Ohio 
Whitney,  Austin  Whitney,  Addison  A.  Walker  of  Ashburn- 
ham,  Daniel  Nevins,  Jr.,  Hiram  A.  Blood  and  Otis  T. 
Ruggles  were  chosen  a  board  of  directors.  George  C. 
Winchester  was  subsequently  chosen  president  and  Colonel 
George  H.  Barrett  clerk  and  treasurer. 

The  construction  of  the  road  was  prosecuted  with  energy 
and  without  any  unreasonable  delay.  About  the  first  of 
January,  1874,  the  road  was  completed  and  a  turn  table  and 
engine  house  were  built  at  the  northern  terminus,  but  the 
depot  was  not  erected  until  the  following  year.  At  the 
annual  meeting  in  the  summer  of  this  year,  the  following 
board  of  directors  was  chosen  :  Austin  Whitney,  Addison  A. 
Walker,  Walter  E.  Adams,  Simeon  Merritt,  Ohio  Whitney, 
Daniel  Nevins,  Jr.,  and  Thomas  H.  Clark.  William  P. 
Ellis  was  chosen  clerk  and  treasurer  and  was  continued  in 
office  until  the  corporation  was  dissolved.  He  was  also 
station  agent  and  to  his  care  was  confided  the  details  of  the 
operation  of  the  road.  In  1875  Mr.  Nevins  declined  a 
reelection  and  the  board  was  increased  to  nine  members. 
The  new  members  elected  were  George  C.  Winchester, 
Franklin  Russell  and  George  G.  Eockwood.  The  only 
change  in  the  board  of  directors  in  1876  was  the  election  of 
Wilbur  F.  Whitney,  in  room  of  Austin  Whitney.  From 
1874  to  1877  the  road  was  equipped  and  operated  by  the 
stockholders  under  the  immediate  management  of  the  board 
of  directors.  In  the  adjustment  of  claims  against  the  corpo- 
ration the  debt  was  gradually  increased  and  the  earnings  did 
not  exceed  the  current  expenses  to  an  extent  that  aflbrded 


388  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

any  relief.  The  corporation  issued  mortgage  bonds  for 
twelve  thousand  dollars  and  at  that  time  it  was  generally 
presumed  that  ultimately  all  the  debts  would  be  liquidated 
by  the  net  earnings  of  the  road.  In  1877,  and  after  the  road 
had  been  in  operation  three  years,  George  C.  Winchester 
demanded  payment  of  a  claim  of  eleven  thousand  tive 
hundred  dollars  for  personal  service.  This  demand  was 
unanswered  for  a  season  with  a  spirit  of  resistance  and  a 
consciousness  of  inability  to  pay  it.  A  final  settlement  was 
subsequently  made,  and  in  the  summer  of  1877,  the  franchise 
of  the  road  and  the  rolling  stock  were  conveyed  to  Mrs. 
Winchester  and  the  corporation  was  dissolved.  To  this 
enterprise  the  town  and  the  inhabitants  of  Ashburnham  have 
contributed  eighty-eight  thousand  five  hundred  dollars. 
The  loss  was  serious  to  a  few.  Had  the  burden  been  more 
equally  distributed,  it  is  probable  that  in  the  general  utility 
and  convenience  of  the  Ashburnham  railroad,  every  one  vfiW 
find  ample  compensation  for  the  loss  sustained.  Mrs. 
Winchester  continued  to  own  and  operate  the  road  in  the 
interest  of  the  public  until  1885  when  it  was  sold  to  the 
Fitchburg  railroad  corporation. 


CHAPTER   XVI. 

HOTELS    AND    STORES. 

THE  FIRST    INN. SEVERAL    EARLY  INNHOLDERS.  UNCLE    TIm's. THE    COCK- 
EREL     TAVERN.  TWO      HOTELS     ON    MAIN     STREET.  CHILDREN    OF    THE 

WOODS.  A    NEW  TAVERN. THE  CENTRAL  HOUSE.  THE  FRYE  TAVERN. 

THE    TAVERN    AT    FACTORY    VILLAGE. 

THE   STORES. — the    first   store.  —  the  jewetts  and  their  succes- 
sors.—  MADAME   CUSHING  A  MERCHANT.  SEVERAL  SMALL  STORES. THE 

WINCHESTERS. ADAMS  AND  GREENWOOD.  ELLIS  AND  LANE. NEWTON 

HAYDEN.  PARKER   BROTHERS. —  MARBLE  AND    GILSON. —  GEORGE    ROCK- 
WOOD. ELLIOT     MOORE.  MIRICK     STIMSON.  STORES    IN    SOUTH    ASH- 

BURNHAM. 

Inns  or  taverns  were  numerous  in  the  olden  times,  and  a 
fictitious  prominence  is  frequently  assigned  them.  Around 
these  ancient  hostelries  tradition  is  wont  to  linger  and  prone 
to  crown  them  with  a  dignity  they  did  not  enjoy  and  to 
regard  them  with  a  peculiar  charity  especially  reserved  for 
the  dead.  In  fact,  a  large  majority  of  them  were  simply 
farm-houses  in  which  the  traveller  was  entertained.  The 
proprietor  was  more  a  farmer  than  a  landlord  and  the  busi- 
ness was  only  supplementary  to  his  stated  avocation.  And 
often  in  the  pursuit  of  gain  the  license  of  the  innholder  was 
secured  more  for  the  sale  of  spirituous  liquors  than  for  a 
rational  entertainment  of  man  and  beast. 

The  first  inn  of  this  town,  of  which  there  is  any  record  or 
tradition,  was  built  upon  the  old  Bluefield  road  extending 
from  Lunenburg  to  Northfield.  It  was  situated  on  the  Bel- 
low's grant  in  the  northwest  part  of  this  town,  and  was  not 


390  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

occupied  after  1744,  when  the  settlement  was  abandoned. 
The  Court  Records  represent  that  Moses  Foster  was  a 
licensed  innholder  in  1751  and  throuo;h  several  succeedino; 
years.  He  lived  at  first  in  the  northeast  part  of  the  town 
and  at  an  early  date  removed  to  a  lot  adjoining,  south  of  the 
common.  His  house  after  he  removed  was  an  inn,  but  it  is 
uncertain  at  which  place  he  was  residing  when  first  licensed. 
The  next  landlord  who  appeared  on  the  scene  was  Nathan 
Dennis  who  lived  at  Lane  Village  and  owned  the  mill.  He 
was  here  only  two  years,  1753  and  1754.  In  1756  Thomas 
Wheeler  in  the  northeast  part  of  the  town  was  an  innholder 
and  was  succeeded  by  James  Coleman  who  was  included 
within  Ashby  in  17(35.  For  several  years,  commencing  with 
1759,  Elisha  Coolidge  was  licensed.  He  probably  resided 
in  the  house  previously  occupied  by  Nathan  Dennis.  In 
1767  Nathan  Melvin  who  lived  near  the  Amos  Pierce  place, 
in  the  eighth  school  district,  received  permission  from  the 
court  to  entertain  the  solitary  traveller  who  might  acciden- 
tally pass  that  way.  Captain  Deliverance  Davis  was  a 
licensed  innholder  in  1767  but  he  did  not  continue  in  the 
business  many  years.  Among  the  ancient  hostelries  in  this 
town  none  were  so  popular  as  "  Uncle  Tim's."  Tradition 
assigns  no  other  name  to  the  public  house  kept  by  Timothy 
Willard.  He  was  probably  the  first  landlord  in  this  town 
who  ever  gave  his  undivided  attention  to  the  business  and 
his  house  was  known  "from  Canada  to  Boston."  On  his 
tables  often  were  fresh  pickerel  which  an  hour  before  were 
sporting  in  the  clear  waters  of  Upper  Naukeag.  At  this  inn 
Dr.  Lowe  was  entertained  the  first  years  of  his  residence  in 
this  town.  The  house  was  on  the  old  road  from  Ashburn- 
ham  to  Winchendon,  on  the  site  of  the  residence  of  Mrs. 
David  W.  Russell.  In  1798  David  Russell,  Sen.,  pur- 
chased the  hotel  and  farm  and  continued  the  business.     He 


HOTELS   AND    STOKES.  391 

procured  a  new  sign  on  which  was  painted  a  protile  of  a 
chanticleer  in  the  constant  occupation  of  crowing  over  the 
fame  of  the  place.  In  a  few  years,  so  fickle  is  fame,  the 
name  of  "Uncle  Tim"  was  heard  no  more.  The  inn  was 
known  as  the  "  Cockerel  Tavern." 

About  the  close  of  the  century  two  hotels  were  opened  on 
Main  street,  —  one  by  Captain  David  Cushing,  where  Nahum 
Wood  now  lives,  and  one  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  street, 
over  which  Joseph  Jewett  presided  when  not  engaged  in 
other  pursuits.  Commencing  with  about  1^15,  and  con- 
tinuing with  a  waning  patronage  until  about  thirty  years  ago, 
there  was  a  hotel  on  the  north  turnpike,  and  either  the 
hotel  or  the  locality  was  familiarly  known  as  Children  of  the 
Woods.  The  travel  on  that  once  busy  thoroughfare  has 
been  diverted  into  other  channels  and  the  old  hotel  has  fallen 
with  the  weight  of  years.  There  was  a  hotel  several  years 
where  the  brick  store  now  stands.  It  was  built  by  John 
Adams,  son  of  the  centenarian,  about  1826.  Hobart  F. 
•Kibling  and  Merrick  Whitney  were  the  landlords.  In  the 
same  building  there  was  a  store  which  is  mentioned  in 
another  connection.  This  hotel  was  built  soon  after  the 
road  from  Winchendon  to  Fitchburg  had  been  thoroughly 
repaired  and  many  teams  from  Vermont  and  the  valley  of 
Miller's  river  passed  through  this  town.  The  new  hotel  was 
successful  and  its  prosperity  led  to  the  building  of  another 
on  the  opposite  side  of  the  street,  now  known  as  the  Central 
House.  The  hotel  last  mentioned  was  built  by  Captain  Silas 
Whitney  in  1829,  but  it  was  not  finished  until  1832.  It 
was  called  the  Washington  House  and  in  front,  leaving  space 
for  the  passage  of  teams,  there  was  a  huge  sign  suspended 
between  two  posts.  The  sign  bore  a  supposed  likeness  of 
George  Washington  who  proclaimed  that  he,  at  least,  was  a 
cold  water  man  by  having  beneath  him  a   huge  watering- 


392  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

trough  which  occupied  all  the  space  between  the  posts.  In 
this  house,  also,  Hobart  F.  Kibling  was  the  first  landlord. 
He  was  succeeded  by  Samuel  Whitney  and  his  sons  who  had 
acquired  possession  of  the  property.  Later,  the  house  was 
conducted  by  Stimson  and  Howe  and  by  Knight  and  Forris- 
tall  who  were  succeeded  by  Israel  W.  Knight,  a  sou  of  one 
of  the  preceding  landlords.  Mr.  Knight  conducted  the 
business  many  years  and  until  his  death,  September  5,  1858. 
His  son,  James  M.  Knight,  succeeded  him,  remaining  in  the 
business  two,  or  three  years.  Ferdinand  Petts  was  the 
next  landlord.  The  property  was  purchased  by  Walter  R. 
Adams,  1866,  who  assumed  the  management  of  the  business 
until  1879  when  he  was  succeeded  by  John  C.  Stone.  Mr. 
Stone  has  thoroughly  repaired  the  buildings  and  built  a  block 
of  stores  on  the  site  of  the  driveway.  The  appearance  and 
convenience  of  the  buildings  are  much  improved  and  the 
house  is  well  conducted. 

The  Frye  Tavern,  more  recently  known  as  the  Astor 
House,  was  a  prosperous  hotel  fifty  years  ago.  The  land- 
lords were  James  Frye,  Merrick  Whitney,  James  Barrett, 
Orin  Morton  and  Otis  Metcalf.  It  has  l)een  owned  many 
years  by  the  Cheshire  railroad  and  occupied  by  tenants. 

About  the  time  the  Frye  Tavern  was  opened,  Norman 
Stone  had  a  hotel  at  Factory  Village  for  several  years. 
Public  houses  on  the  main  lines  of  travel  were  numerous  in 
those  days  and  many  at  intermediate  points  between  the 
villages  were  successful. 

Stores. — Until  the  close  of  the  Revolution  there  were  no 
stores  in  Ashburnham.  If  any  one  returned  from  the  centres 
of  trade  with  goods,  which  were  offered  for  sale,  the  business 
was  not  of  sufiicient  magnitude  or  duration  to  secure  the 
appellation  of  merchant  or  surround  his  abode  with  the 
dignity  of  a  store.     In  the  mean  time  the  store  in  Lunen- 


HOTELS   AND  STORES.  393 

burg  was  frequently  visited,  and  upon  an  old  ledger  of 
Moses  Whitney,  who  had  a  store  in  Rindge  in  1772,  are 
extended  accounts  with  several  residents  of  this  town.  It  is 
probal)le,  however,  that,  for  many  years,  the  greater  part  of 
the  home  supplies  were  procured  in  the  lower  towns  in 
exchange  for  the  product  of  the  farm,  or  for  shingles,  split 
and  shaved  from  the  stately  pines  which  were  abundant  at 
that  time. 

Joseph  Jewett,  Esq.,  removed  to  this  town  in  1783,  and 
immediately  opened  a  store  in  his  dwelling-house  which 
stood  at  the  corner  of  Main  and  Gushing  streets.  In  a  few 
years  he  built  a  store  near  by  which  remains  to  this  time 
and  is  a  part  of  the  building  owned  and  occupied  by  Charles 
Hastings.  Associated  in  trade  with  Mr.  Jewett  for  one 
year,  about  1790,  was  Samuel  Appleton,  the  generous  bene- 
factor of  several  educational  and  charitable  institutions,  and 
in  later  years  General  Ivers  Jewett  was  admitted  to  a  part- 
nership with  his  father.  The  Jewetts  were  men  of  enter- 
prise, and  succeeded  in  building  up  a  prosperous  business 
which  was  extended  into  the  surrounding  towns.  They 
exchanged  goods  for  every  product  of  the  farm,  sending 
annually  many  tons  of  pork,  butter,  cheese,  grain  and  wool 
to  the  seaboard.  Ashes,  too,  with  them,  were  an  acceptable 
tender  for  goods  from  the  store.  These  they  converted  into 
potash  and  forwarded  it  to  the  market.  In  later  years  they 
received  yarns  from  the  Slaters  of  Rhode  Island  and  other 
manufactures  of  the  time.  At  that  time  the  power  loom 
was  a  sleeping  dream  in  the  soul  of  invention.  This  yarn 
was  distributed  among  the  families  who  wove  it  in  hand- 
looms,  returning  the  cloth  to  the  store  and  receiving  their 
pay  in  goods.  In  this  and  many  other  ways  these  enter- 
prising merchants  invited  trade.  They  offered  every  facility 
for  the  payment  of  goods.     They  entered  into  close  relations 


394  HISTORY   OF  ASHBURNHAM. 

with  the  people  of  Ashburnham  and  many  others  in  the 
adjoining  towns.  In  accordance  with  a  custom  of  the  times 
they  sokl  wines  and  liquors  in  quantity  and  by  the  glass. 
They  supplemented  their  business  with  an  inn,  and  mixed 
and  vended  grog  from  the  ramparts  of  the  store  and  the 
skirmish  line  of  the  hotel.  They  clothed  the  naked,  fed  the 
hungry,  relieved  the  thirsty,  and  in  their  more  substantial 
trade  provided  all  against  future  want.  The  "Jewett  Store" 
was  an  institution  which  suffered  no  rival  and  has  witnessed 
no  successor. 

Joseph  Jewett  retiring  from  an  active  interest  in  the  busi- 
ness it  was  continued  by  General  Ivers  Jewett.  For  a  short 
time  Colonel  Hosea  Stone  was  associated  with  General 
Jewett,  and  in  1824  Samuel  Woods,  who  had  been  a  clerk 
in  the  store  nine  years,  bought  a  half  interest  and  the  firm 
became  known  as  Jewett  and  Woods.  Soon  after,  the  new 
firm  bought  a  store  and  a  cotton-mill  in  Fitchburg  and  sold 
the  store  in  this  town  to  Samuel  Barrett.  The  Fitchburg 
enterprise  was  not  successful.  General  Jewett,  in  this  and 
other  speculative  transactions,  met  with  less  success  than 
had  attended  his  career  as  a  merchant.  In  1828  Samuel 
Woods  bought  the  store  of  Mr.  Barrett  and  returned  to 
Ashburnham  and  in  company  with  George  H.  Lowe  he 
continued  in  trade  until  1831.  Samuel  S.  Stevens  suc- 
ceeded Mr.  Lowe,  and  soon  after  Jonathan  O.  Bancroft  and 
Elbridge  Stimson  were  admitted  to  the  firm  then  known  as 
Woods,  Stevens  &  Co.  In  1833  they  sold  to  George  H. 
Lowe  who  continued  in  trade  until  1842.  Mr.  LoAve  sold 
to  Jacob  Osgood  of  Weston,  whose  son,  Charles,  had  an 
interest  in  the  business.  The  Osgoods  were  succeeded  in 
1851  by  James  Learned  who  was  in  business  sixteen  years 
when  he  sold  the  store  and  goods  to  Henry  Vanness,  who, 
with  unruffled  placidity,  fostered  a  waning  trade  until  1877, 


HOTELS   AND    STORES.  395 

when  the  curtain  fell.  The  fastened  door  and  the  boarded 
windows  shut  out  the  light  of  day  but  not  the  memory  of 
many  years. 

The  second  store  in  order  of  date,  and  the  first  in  the 
elevation  and  dignity  of  its  surroundings,  was  on  the  old 
common.  Here  Mrs.  Gushing,  assisted  by  her  sons,  con- 
ducted a  small  trade  several  years.  The  modest  store  was 
at  the  east  of  the  common  and  was  established  about  1795. 
A  few  years  later  Deacon  Heman  Lincoln,  on  this  site, 
erected  a  dwelling-house  and  enlarged  the  store.  For  a 
short  time  he  conducted  the  business  and  was  succeeded  by 
Doddridge  Gushing,  who  continued  in  trade  several  years, 
when  the  Jewetts  purchased  the  goods  and  removed  them  to 
the  foot  of  the  hill.  Subsequently,  Leonard  Stearns,  from 
New  Ipswich,  was  in  trade  a  year  or  more,  and  later  Gharles 
Hastings  purchased  the  real  estate,  enlarged  and  repaired 
the  buildings,  bought  new  goods  and  continued  in  trade  until 
1829.  He  sold  to  Lemuel  Stimson,  and  in  the  spring  of 
1830  the  business  was  assumed  by  his  sons,  Elbridge  and 
Mirick,  who  closed  out  in  1833,  and  since  then  no  one  has 
engaged  in  trade  at  this  place. 

About  the  time  the  Jewetts  withdrew  from  an  active 
interest  in  trade  three  small  stores  were  opened  in  this  town. 
William  Brooks  in  the  house  of  his  father,  Thaddeus  Brooks, 
in  the  ninth  school  district  conducted  a  limited  business 
several  years  ;  and  Reuben  Rice,  who  lived  in  the  fourth 
school  district  where  Alfred  D.  Kinsman  now  resides,  had  a 
store  in  his  house  an  equal  length  of  time.  Neither  of  these 
securing  a  monopoly  of  the  trade,  Asahel  Gorey  and  Salmon 
Rice  opened  a  store  on  Water  street.  Later  Mr.  Rice  sold 
his  interest  to  Levi  Gorey.  The  Goreys  were  succeeded  in 
1839  by  Gharles  Winchester,  and  it  was  in  this  store  of 
modest  pretension  that  Mr.    Winchester  outlined  the   first 


396 


HISTORY  OF  ASHBURNHAM. 


chapter  of  an  active,  successful  career.  Asahel  and  Levi 
Corey,  having  sold  their  business  in  Water  street,  opened  a 
new  store  in  the  hotel  building  on  the  site  of  the  brick  store. 
After  a  few  years  they  were  succeeded  by  Philip  R.  Merriam 
who  removed  from  a  small  store  on  the  south  turnpike.  Mr. 
Merriam  and  his  son  were  followed  by  Horace  C.  Crehore 
who  continued  in  trade  several  years. 

In  1842  Charles  Winchester  sold  the  store  he  had  out- 
grown on  Water  street  and  bought  this  store.  Six  years 
later  he  admitted  his  brother,  George  C.  Winchester,  to  an 
equal  partnership.  They  were  eminently  successful.  For 
the  accommodation  of  an  increasing  trade,  and  to  provide 
accounting  rooms  for  their  other  business  they  erected,  in 
1855,  the  substantial  building  now  occupied  by  Adams  and 


The  Bkick  Stork,  now  of  Adams  &  Gueenwood. 
C.  &  G.  C.  Winchester,  1855. 


Erected  by 


Greenwood.     The  firm  was  dissolved  in   1870,  and  George 
C.    Winchester   continued   the    business    until   1879.     This 


HOTELS   AND    STORES.  397 

store  Avas  reopened  in  1881  by  Adams  and  Greenwood,  the 
partnei-s  being  Walter  R.  Adams  and  Moses  P.  Greenwood. 
With  a  full  line  of  miscellaneous  goods,  they  at  once  secured 
an  extensive  trade  and  are  reaping  the  fruit  of  merited 
success. 

The  store  now  occupied  by  Parker  Brothers  was  built  by 
Ivers  White  in  1855,  and  leased  to  William  P.  Ellis  for 
eight  years.  Mr.  Ellis  formed  a  partnership  with  Martin  B. 
Lane,  and  under  the  name  of  Ellis  and  Lane  they  conducted 
a  trade  in  stoves,  tinware  and  groceries  for  several  years. 
The  firm  was  then  dissolved  by  the  retirement  of  Mr.  Lane, 
who  removed  the  stove  and  tinware  department  to  the  store 
in  the  Town  Hall.  Newton  Hayden  being  admitted  to  a 
partnership  with  Mr.  Ellis,  the  business  was  enlarged  and 
included  the  wares  usually  displayed  in  a  country  store.  In 
1866  Mr.  Hayden  became  sole  proprietor,  and  he  was 
succeeded  by  several  firms  which  included  Hon.  Ohio 
Whitney,  Walter  R.  Adams,  Moses  P.  Greenwood  and 
Captain  Walter  O.  Parker.  In  1876  Captain  Parker  and 
his  brother,  Frank  H.  Parker,  under  the  firm  name  of  Parker 
Brothers,  assumed  the  business.  Under  their  judicious 
management,  the  demands  of  the  community  have  been  fully 
answered  and  a  good  trade  has  been  firmly  established. 

After  the  removal  of  Mr.  Lane  to  the  Town  Hall,  he  was 
associated  with  Joel  P.  Marble,  and  in  1876  he  was  succeeded 
by  Frank  B.  Gilson.  The  business  was  continued  under  the 
firm  name  of  Marble  and  Gilson.  In  1880  they  built  a  new 
store  on  Central  street  and  added  a  line  of  groceries  to  their 
former  trade.  They  continue  in  the  management  of  a  pros- 
perous business.  There  were  earlier  dealers  in  stoves  and 
tinware  than  any  named  in  the  preceding  paragraphs.  Ben- 
jamin Merriam  was  an  early  dealer  in  this  line  of  ware  in 
the  old  store  on  Water  street,  and  Elliot  Moore,  for  a  few 


398  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

years,  was  in  this  line  of  trade  in  the  George  Eockwood 
store. 

George  Eockwood  opened  a  store  about  1833,  where 
Marshall  Wetherbee  now  resides.  He  continued  in  trade 
several  years  and  a  part  of  the  time  Dr.  William  H.  Cutler 
had  an  interest  in  the  business.  He  was  succeeded  by  the 
Union  Store,  which  was  continued  four  years,  and  later  Elliot 
Moore  continued  the  business  a  few  years. 

After  Asahel  Corey  had  been  in  trade  on  Water  street  and 
in  the  hotel  building  on  the  south  side  of  the  street,  he  built 
in  1846  a  store  on  the  site  of  the  residence  of  George  C. 
Winchester.  In  this  building  his  son,  Jonas  Corey,  opened 
a  store  and  was  succeeded  immediately  by  George  Eock- 
wood and  Austin  Whitney.  Then  the  firm  of  Corey,  Barrett 
and  Kibling,  comprising  Jonas  Corey,  Colonel  Francis  J. 
Barrett  and  Joseph  W.  Kibling,  was  actively  engaged  in 
trade  at  this  place  for  a  few  years.  They  were  succeeded 
by  Austin  Whitney,  and  while  his  brother,  Samuel  V. 
Whitney,  was  postmaster,  the  post-office  was  located  here. 
The  building  was  purchased  by  George  C.  Winchester  in 
1856  and  remodelled  soon  after. 

George  W.  Kibling,  who  lived  in  Lane  Village,  where 
Merrick  Hadley  now  resides,  had  a  store  in  his  house  a  few 
years,  commencing  about  1835.  There  was  no  other  store 
in  this  village  until  Mirick  Stimson  began  trade  in  1868. 
Mr.  Stimson  has  continued  without  interruption  to  the 
present  time.  In  North  Ashburnham,  Asa  E.  Lovell  was  in 
trade  about  three  years,  commencing  in  the  autumn  of  1845. 
The  goods  were  owned  by  several  gentlemen  who  lived  in 
that  vicinity,  and  who  sustained  the  store  as  a  local  enter- 
prise. The  goods  were  subsequently  sold  at  auction. 
Except  the  trade  in  groceries  conducted  by  Daniels  Ellis, 
there  have  been  no  other  stores  in  this  village. 


HOTELS   AND   STORES.  399 

StovGKS  in  the  village  of  South  Ashburnham  have  been 
numerous.  In  1822  Jonas  Munroe  opened  a  store  and  con- 
tinued in  trade  several  years.  The  building  occupied  by- 
Mr.  Munroe  was  later  the  ell  of  the  Deacon  Glazier  shop. 
Mr.  Benjamin  E.  Wetherbee,  the  present  owner  of  the 
premises,  tore  it  down  a  year  ago  and  completed  its  history. 
Hosea  Hosley,  in  1836,  began  trade  in  a  building  still  known 
as  the  red  store,  opposite  the  residence  of  Hezekiah 
Matthews.  After  a  vacancy  of  several  years,  the  next 
trader  in  this  store  was  Lewis  G.  Matthews,  who,  with  a 
line  of  groceries  and  patent  medicines,  began  business  in 
1852,  and  continued  until  1874.  Oliver  A.  Kaymond,  in 
the  autumn  of  1846,  began  business  under  favorable 
auspices  in  the  May  store.  He  died  the  following  year  and 
the  goods  were  sold  out  by  his  brother.  The  Protective 
Union  Store  was  opened  in  the  May  building  in  1848. 
Stores  established  on  this  plan  were  found  at  this  date  in 
almost  every  village.  Generally  conducted  liy  men  un- 
skilled in  the  arts  of  trade,  very  few  of  them  were  successful. 
This  proved  no  exception,  and  was  closed  before  the  expira- 
tion of  a  year.  The  May  store,  which,  like  the  temple  of 
Janus,  has  been  sometimes  open  and  sometimes  closed,  was 
occupied  a  year  and  a  half,  commencing  August,  1863,  by 
John  B.  Day,  who  displayed  a  line  of  dry  goods  and 
groceries.  In  1868  Mr.  Day  resumed  business  in  the  same 
building.  The  following  year  he  was  succeeded  by  Stephen 
y.  Ware,  who  remained  two  years  and  again  the  doors  were 
closed.  The  next  occupant  was  Luther  Osborn,  who  con- 
tinued about  three  years,  and  from  that  time  until  1876,  the 
store  was  unoccupied.  In  the  autumn  of  that  year  Stephen 
V.  Ware  resumed  trade  with  a  line  of  dry  goods  and  gro- 
ceries. In  March,  1884,  he  sold  to  John  Davis,  who  moved 
the  following  summer  into  the  store  under  Union  Hall  where 


400  HISTORY    OF    ASHBURNHAM. 

lie  was  recently  succeeded  by  Alfred  E.  Garlick  and  James 
H.  Long,  who  have  built  up  a  prosperous  trade. 

More  to  accommodate  his  employes  than  to  solicit  a 
general  trade,  Edwai-d  S.  Flint  dealt  in  staple  groceries 
about  nineteen  years,  commencing  1857.  In  1866  Mrs. 
Mary  Blodget  fitted  a  room  in  her  dwelling  for  the  accom- 
modation of  a  limited  stock  of  ladies'  furnishing  goods. 
The  business  was  successfully  continued  eight  years.  Near 
the  depots,  Sumner  H.  Upham,  Francis  Eaton,  Sewell  S. 
Lane  and  Stephen  V.  Ware  have  each  been  in  trade  a  short 
time. 


CHAPTER   XVII. 

MECHANICAL    INDUSTRIES. 

PROMINENT     POSITION    OF    ASHBURNHAM.  THREE    EARLY    MILLS.  A    MULTI- 
TUDE   OF  GRAIN-MILLS    AND  SAW-MILLS. THE    MANUFACTURE    OF    CHAIRS. 

THE     GREAT     NUMBER     ENGAGED.  JOHN    EATON.  THE    PIONEERS.  

PHILIP     R.     MERRIAM.  CHARLES     AND     GEORGE     C.     WINCHESTER. THE 

BOSTON      CHAIR     MANUFACTURING     COMPANY.  W.     F.      WHITNEY.  THE 

MANUFACTURE    OF    CHAIRS    IN    SOUTH    ASHBURNHAM.   BURRAGEVILLE. 

TUBS     AND    PAILS. THREAD    SPOOLS.  — FRICTION    MATCHES.  BASKETS. 

MISCELLANEOUS    WOOD-WARE. WOOL    CARDING  AND  CLOTH    DRESSING. 

COTTON     FACTORIES.   TANNING.  MOROCCO     BUSINESS.  JOHN     AND 

8.    W.    PUTNAM. 

.  The  genius  of  Ashburnham  shines  forth  most  conspicu- 
ously in  a  variety  of  manufactures.  In  the  employment  of 
capital  and  in  the  daily  toil  of  a  large  number  of  artisans  and 
mechanics,  the  town  maintains  a  commanding  position.  The 
frequent  seats  of  power  along  the  courses  of  the  brooks  and 
rivers  have  invited  the  people  from  the  cultivation  of  a  rugged 
soil  to  mechanical  pursuits.  The  number  of  mills,  past  and 
present,  in  this  town  is  unusually  large.  There  are  fifty 
mill  sites  in  this  town  where  at  some  time  the  Avater  power 
has  been  utilized.  These  enterprises  have  offered  employ- 
ment to  the  mechanic  and  have  augmented  the  wealth  of  the 
town.  If  the  first  mills  were  rude  affairs  they  were  neces- 
sary to  the  progress  of  the  settlement,  and  in  their  weakness 
was  found  a  living  suggestion  of  improvement.  If  brought 
into  comparison  with  modern  mills  and  modern  machinery, 
the  primitive  saw-mill,  with  rheumatic  movements  laboring 

26  401 


402  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

slowh^  through  a  log,  grunting,  meanwhile,  as  if  in  pain, 
presents  a  vivid  picture  of  the  progress  and  triumph  of 
mechanical  skill.  No  effort  is  made  to  name  every  mill  that 
has  been  erected  in  this  town.  Many  of  them  in  the  whole 
extent  of  an  uneven  existence  have  not  materially  increased 
the  product  of  the  town  nor  stimulated  its  energies.  Among 
this  class  are  included  several  saw-mills  upon  the  smaller 
streams  that,  at  best,  were  employed  but  a  small  portion  of 
each  year  and  were  early  suffered  to  present  a  picture  of 
dilapidated  old  age. 

The  modern  industries  have  been  more  fortunate  and  are 
the  life  and  activity  of  the  town.  The  first  mill  in  this  town 
was  built  at  Lane  Village  in  1737.  This  mill,  erected  by 
Hezekiah  Gates,  during  the  municipal  administration  of  the 
proprietors  of  Dorchester  Canada,  and  in  itself  a  conspicuous 
figure  in  the  record  of  the  settlement  of  the  town,  was  men- 
tioned in  a  previous  chapter.  In  the  same  connection  was 
given  an  account  of  the  second  mill  which  was  built  in  1752 
and  near  the  site  of  the  first  mill. 

The  third  mill,  within  the  limits  of  the  original  township, 
was  also  built  at  an  early  date.  The  proprietors  located  the 
first  and  second  mills,  over  which  they  assumed  a  nominal 
control,  as  near  the  centre  of  the  town  as  the  conditions 
would  permit.  The  numerous  settlers  within  and  north  of 
the  Dutch  Farms  were  far  removed  from  the  only  mills  in 
the  township  and  caused  one  to  be  built  in  their  vicinity 
previous  to  1758.  It  was  owned  at  that  time  by  Moses 
Foster,  Jr.,  and  Zimri  Hey  wood,  and  was  situated  near  the 
outlet  of  Watatic  pond.  The  site  of  this  mill  is  now  in 
Ashby  and  was  a  part  of  the  substantial  contributions  of 
Ashburnham  when  that  town  was  incorporated.  Previous 
to  the  Revolution,  a  saw  and  grist  mill  was  built  at  the  out- 
let of  Rice  pond  near  the  site  of  the  reservoir  dam.     In  the 


MECHANICAL   INDUSTRIES.  403 

first  division  of  lots,  the  eighth  lot  was  one  of  the  ministerial 
lots  and  subsequently  was  under  the  control  of  the  town.  It 
included  the  mill  privilege  and  extended  southerly.  In  1772, 
for  eighteen  dollars,  the  town  sold  the  north  part  of  the  lot 
to  Ebenezer  Conant,  Jr.,  for  a  mill  site,  and  for  some  reason 
subsequently  refunded  the  money.  Mr.  Conant,  however, 
built  the  mill  and  in  1778  a  road  was  laid  from  near  the 
village  "passing  over  the  mill-dam  of  Ebenezer  Conant,  Jr., 
and  between  said  Conant's  house  and  barn  and  through  lots 
seven  and  eight,  until  it  strikes  the  old  road."  At  the  age 
of  forty  years,  Mr.  Conant  died  August  3,  1783.  The  mill 
was  afterwards  owned  by  Jonas  Randall,  Jonathan  Brooks 
and  others.  About  seventy  years  ago  it  was  removed  to 
Water  street. 

Philip  Oberlock,  who  assumed  the  name  of  Locke,  owned 
a  saw-mill  at  an  early  date  in  the  south  part  of  the  town. 
It  was  situated  near  the  shop  of  Reuben  Puffer.  In  1778 
Mr.  Locke  sold  the  mill  to  Daniel  Gibbs  who  owned  it 
several  years.  The  early  proprietors  of  the  mill  property, 
now  owned  by  Elijah  Gross  and  Son,  were  Simeon  Brooks, 
Caleb  Wilder  and  Jason  Mead.  In  1816  it  was  purchased 
by  Peeks  Gross.  The  mill  was  burned  in  1844  and  rebuilt 
the  following  year.  For  many  years  there  has  been  a  saw 
and  grain  mill  at  this  site.  The  present  proprietors  have 
ground  and  sold  a  large  quantity  of  western  corn.  At 
times  a  portion  of  this  mUl  has  been  occupied  by  tenants. 
Chairs  have  been  made  here  by  Liberty  Holt,  Charles  But- 
trick,  James  Blodget,  Ira  Brooks  and  Irving  E.  Platts. 
Samuel  J.  Tenney,  William  Tenney  and  Henry  Lawrence 
have  manufactured  tubs  and  pails,  and  John  Davis  has  pre- 
pared excelsior  at  this  mill. 

Ezra  Dana  removed  to  this  town  about  1790.  He  did  not 
remain  here  many  years,  but  he  found  employment  in  build- 


404  HISTORY   OF  ASHBURNHAM. 

ing  the  first  mill  on  the  river  at  Burrageville.  The  ancient 
dam  and  also  the  evidence  of  the  sudden  flood  which  occurred 
under  his  administration  still  remain.  To  irrigate  a  field  of 
corn  sufiering  from  a  drought,  he  cut  a  small  channel  through 
the  banks  enclosing  his  mill-pond.  The  treachery  of  a  sandy 
soil  suddenly  drained  the  pond  and  ruined  the  corn.  No 
subsequent  trace  of  Dana  is  found,  yet  it  is  more  probable 
that  he  removed  from  town  than  that  he  was  washed  away  in 
the  sudden  current.  The  second  mill  in  Lane  Village,  which 
was  built  by  Caleb  Dana  and  Elisha  Coolidge,  was  removed 
by  Colonel  Francis  Lane.  In  1786  he  built  a  new  mill 
where  the  upper  mill  of  Packard  Brothers  now  stands.  In 
1805  he  enlarged  the  building  and  continued  to  maintain  a 
saw-mill  and  a  grist-mill  until  1822,  when  he  sold  the 
property  to  John  Kibling,  and  four  years  later  it  was  pur- 
chased by  Samuel  Foster,  who  sold  it  to  Enos  Emory  in 
1833.  In  1846  Francis  Lane,  Jr.,  and  his  sons  became  the 
proprietors,  and  in  1854  the  buildings  were  renewed.  Mil- 
ton Lane,  who  had  acquired  possession,  sold  it  to  C.  and  G. 
C.  Winchester  about  twenty  years  ago.  Charles  F.  and 
Albert  D.  Packard,  the  present  owners,  bought  it  in  1881. 

About  forty  rods  below  Packard  Brothers'  upper  mill  is 
an  unoccupied  mill  site.  Here  Francis  Kibling  built  a  mill 
in  1832.  Dr.  Stillman  Gibson  of  New  Ipswich  subsequently 
owned  it  until  it  was  removed  about  thirty  years  ago.  It 
was  occupied  as  a  saw-mill  and  shingle-mill.  On  the  same 
stream  near  Packard  Brothers'  lower  mill  is  the  ancient 
Gates  dam,  and  near  by  are  found  traces  of  the  dam  where 
Francis  Lane,  Jr.,  built  a  saw-mill  and  turning  shop  in  1833. 
In  1846  it  was  purchased  by  Enos  Emory,  and  was  burned 
about  twenty  years  ago.  The  lower  mill  of  Packard 
Brothers  was  built  by  Elias  Lane  for  a  turning  shop  in  1822. 
It  was  sold  to  Eaton  and  Harris  in   1855,  who  occupied  it 


MECHANICAL   INDUSTRIES.  405 

about  seven  years.  Passing  through  several  owners  it  was 
bought  by  Packard  Brothers  in  1874. 

If  the  power  of  the  stream  in  North  Ashburnham  was  not 
occupied  as  early  as  at  Lane  Village,  forty  years  ago  it  was 
quite  thoroughly  utilized.  There  are  four  mill  sites  within  a 
short  distance  and  all  of  them  at  times  have  been  quite  fully 
employed.  The  lower  one  was  built  and  occupied  many  years 
by  Alvin  Ward.  It  was  burned  in  1860.  The  second  mill 
in  order  of  location  was  owned,  and  is  said  to  have  been  built 
by  Moses  and  Ezra  Lawrence.  The  next  owner  was  Daniels 
Ellis  who  held  it  several  years.  It  was  subsequently  owned 
by  W.  L.  G.  Ward,  and  later  by  Isaac  D.  Ward.  The 
present  owner  is  Joseph  H.  Small.  The  unoccupied  mill 
was  built  by  Deacon  John  C.  and  Joseph  Davis  in  the 
autumn  of  1826.  It  is  owned  by  Isaac  D.  Ward.  The  first 
mill  on  the  fourth  privilege  was  built  by  Alonzo  L.  Willard 
about  1842,  and  has  been  occupied  in  the  manufacture  of  a 
variety  of  wares.  The  successive  owners  werfe  John  Bald- 
win and  Daniels  Ellis,  Jr.  Mr.  Ellis  removed  the  original 
and  built  the  present  mill  about  1863.  He  sold  it  when 
completed  to  LaRoy  A.  Butler.  Isaac  D.  Ward  now  owns 
it. 

The  first  mill  on  the  stream  flowing  from  Rindge,  in  the 
order  of  location,  was  built  by  Eliphalet  Eddy  about  fifty 
years  ago.  About  1845  he  was  succeeded  by  Corey, 
Barrett  and  Kibling,  and  later  by  Jonas  Corey.  It  is  now 
owned  and  occupied  by  Robert  W.  Mclntire.  Daniels  Ellis, 
Jr.,  built  the  next  mill  on  this  stream  nearly  forty  years  ago. 
Edwin  Hay  ward  has  owned  it  about  ten  years.  The  next 
mill  was  built  by  Daniels  Ellis,  Jr.,  and  was  owned  several 
years  by  Mr.  Ellis  and  Horace  W.  Houston  and  later  by  Mr. 
Houston.  The  dam  was  destroyed  by  the  freshet  in  the 
autumn  of   1869.     Three   mills  have   been  erected  on   the 


406  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

Whitmore  and  Jones  privilege,  and  are  mentioned  in  another 
paragraph.  The  first  mill  on  the  privilege  of  Leonard 
Foster  was  built  about  the  commencement  of  the  present 
century.  It  was  owned  many  years  by  Nathaniel  Foster 
who  died  in  1826.  After  a  few  years  it  came  into  the  pos- 
session of  Thomas  Bennett,  and  for  many  years  has  been 
owned  by  Leonard  Foster,  who  built  the  present  mill  about 
1850.  A  large  quantity  of  lumber  has  been  sawed  at  this 
mill.     Two  mills  have  been  burned  on  this  site. 

The  saw-mill  at  Burrageville  was  built  and  owned  many 
years  by  George  L.  Beals  and  later  it  was  a  part  of  the 
property  of  the  Burrage  Brothers.  Later,  J.  H.  and  E.  L. 
Hodge  owned  it  several  years,  and  manufactured  chairs  as 
well  as  coarse  lumber.  For  seventeen  years  it  has  been 
owned  by  C.  L.  Beals  and  occupied  by  George  L.  Beals,  Jr. 
There  have  been  several  saw-mills  in  the  central  village, 
but  generally  they  have  been  connected  with  manufacturing 
establishments  and  are  incidentally  mentioned  in  such  con- 
nection. A  saw-mill  was  built  in  1835,  on  the  site  of  the 
chair  factory  of  Wilbur  F.  Whitney,  by  Joshua  B.  Burgess. 
A  few  years  later  Mr.  Burgess  sold  it  to  Europe  H.  Fair- 
banks and  Colonel  Ivers  Phillips,  who  annually  sawed  a  large 
quantity  of  lumber.  The  subsequent  owners  were  Bailey, 
Spaulding  and  Sherwin,  who  sold  it  about  1862  to  Charles 
and  George  C.  Winchester.  The  dam  was  destroyed  by  the 
freshet  in  1869  and  was  not  rebuilt  until  1882,  when  Mr. 
Whitney  purchased  the  premises.  On  the  North  Turnpike 
there  have  been  two  saw-mills  and  one  is  still  standing. 
They  possessed  all  the  requirements  for  business  except 
water.  Failing  in  this  essential  requisite  they  were  in 
operation  only  a  small  portion  of  the  time. 

Samuel  Dunster  removed  from  Mason,  New  Hampshire, 
to  this  town,  in  1801,  and  here  found  employment  for  many 


MECHANICAL   INDUSTRIES.  407 

years  in  building,  selling  and  exchanging  mills.  First,  he 
built  a  saw-mill  and  grain-mill  at  Factory  Village,  which  he 
sold  to  Benjamin  Gibbs  about  1816  and  then  removed  to  the 
central  village,  where  in  1817  he  built  a  grain-mill  on  the 
site  of  the  mill  of  Colonel  George  H.  Barrett  and  soon  after 
he  became  interested  in  other  manufacturing  enterprises 
which  are  mentioned  in  another  connection,  Mr.  Dunster 
removed  to  Factory  Village  in  1830  and  bought  the  mill  of 
Mr.  Gibbs  which  he  continued  to  own  until  his  death.  For 
man}'  years  it  was  under  the  care  of  Elijah  and  Joel  Brooks 
and  at  last  it  was  washed  away  by  the  freshet.  The  grain- 
mill  on  Mill  street  has  been  owned  by  many  individuals  and 
firms.  Among  them  are  included  Josiah  Lane,  the  Cald- 
wells,  Piam  Burr,  Colonel  Charles  Barrett,  Mirick  Stimson, 
Charles  and  George  C.  Winchester,  John  Hadley,  Moses  P. 
and  Theodore  Greenwood.  The  present  owner.  Colonel 
George  H.  Barrett,  has  conducted  an  extensive  business  in 
grinding  western  corn  and  in  the  sale  of  grain .  The  present 
saw-mill  and  grain-mill  at  Factory  Village  was  built  by 
Ebenezer  Frost  in  1855.  Mr.  Frost  sold  it  in  1866  to 
Cyrus  A.  Jefts,  Theodore  Greenwood  and  Frank  W.  Wal- 
lace, but  the  firm  was  soon  succeeded  by  Mr.  Jefts,  who  is 
in  possession  at  the  present  time.  The  lower  mill  of  Warren 
E.  Marble  was  built  by  Jacob  Whiteman  about  1825.  The 
saw-mill  was  built  by  his  father,  Luke  Marble,  in  1863.  On 
this  stream  and  at  an  early  date  there  were  two  other  mills. 
The  first  one  was  built  by  Henry  Hall,  a  son  of  the  emigrant, 
immediately  after  the  Revolution.  It  stood  between  the 
two  mills  of  Mr.  Marble.  After  several  years,  Mr.  Hall 
removed  his  mill  to  the  outlet  of  Watatic  pond  and  near  his 
residence.  It  was  not  kept  in  repair  many  years  and  no 
other  mill  has  been  erected  on  the  same  site.  The  other 
mill   on  the  stream  falling   into   Ward  pond  was  built  by 


408  HISTORY   OF  ASHBURNHAM. 

Nicholas  AVhiteman  and  was  subsequently  owned  by  his  son 
Jacob  Whiteman.  It  was  burned  about  1820.  During  the 
past  twenty  years,  Luke  Marble  and  his  sons  have  manufact- 
ured a  considerable  quantity  of  lumber  and  chair  stock. 

Chairs.  — The  monkey  for  ages  has  sat  upon  the  ground. 
In  this  way  he  enjoys  his  rest  and  consumes  his  leisure  hours 
in  the  contemplation  of  the  simplest  philosophies.  Assuming 
that  the  Darwinian  theory  is  correct,  there  is  ample  evidence 
for  the  conclusion  that  the  progressive  development  of  man 
and  the  stages  of  his  civilization  and  enlightenment  have 
been  marked  by  his  use  of  seats,  and  by  the  genius  displayed 
in  their  design  and  construction.  The  chairs  of  the  present, 
in  grace  of  outline,  and  in  a  practical  adaptability  to  the  use 
for  which  they  are  designed,  are  a  sure  exponent  of  the  prog- 
ress of  the  times  in  the  art  of  mechanism.  In  this  manu- 
facture, both  in  the  number  and  the  value  of  the  annual 
product,  Ashburnham  yields  the  palm  to  Gardner  and 
surveys  the  remaining  field  without  a  peer.  In  the  early 
manufacture  of  chair  stock  in  this  town  the  conditions  re- 
quired only  a  small  room  in  some  part  of  the  dwelling-house, 
a  saw,  a  frow  and  a  shave,  while  a  foot-lathe  introduced  the 
owner  to  the  front  rank  among  the  chair  makers  of  that 
period.  The  terms  of  admission  to  the  business  were  so 
simple  and  the  outlay  of  money  so  small  that  the  number 
who  supplemented  their  other  employment  with  the  manu- 
facture of  chairs  or  chair  stock,  was  only  exceeded  by  the 
tax  list.  To  make  an  entire  chair  was  an  early  ambition  of 
Ashburnham,  while  to  turn  a  good  chair  leg  was  only  the 
simplest  inspiration  of  intuition.  Ask  the  aged  man  of  Ash- 
burnham who  were  Eevolutionary  soldiers,  and  beginning 
with  his  father  and  his  uncles  he  slowly  names  a  few.  Ask 
him  who  were  early  Federalists  or  Orthodox  or  Methodists 
and  his  memory  fails.     But  ask  him  who  were  chair  makers 


MECHANICAL   INDUSTRIES.  40^ 

when  he  was  young  and  instantly  his  eye  brightens  with  the 
light  of  returning  memories.  He  becomes  loquacious.  He 
counts  the  names  of  all  he  knew,  traversing  his  finger-tips 
over  and  over  again,  and  if  in  the  pauses  of  enumeration  the 
reckless  instigator  of  the  proceedings  essays  to  retire,  he 
calls  him  back  and  names  every  son  of  these  chair-making 
sires. 

If  not  the  first  to  engage  in  this  business,  certainly  among 
those  who  early  made  the  manufacture  of  chairs  an  occupa- 
tion, was  John  Eaton,  a  native  of  Lancaster,  who  removed 
to  this  town  in  1805  from  Ashby,  where  he  had  learned  his 
trade.  Here  he  remained  four  years  when  he  removed  to 
Royalston.  It  is  said  that  Enos  Jones  persuaded  Mr.  Eaton 
to  locate  in  Ashburnham,  and  that  he  agreed  to  purchase  a 
stipulated  number  of  chairs.  Some  of  the  daughters  of  Mr. 
Jones  were  recently  married  and  others  were  seriously  con- 
templating a  similar  event,  and  in  order  that  he  might  add  a 
certain  number  of  chairs  to  the  marriage  outfit  of  his  daugh- 
ters, he  engaged  the  services  of  Mr.  Eaton  who  not  only 
answered  the  demands  of  his  employer  but  supplied  the 
wants  of  other  families  in  the  neighborhood.  While  thus 
engaged,  and  possibly  to  stimulate  his  business  by  creating 
a  new  demand  for  his  wares,  Mr.  Eaton  married  the  youngest 
daughter  of  his  patron.  For  several  years,  commencing 
about  1820,  Charles  and  Deacon  John  C.  Davis,  at  North 
Ashburnham,  and  Charles  Munroe  at  South  Ashburnham, 
were  actively  engaged  in  this  business.  In  the  course  of  a 
few  years  water  power  was  employed  in  turning  stock  and 
Joshua  Burgess,  Deacon  John  C.  Glazier,  Alvin  Ward  and, 
probably,  others  were  engaged  in  some  branches  of  the 
business.  These  pioneers  were  soon  joined  by  John  Conn, 
Harvey  M.  Bancroft,  Lyman  .Conant,  Thomas  E.  Glazier, 
Moses    Ross,  James  Blodget,  Joseph  Rice,  Josiah    Eaton, 


410  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

Jesse  Ellis,  Sumner  May,  Hezekiah  Matthews,  Samuel  S. 
Stevens,  and  many  others.  A  feature  of  the  business  at  this 
time  was  the  sale  of  turned  stock  in  the  lower  towns  and,  in 
fact,  many  persons  named  conducted  no  other  business,  and 
few  of  them  were  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  finished 
chairs. 

In  1833  Philip  R.  Merriam  began  the  manufacture  of 
chairs  where  the  extensive  factories  of  the  Boston  Chair 
Manufacturing  Company  now  stand.  He  was  also  engaged 
in  teaming  chairs  to  Boston  and  other  places  and  hauling 
freight  of  all  description.  From  the  little  mill  and  small 
beginning  of  Mr.  Merriam  has  been  developed  an  industry 
which  has  added  fame  and  wealth  to  this  town.  To  this 
date  the  development  of  the  business  had  been  slow  and  un- 
productive of  substantial  results.  Even  in  sanguine  dreams 
the  possibilities  of  the  future  had  never  been  suggested. 
Upon  the  clumsy  methods  and  tedious  processes  of  the  early 
days  the  genius  which  has  attended  the  later  years  had  shed 
no  light.  Yet,  if  slow,  the  early  growth  was  solid.  The 
foundations  were  laid  in  patient  toil  and  upon  them  the 
modern  structure  has  been  safely  reared  and  supported.  At 
this  date,  and  in  a  field  inviting  conquest,  Charles  and  George 
C.  Winchester  began  an  intelligent  study  of  the  business. 
Charles  Winchester  bought  the  shop  of  Philip  R.  Merriam 
and,  subsequently,  joined  in  the  enterprise  by  the  younger 
brother,  an  important  business  was  soon  established.  In  the 
ardor  of  sanguine  temperaments,  and  the  hope  and  courage 
of  young  men,  they  quickly  comprehended  a  measure,  at 
least,  of  its  future  possibilities.  At  once,  rebels  against 
antiquated  methods  and  patrons  of  every  approved  innova- 
tion, they  increased  the  capacity  of  their  works  as  rapidly  as 
the  profits  of  the  business  would  permit.  With  unwearied 
application  they  directed  their  energies  to  the   accomplish- 


MECHANICAL   INDUSTRIES.  411 

rnent  of  a  defined  purpose  until  the  images  of  their  early 
dreams  became  material  forms.  With  them  in  their  active 
days  every  success  was  an  incentive  to  renewed  conquest. 
They  held  every  point  for  which  they  had  contended  and 
fought  their  way  to  the  foremost  rank.  To  these  men  the 
town  of  Ashburnham  is  indebted.  If  the  Winchesters  have 
retired  from  an  active  participation  in  the  business  the  fact 
remains,  that  it  was  fostered  by  them  and  that  it  was  the 
force  of  their  genius  and  energy  which  ably  assisted  in 
assigning  to  Ashburnham  an  important  position  among  the 
manufacturing  towns  of  the  Commonwealth.  The  facts  are 
not  at  hand  nor  is  it  possible  to  state  the  details  of  the 
growth  and  magnitude  of  the  business,  while  under  the 
direction  of  the  Winchesters.  They  were  building  and 
enlarging  continually.  The  record  of  advancement  enlivens 
the  transactions  of  every  year.  A  few  of  the  dates  and  a 
summary  of  the  results  are  briefly  stated. 

In  1842  the  small  shop  and  the  business  of  Mr.  Merriam 
was  purchased  by  Charles  Winchester ;  in  1848  George  C. 
Winchester  was  admitted  to  an  equal  interest  in  the  business. 
The  mills,  from  time  to  time,  were  enlarged  to  nearly  their 
present  capacity  and  chairs  of  their  manufacture  of  every 
style  and  design  were  found  in  every  domestic  and  foreign 
market.  They  purchased  and  erected  many  tenement 
houses,  and  many  mills  in  the  surrounding  towns  were  under 
their  control.  At  the  dissolution  of  the  firm  in  1870,  the 
number  of  men  employed  in  the  manufacture  of  chairs  was 
about  two  hundred  and  at  times  this  number  was  considerably 
exceeded.  From  1870  to  1878  the  business  was  continued 
by  George  C.  Winchester.  At  the  first  he  assumed  the 
burdens  and  conducted  the  enterprise  with  his  accustomed 
energy,  and  the  volume  of  the  business  for  several  years  was 
fully  sustained,  but  it  gradually  became  apparent  that  his 


412  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

brain  was  overworked  and  his  native  forces  were  failing  him. 
After  a  few  years  of  partial,  and  finally  of  entire,  suspension 
of  business,  the  property  was  purchased  in  1880  by  several 
individuals  who  organized  a  stock  company. 

The  value  of  the  plant,  exclusive  of  stock  and  personal 
property,  is  $75,000.  The  capital  stock  is  $150,000.  In 
the  manufacture  of  chairs  the  corporation  owns  and  occupies 
thirty-four  buildings,  having  a  total  flooring  of  300,000  feet 
or  about  seven  acres.  The  main  factory  is  of  wood,  four 
stories,  and  ground  dimensions  of  160  by  48  feet :  the  saw- 
mill is  brick,  two  stories,  100  by  50  feet;  the  main  paint 
shop  of  wood,  four  stories,  is  160  by  40  feet.  The  works 
are  driven  by  an  engine  of  200-horse  power  and  the  river 
rated  at  35-horse  power  is  fully  utilized.  The  accompanying 
illustration  faithfully  represents  the  number  and  the  relative 
location  of  the  buildings.  The  number  of  men  now  em- 
ployed is  200,  beside  100  inmates  of  the  Hampden  County 
House  of  Correction  and  as  many  women  and  children  in  this 
vicinity  who  are  engaged  in  filling  cane  chairs.  The  present 
annual  product  is  360,000  chairs,  which  yield  an  income 
from  sales  of  $200,000.  The  facilities  will  accommodate  an 
annual  business  of  $400,000  and  arrangements  are  maturing 
to  employ  every  resource  at  command.  With  one,  and 
possibly  two  exceptions,  this  is  the  most  extensive  chair 
manufactory  in  New  England.  In  addition  to  the  manufact- 
ure of  the  standard  lines,  and  following  a  series  of  success- 
ful experiments,  this  company  is  now  making  chairs  com- 
posed in  part,  and  in  some  patterns  wholly,  of  bent  material. 
With  ingenious  appliances  the  wood  is  shaped  into  graceful 
forms  and  swiftly  directed  into  circles  and  all  manner  of 
curves.  These  chairs  of  many  patterns,  presenting  no  right 
lines  or  angles,  are  graceful  and  attractive  in  outline,  and  are 
admitted  to  be  superior  in  strength  and  general  appearance 


i       MECHANICAL   INDUSTRIES.  413 

to  the  foreign  chair  from  which  they  have  been  copied.  The 
process  of  this  manufacture  originated  in  Austria,  and  skilled 
mechanics  from  that  country  were  here  employed  in  perfect- 
ing the  required  machinery  and  patterns.  The  present  facili- 
ties will  produce  30,000  chairs  of  this  kind  annually  and  in 
the  markets  there  is  an  increasing  demand.  W.  G.  Wheil- 
don,  whose  office  is  in  Boston,  has  been  treasurer  of  the 
company  from  the  date  of  its  incorporation.  Luther  B. 
Adams  was  the  manager  until  1885  when  he  was  succeeded 
by  F.  S.  Coolidge. 

Prominent  among  the  chair  manufactories  of  this  town  and 
in  this  vicinity  are  the  extensive  factories  of  Wilbur  F. 
Whitney  at  Ashburnham  Junction.  Mr.  Whitney  has  been 
schooled  in  the  business  from  boyhood.  He  is  in  the  prime 
and  strength  of  life,  yet  within  his  experience  all  the  modern 
machinery  in  general  use  has  been  tested  and  approved.  In 
mechanical  skill,  in  a  prompt  and  clear  comprehension  of 
the  growing  demands  of  the  trade  and  in  the  adoption  of 
new  methods  to  meet  the  changing  requirements  of  the 
business,  he  has  advanced  to  a  prominent  position  among 
the  manufacturers  of  the  present  time.  The  business  was 
originally  established  by  his  father,  John  Whitney,  in  West- 
minster nearly  sixty  years  ago.  In  1865  Mr.  Whitney 
purchased  an  interest  in  the  Glazier  mill  in  South  Ashburn- 
ham where  he  was  engaged  in  active  business  three  years. 
In  1868  he  sold  his  interest  in  the  Glazier  mill  and  bought  a 
mill  of  Merriam  and  Allen,  situated  one-fourth  mile  east  from 
the  depot.  Here  he  remained  fourteen  years  and  was  suc- 
cessful. A  part  of  the  time  he  was  in  partnership  with 
Irving  E.  Platts.  Sustaining  and  constantly  enlarging  his 
operations  with  the  profits  of  the  business  and  with  the 
erection  of  a  new  building,  he  increased  the  capacity  of  his 
works  until  he  gave  employment  to  eighty  men  and  manu- 


414  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

factured  chairs  to  the  amount  of  $150,000  annually.  In 
March,  1882,  the  factory  was  burned.  The  loss  above  m- 
surance  was  heavy.  To  build  again  was  an  early  and  for  the 
town  a  fortunate  resolve.  Mr.  Whitney  purchased  a  site 
near  the  depot  and  immediately  erected  a  factory  of  three 
and  one-half  stories,  136  by  40  feet,  and  a  paint  shop  100 
by  30  feet.  The  chairs  made  in  these  works  are  the  modern 
styles  of  cane-seat  chairs.  The  wood  material  includes  all 
varieties  of  native  hard  wood  and  black  walnut,  which  is 
procured  in  the  West.  Having  built  a  new  mill  for  its 
accommodation,  60  by  40  feet,  and  three  stories  above  the 
basement,  he  supplemented  his  business  in  1884  with  the 
manufacture  of  rattan  chairs.  In  1886  this  factory  was 
enlarged  by  the  addition  of  fifty  feet,  and  it  is  now  110  by 
40  feet,  with  a  flooring  of  17,600  feet.  At  the  present  time 
Mr.  Whitney  employs  140  men.  His  manufacture  yields  an 
annual  product  of  $175,000.  The  full  capacity  of  his 
factories  at  prevailing  prices  is  about  $250,000.  The  rattan, 
from  which  the  cane  for  chairs  is  taken,  is  a  product  of 
Sumatra  and  the  adjacent  islands.  The  improved  machinery 
employed  by  Mr.  Whitney  in  splitting  and  shaving  the 
material  was  made  under  the  patents  and  is  operated  under 
the  immediate  supervision  of  George  W.  Lombard. 

Orange  Whitney,  who  occupies  the  Burgess  mills,  gives 
employment  to  thirty  men  and  manufactures  chairs  to  the 
amount  of  $50,000  annually.  Since  1881  he  has  resided  in 
Winchendon.  The  first  mill  on  this  site  in  which  there  was 
a  saw-mill  and  a  grist-mill  was  built  by  Joshua  B.  Burgess 
in  1844.  The  building  was  burned  in  1850  and  immediately 
rebuilt.  Mr.  Burgess  was  also  engaged  in  the  manufacture 
of  chairs.  In  1856  he  was  succeeded  by  Edward  S.  Flint, 
Jonathan  H.  Piper  and  James  Blodget  under  the  firm  of 
Flint,    Piper   and   Blodget.      In    1861    Mr.    Flint   became 


MECHANICAL    INDUSTRIES.  415 

proprietor  of  the  business  which  he  continued  alone  and  with 
partners  until  1873.  Abner  White  succeeded  Mr.  Flint  and 
continued  the  manufacture  until  1878.  At  this  time  Benja- 
min E.  Wetherbee  purchased  the  propert}'^  and  leased  it  to 
Mr.  Whitne3^ 

Irving  E.  Platts  has  been  actively  engaged  in  this  manu- 
facture several  years.  He  occupies  the  Glazier  mill  and 
usually  employs  about  fifteen  men.  There  has  been  a  mill 
upon  this  site  many  years.  In  1824  Deacon  John  C.  Glazier 
bought  the  premises  of  Charles  Munroe  and  after  his  death 
in  1861,  the  property  had  several  owners  and  was  purchased 
by  Benjamin  E.  Wetherbee  in  1868.  The  new  mill,  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  highway,  was  built  in  1872.  It  is 
occupied  by  Mr.  Wetherbee  in  the  manufacture  of  bent 
chair  stock.  He  gives  employment  to  several  men. 
Another  chair  shop  in  South  Ashburnham  was  built  in  1856 
by  Sumner  and  Charles  S.  May.  They  were  engaged  in  the 
business  until  recently  when  the  premises  were  leased  to  B. 
Duane  &  Co.,  the  partners  being  Bernard  Duane  and  Orange 
Whitney  who  manufacture  towel  racks  and  cradles. 

From  about  1837  to  1848  chairs  were  manufactured  on  the 
site  of  the  Naukeag  Cotton  Factory  by  several  individuals 
and  firms,  including  James  Osgood,  Samuel  S.  Stevens  and 
Alvin  Kendall.  From  thirty  to  forty  years  ago,  for  some 
reason,  nearly  every  merchant  in  the  central  village  was 
also  a  manufacturer  of  chairs,  and  while  Corey,  Barrett  and 
Kibling  were  selling  staple  goods  at  their  store  they  were 
making  chairs  in  a  mill  which  stood  on  the  site  of  the 
morocco  shop. 

Burrageville,  once  the  scene  of  a  promising  and  active 
enterprise,  was  founded  by  chair  makers.  George  S.  Bur- 
rage,  then  of  Leominster,  about  1848,  bought  of  George  L. 
Beals  a  saw-mill,  dwelling-house  and  a  large  tract  of  timber 


416  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

land.  The  price  paid  was  thirteen  thousand  dollars.  The 
saw-mill  was  burned  about  that  time  and  rebuilt  in  its 
present  form  and  chairs  were  made  in  the  upper  story.  The 
company,  including  George  S.,  William  F.  and  Charles  W. 
Burrage,  was  formed,  and  under  the  firm  name  of  Burrage 
Brothers  they  built  in  1853  the  paint  shop,  40  by  80  feet, 
which  still  remains,  and  the  following  year  a  chair  factory, 
40  by  100  feet,  was  erected  on  the  stream  above  the  saw- 
mill. For  a  number  of  years  the  firm  was  actively  engaged 
in  the  manufacture  of  chairs  and  gave  employment  to  a  large 
number  of  men.  In  the  mean  time  they  built  several 
tenement  houses  and  were  conducting  a  store  in  another 
building  which  they  erected.  In  the  midst  of  these  scenes 
of  activity  and  promise,  in  1858  the  chair  factory  was  burned 
and  the  enterprise  was  crippled  beyond  recovery.  William 
F.  Burrage  retired  from  the  firm  in  1857  and  returned  to 
Leominster  where  he  died  November  11,  1873.  Charles  W. 
Burrage  sold  his  interest  to  his  brother,  George  S.  Burrage, 
who  again  became  sole  owner  of  the  premises  in  1859.  The 
younger  brother,  Charles,  completed  his  studies,  which  had 
been  interrupted  by  the  allurements  of  business,  and  gradu- 
ated at  Yale  College  1861,  and  since  that  date  he  has  resided 
in  Portland,  Oregon.  George  S.  Burrage  removed  to 
California  where  he  died  May  16,  1876.  While  residents 
of  this  town  they  were  useful  and  prominent  citizens  and 
occupied  many  positions  of  trust. 

From  about  1864  to  1868  a  limited  business  was  con- 
ducted in  the  saw-mill  by  J.  H.  and  E.  L.  Hodge  who  came 
from  Templeton.  The  property  was  purchased  by  Charles 
L.  Beals  of  Winchendon  in  1869,  and  is  occupied  by 
George  L.  Beals,  Jr. 

Tubs  and  Pails  were  made  in  this  town  a  few  years, 
beginning  about  1825,  by  Joshua  Townsend.     His  shop  was 


MECHANICAL   INDUSTRIES.  417 

•on  Mill  street.  The  quantity  made  at  this  early  date  did 
not  materially  exceed  the  demands  of  a  limited  market.     In 

1839  Oliver  G.  Caldwell  and  Elbridge  Stimson  began  the 
manufacture  on  a  more  extensive  scale,  which,  under  succes- 
sive firms,  has  been  continued  to  the  present  time.  In  1848 
Mr.  Stimson  sold  his  interest  to  William  P.  Ellis  and  the 
firm  of  O.  G.  Caldwell  &  Co.  was  continued  until  1853  when 
the  mill  and  machinery  w^ere  purchased  by  George  Rockwood 
and  Addison  A.  Walker.  Mr.  Rockwood  sold  his  interest 
to  his  son,  George  G.  Rockwood,  in  1866,  but  the  name  of 
the  firm  was  not  changed.  The  firm  was  dissolved  by  the 
retirement  of  Mr.  Walker  in  1876,  and  the  mill  was  burned 
in  1883.  Mr.  Rockwood  purchased  the  Winchester  mill  and 
has  continued  the  manufacture  to  the  present  time.  The 
business  has  been  successfully  conducted  through  these 
many  years  and  is  an  important  feature  of  the  manufactures 
of  this  town. 

From  about  1843  to  1851  this  manufacture  was  conducted 
by  two  or  three  firms  which  included  William  Tenney, 
Samuel  J.  Tenney  and  Henry  Lawrence.  They  occupied  a 
part  of  the  mill  of  E.  Gross  and  Son  and  were  successful. 
In  1856  Colonel  Enoch  Whitmore  began  the  manufacture  of 
tubs  and  continued  the  business  several  years. 

Thread  Spools  were  formerh^  made  in  this  town,  and 
the  manufacture  was  a  prominent  industry  for  many  years. 
About  1830  Colonel  Enoch  Whitmore  and  Deacon  Gilman 
Jones,  under  the  firm  of  Whitmore  and  Jones,  built  a  mill 
in  the  northwest  part  of  the  town  on  the  western  border  of 
the  Bellows  grant,  and  established  an  extensive  business  in 
the  manufacture   of  this  ware.     Their  mill  was  burned  in 

1840  and  another  in  1850.  The  large  mill,  noAV  unoccupied, 
was  erected  in  the  autumn  of  1850  and  the  business  was 
continued  by  Colonel  Whitmore  until  his  death.     The  water 

27 


418  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

power  was  supplemented  by  steam  and  in  the  last  mill  there 
was  an  engine  of  forty-horse  power  and  for  several  years  the 
full  capacity  of  the  mill  was  employed.  This  manufacture 
has  been  controlled  of  late  by  the  proprietors  of  the  thread 
mills  and  has  been  conducted  near  the  centres  of  the  trade. 
Nathaniel  L.  Eaton  and  Lysander  Harris  also  manufactured 
spools  in  the  lower  mill,  now  of  Packard  Brothers,  from 
1855  to  1862.  In  1859  Leonard  Foster  purchased  new 
machinery  and  prosecuted  this  industry  with  success  several 
years. 

Friction  Matches  have  been  made  in  this  town  quite 
extensively.  In  1837  William  Brooks  beganthe  manufact- 
ure in  North  Ashburnham  in  a  small  shop  built  for  the 
purpose  and  from  time  to  time  enlarged  the  business  until  a 
new  shop  was  built  for  its  accommodation.  In  itself  the 
business  of  Mr.  Brooks  was  successful,  but  he  became 
involved  in  litigations  concerning  infringements  of  patents 
which  offset  the  legitimate  income  of  the  enterprise.  Mr. 
Brooks  was  succeeded  by  Eliakim  T.  Russell  who  continued 
the  manufacture  until  1865. 

Byam,  Carlton  &  Co,  of  Boston,  for  a  few  years,  made  a 
part  of  their  matches  in  this  town.  They  occupied  a  shop 
now  owned  by  Daniels  Ellis.  Francis  Kibling  and  Daniels 
Ellis  were  also  engaged  in  the  business.  Another  industry 
has  been  the  manufacture  of  match  stock  or  cards  prepared 
for  dipping.  Those  engaged  in  this  business  were  Alvin 
Ward,  Leonard  Foster,  Alonzo  L.  Willard,  Eaton  and 
Harris,  Milton  Lane  and  others. 

Baskets  have  been  made  by  John  M.  Pratt  in  South 
Ashburnham  during  the  past  thirty  years.  His  shop, 
formerly  a  Methodist  parsonage,  was  moved  from  West- 
minster. He  has  steam  power,  a  trip-hammer  and 
machinery  adapted  to  the  business.     Formerly,  the  baskets 


MECHANICAL  INDUSTRIES.  419 

for  form  and  household  use  were  made  entirely  of  ash.  Of 
late,  rattan  has  been  used  for  filling  and  new  patterns  of 
baskets  for  a  variety  of  uses  have  been  manufoctured. 

Doors,  Sash  and  Blinds  have  been  manufactured  by 
Reuben  Puffer  in  South  Ashburnham.  Like  all  other  mills 
in  this  town,  some  parts  of  it  have  been  used  in  the  manufact- 
ure of  chairs.  In  this  mill  there  has  been  a  number  of 
tenants  but  none  of  them  have  conducted  a  very  extensive 
business. 

Miscellaneous  wood-ware,  not  included  in  the  foregoing 
paragraphs,  has  been  manufactured  in  this  town  by  Colonel 
Whitmore,  Warren  F.  Sawtell,  Isaac  D.  Ward,  LeRoy 
Butler,  F.  H.  Rideout,  William  P.  Ellis,  Fletcher  Brothers, 
and  in  1884  Samuel  N.  Noyes  began  the  manufacture  of  toys 
on  Water  street,  giving  employment  to  ten  or  twelve  men 
and  producing  a  variety  of  miscellaneous  wares. 

Wooj:.  Carding  and  Cloth  Dressing. — Thomas  Park 
removed  to  this  town  in  1779  and  about  1790  he  built  a 
small  mill  on  the  east  side  of  the  river  and  nearly  opposite 
the  present  site  of  the  blacksmith  shop.  In  this  mill  he  was 
the  first  to  engage  in  fulling  and  dressing  the  cloth  which 
had  been  woven  in  hand  looms.  He  sold  in  1800  to  Fitch 
Crosby  who  conducted  a  prosperous  business  until  about 
1840.  This  mill  was  subsequently  owned  by  Horace  Black, 
who  was  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  furniture.  It  was 
finally  destroyed  by  the  freshet  in  1850.  Commencing 
about  1815  Mr.  Crosby  and  Joshua  Townsend  began  wool 
carding  by  power.  Their  cards  were  in  a  shop  that  stood  on 
the  site  of  the  morocco  shop. 

Samuel  Dunster,  about  1820,  built  a  shop  for  wool  carding 
where  the  tub  shop  of  Rock  wood  and  Walker  was  burned. 
In  this  business  he  was  succeeded  by  Dr.  Nathaniel  Pierce. 
Mr.  Dunster  built  another  shop  for  this  business,  below  his 


420  HISTORY    OF    ASHBURNHAM. 

grist-mill,  at  Factory  Village.  This  building  was  washed 
away  by  the  freshet  but  the  cards  had  not  been  run  for 
several  years  previously.  In  1825,  or  about  the  time  card- 
ing machines  were  introduced  on  Mill  street,  Joshua,  Moses, 
and  Jeremiah  Stowell,  from  Temple,  New  Hampshire,  built 
a  shop  on  the  North  Turnpike  and  began  wool  carding  and  . 
spinning.  With  the  aid  of  hand  looms  they  manufactured 
broadcloth  of  a  firm  texture  and  substantial  character.  In 
this  business  they  were  succeeded  about  1830  by  Charles 
Stimson. 

Cotton  Factories.  —  Cotton  spinning  by  power  and  the 
manufacture  supplemented  by  hand  looms  was  begun  in  this 
town  as  early  as  1811  or  1812.  Samuel  Dunster  of  this 
town  owning  three-fourths  and  Roger  Chandler  of  Mason, 
New  Hampshire,  owning  one-fourth,  were  the  first  to  engage 
in  this  business.  Their  mill  was  at  Factory  Village.  It  was 
subsequently  owned  by  Samuel  Barrett,  Jewett  and  Woods 
and  George  Blackburn  &  Co.,  who  purchased  it  in  1843. 
The  mill  was  burned  in  1846  and  a  larger  mill  was  built 
immediately  after.  The  last  mill  was  burned  in  1877.  The 
factory  on  Water  street  was  built  by  an  incorporated  com- 
pany in  1849.  The  stock  was  held  by  residents  of  this 
town  who,  without  previous  experience  in  the  business,  run 
the  mill  a  few  years  and  until  the  debt  of  the  corporation 
was  equal  to  the  value  of  the  plant.  The  mill  was  sold  in 
1856  to  George  Blackburn  and  Ohio  Whitney,  Jr.  The 
amount  received  from  this  sale  paid  the  indebtedness  of  the 
corporation  and  thirteen  cents  on  one  hundred  dollars  of  the 
capital  stock.  It  will  be  observed  that  the  corporation  could 
have  run  the  mill  about  eight  hours  longer  without  an  assess- 
ment. Mr.  Whitney  continued  his  interest  in  the  mill  and 
the  business  about  ten  years  when  he  sold  to  George  Black- 
burn &  Co.,  who  have  continued  to  the  present  time. 


MECHANICAL   INDUSTKIES.  421 

Tanneries. — Following  a  custom  of  the  time,  the  hides 
of  domestic  animals  were  tanned  on  shares  or  for  stipulated 
compensation  and  the  leather  returned  to  the  owner.  The 
operation  of  tanning  hides  and  dressing  leather  consumed 
time  and  often  the  leather  fell  into  the  hands  of  an  adminis- 
trator or  the  heirs  of  the  original  owner  of  the  hides.  In  all 
the  old  New  England  towns  there  were  numerous  little 
tanneries  located  near  a  convenient  brook  where  without 
machinery  of  any  kind  the  process  was  slowly  conducted. 
Mention  will  be  made  of  some  of  the  old  locations  where  this 
business  was  formerly  conducted,  and  if,  by  any  chance,  one 
or  more  of  them  have  not  been  discovered  in  this  review  of 
the  past  no  immediate  prejudice  against  the  industry  of  a 
former  generation  will  be  encouraged  thereby. 

Near  the  close  of  the  Revolution,  Willard  Lane  commenced 
this  business  where  now  is  the  residence  of  "Walter  O.  Parker. 
He  sold  in  1797  to  Deacon  William  J.  Lawrence  who  en- 
larged the  facilities  and  for  the  time  conducted  an  extensive 
business. 

Captain  David  Gushing  divided  his  time  between  tanning 
and  other  employments.  He  lived  where  Nahum  Wood  now 
resides.  His  vats  were  north  of  the  house  and  part  of  them 
are  now  covered  by  the  highway.  Levi  Adams  succeeded 
Mr.  Gushing  but  soon  closed  out  the  business. 

Stephen  Gorey  had  a  yard  where  George  F.  Gorey  now 
resides  and  was  engaged  in  tanning  a  number  of  years  early 
in  the  present  century.  In  one  of  the  vats  his  daughter  was 
drowned.  The  business  was  later  conducted  by  Stephen 
Gorey,  Jr.  On  his  farm  on  Russell  hill  James  Adams  had 
several  vats  and  conducted  the  business  a  number  of  years. 
This  farm  was  subsequently  owned  and  occupied  by  Joseph 
Adams. 


422  HISTORY  OF  ASHBURNHAM. 

John  Caldwell  was  also  a  tanner  as  well  as  a  farmer.  He 
lived  on  the  farm  now  of  Alden  B.  Marble  and  was  succeeded 
by  his  son,  Oliver  G.  Caldwell.  The  father  and  son  con- 
ducted a  limited  business  about  thirty  years,  commencing 
early  in  the  present  century.  The  Cald wells  were  the  first 
in  this  town  to  employ  water  power  in  grinding  bark. 
Formerly  it  had  been  ground  in  a  crude  mill  turned  by  a 
horse  which  described  the  same  circle  many  times  in  the 
labor  of  the  day.  The  horse  was  spoiled  for  other  work  and 
literally  died  in  the  harness.  So  slowly  did  he  move  even 
under  the  lash,  and  so  gradually  did  his  energies  waste  away, 
that  it  required  nice  discrimination  and  keen  exercise  of  a 
sound  judgment  to  determine  with  accuracy  the  precise  time 
to  transfer  the  half-tanned  hide  from  the  dying  animal  to  one 
of  the  vats. 

Fletcher  and  Warren  of  Stow  once  had  a  yard  where  the 
pail  shop  of  George  G.  Rockwood  now  stands.  The  yard 
was  formerly  conducted  by  Deacon  William  J.  Lawrence 
who  was  owner  of  the  yard  at  the  foot  of  Lawrence  street. 
The  yard  was  badly  injured  and  the  buildings  destroyed  by 
the  freshet  in  1850  and  the  business  was  never  resumed  on 
this  site. 

From  1855  to  1866  Elbridge  Stimson  conducted  the 
business  in  the  old  morocco  shop  which  was  recentlj^  burned. 
At  the  time  he  was  the  only  tanner  in  the  town  and  no  one 
has  succeeded  him. 

The  Morocco  Business. — Thomas  Russell  began  the 
morocco  business  in  this  town  about  sixty  years  ago.  His 
shop  was  on  Russell  hill  in  the  third  school  district  and 
opposite  the  farm  of  Ward  Russell.  After  about  five  years, 
he  sold  the  business  to  Walter  Russell,  who  was  succeeded 
by  Frank  Russell  and  Samuel  V.  Whitney.  In  1852  they 
removed  the  business  to  Water  street,  occupying  the  old  tan- 


MECHANICAL   INDUSTKIES.  423 

neiy  buildings  where  the  factory  of  George  G.  Rock  wood 
now  stands.  About  thirty  years  ago  they  erected  the  build- 
ing fjiiniliarly  known  as  the  morocco  shop.  At  this  time  the 
business  was  enlarged,  becoming  an  important  factor  among 
the  industries  of  the  town.  In  the  new  shop  they  were 
succeeded  by  Austin  Whitney  who  with  several  partners 
continued  the  business  until  the  shop  was  burned  in  1882. 

Ivers  and  Thomas  Adams  were  successfully  engaged  in 
finishing  morocco  on  Russell  hill  from  1838  to  1860.  In 
1833  James  Adams  built  a  shop  on  the  site  of  the  mill  now 
of  Cyrus  A.  Jefts.  In  connection  with  pulling  wool  and 
tanning  he  finished  morocco  until  he  removed  in  1849  to 
Pennsylvania.  He  was  succeeded  by  Luther  B.  and  Andrew 
J.  Adams.  The  following  year  the  property  was  destroyed 
by  the  freshet  and  Luther  B.  Adams,  Elbridge  Stimson  and 
Austin  Whitney  built  the  shop  on  Brown  brook  where  they 
conducted  the  same  business  a  few  years. 

Among  the  possibilities  of  this  town  should  be  mentioned 
the  business  and  residence  here  of  John  and  Salmon  W. 
Putnam,  who  removed  from  Mason,  New  Hampshire,  in 
1837  and  commenced  business  as  machinists  in  the  old 
cotton  factory  at  Factory  Village.  Here  they  remained 
three  years  when  they  removed  to  Fitchburg  where  they 
established  an  important  industry  which  still  bears  their 
name  and  continues  to  contribute  to  the  fame  and  wealth  of 
that  city. 


CHAPTER   XVIII. 

THE  ASHBUKNHAM  LIGHT  INFANTRY. 

ZEAL     IN     MILITARY     PURSUITS.  EARLY    OFFICERS.  THE     LIGHT     INFANTRY 

ORGANIZED.  FIRST     COMMANDERS.  A    FEW     VETERANS.  SERVICE     IN 

WAR  OF  1812.  THE  ROLL.  YEARS  OF  PROSPERITY.  LIST  OF  OFFICERS 

1791     TO     1847. PROMOTIONS.  THE    MILITIA     COMPANY. MILITIA     OF- 
FICERS.  THE     DRAFT     1814.  HISTORY    FROM      1855     TO     1862.  BRIEF 

RECORD    FROM    1866    TO    PRESENT    TIME.  LIST    OF    OFFICERS. 

Enthusiasm  in  military  affairs  for  many  years  succeeding 
the  Ke volution  was  spontaneous.  The  man  of  middle  age, 
familiar  with  the  manual  of  arms  and  the  school  of  the  soldier, 
was  fond  of  the  pomp  and  display  of  military  pageants.  The 
youth,  listening  from  childhood  to  the  stories  of  battles  and 
campaigns  in  which  the  eloquent  narrators  had  been  engaged, 
were  early  imbued  with  a  kindred  zeal  in  these  pursuits. 
The  old  soldier,  debarred  by  the  infirmities  of  age  from 
active  participation  in  the  exercises  of  the  field,  was  ever 
present  with  words  of  encouragement  and  support.  In 
those  days,  either  in  deed  or  in  spirit,  all  were  soldiers. 
Encouraged  by  public  sentiment  and  fostered  by  the  laws  of 
the  Commonwealth,  a  military  establishment  was  easily 
maintained,  and  in  addition  to  other  incentives  there  was 
associated  with  rank  and  with  military  titles  an  acknowledged 
dignity  and  honor  which  firmly  appealed  to  the  ambition  of 
men.  With  such  surroundings  every  military  parade  was 
conducted  with  enthusiasm  and  was  witnessed  by  a  crowd  of 

424 


THE  ASHBURNHAM  LIGHT  INFANTRY.        425 

applauding  people.  On  these  occasions  the  drum,  the  fife 
and  the  attending  juvenile  suffered  no  restraint.  The  stated 
trainings  and  the  musters  were  scenes  of  bustle  and  activity 
in  which  a  Quaker  would  have  been  regarded  with  contempt 
and  supremely  pitied  in  his  loneliness. 

The  town  of  Ashburnham,  eagerly  participating  in  the 
prevailing  sentiment  of  the  times,  manifested  a  lively  interest 
in  the  local  military  organizations  which  for  many  years  were 
sustained  with  a  steadfast  enthusiasm.  In  addition  to  all  the 
requirements  of  the  State,  an  independent  military  organiza- 
tion has  been  maintained  in  this  town ,  almost  without  inter- 
ruption, since  the  Revolution. 

In  a  former  chapter  it  appears  that  the  minute-men  of  this 
town  were  under  the  command  of  Captain  Jonathan  Gate& 
from  1775  to  1781.  Upon  a  reorganization  of  the  militia, 
the  company  in  this  town  became  known  as  the  seventh 
company  of  the  Eighth  Regiment.  July  1,  1781,  Francis 
Lane  was  commissioned  captain,  Ebenezer  Conant,  Jr.,  first 
lieutenant,  and  Daniel  Putnam,  second  lieutenant.  Lieuten- 
ant Conant  died  in  1783  and  Captain  Rand  was  promoted  to 
major,  and  to  lieutenant-colonel,  1787.  In  connection  with 
these  events,  other  officers  of  the  Ashburnham  company 
probably  were  appointed,  of  which  no  record  has  been  found. 
May  2,  1787,  Daniel  Putnam  was  commissioned  captain, 
Ebenezer  Munroe,  lieutenant,  and  John  Abbott,  ensign. 
Lieutenant  Munroe  and  Ensign  Abbott  were  not  promoted. 
These  titles  became  permanently  affixed  to  their  names. 
The  next  commander  of  the  company  probably  was  Joseph 
Jewett.  No  record  of  his  first  commission  has  been  dis- 
covered, but  he  was  in  command  of  the  company  in  1789, 
and  about  this  time  John  Adams  was  an  ensign  and  a 
lieutenant. 


426  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

Until  a  later  date  there  was  only  one  company  of  militia 
in  this  town,  and,  until  1791,  it  does  not  appear  that  the 
company  organization  was  privileged  or  distinguished  from 
any  other  militia  company  organized  under  the  general  laws 
of  the  State.  But  in  June,  1791,  the  General  Court  granted 
the  petition  of  the  military  men  of  this  town,  presented  by 
General  Timothy  Newell,  and  under  the  rights  and  privileges 
thus  secured  the  Ashburnham  Light  Infantry  was  promptly 
organized.  Its  legal  existence  properly  dates  from  the  issue 
of  the  first  commissions  to  its  officers,  July  13,  1791.  The 
petition  and  the  proceedings  of  the  General  Court  were  as 
follows  : 

To  THE  Honourable,  the   Senate  and  the   House  of   Repre- 
sentatives IN  General  Court  Assembled  : 

The  petition  of  Timothy  Newell  Major  General  of  the  seventh 
division  of  Militia  in  said  Commonwealth  humbl}'  sheweth :  — 

That  a  number  of  persons,  in  the  town  of  Ashburnham  in  the 
4""  Regiment  in  the  2^  Brigade  of  said  Division,  did  (when  under 
the  command  of  the  Hon.'''*  Maj.^  Gen.'  Warner)  agree  to  form 
themselves  into  a  Company  of  Light  Infantry  and  as  doubts  have 
arisen  whether  said  persons  can  be  formed  into  any  other  than  an 
independent  company  and  as  it  is  not  the  wish  of  said  persons  to 
be  thus  established,  your  petitioner  therefore  prays  that  liberty  be 
granted  to  raise  a  Company  of  Light  Infantrj'  within  the  aforesaid 
Regiment  to  be  considered  as  a  Company  of  Regimental  Light 
Infantry  under  the  command  of  the  Colonel  or  Commanding 
officer  of  said  Regiment. 

The  foregoing  petition  was  presented  June  18,  1791,  and 
in  response  the  Legislature  passed  the  following  resolve  : 

Eesolved,  That  His  Excellency  the  Governor  be  and  he  is 
hereby  empowered  and  requested  to  issue  orders  for  forming  a 
Company  of  Light  Infantr}'  in  the  town  of  Ashburnham,  provided 
they  do  not  reduce  the  standing  company  of  militia  in  said  town 


THE  ASHBURNHAM  LIGHT  INFANTRY.        427 

to  a  less  number  than  sixty  privates  of  the  train  band  ;  the  officers 
of  said  Light  Infantry  company  to  be  appointed  and  commissioned 
in  the  same  way  and  manner  as  is  provided  by  law  for  the  appoint- 
ing and  commissioning  other  military  officers.  Said  company 
when  so  formed  to  be  under  the  command  of  the  Colonel  or  com- 
manding officer  of  the  fourth  regiment  of  the  second  brigade  in 
said  division. 

Under  the  privileges  extended  by  this  proceeding  the 
Ashburnham  Light  Infantry  was  promptly  organized.  The 
first  officers,  commissioned  July  13,  1791,  were  Joseph 
Jewett,  captain,  Caleb  Kendall,  lieutenant,  and  Charles 
Hastings,  ensign.  The  following  year  Captain  Jewett  was 
promoted  to  major,  and  Charles  Hastings  was  commissioned 
captain,  August  27,  1792,  and  consequently  was  the  second 
commander  of  the  company. 

Concerning  the  names  or  the  number  of  men  who  belonged 
to  the  company  during  the  iirst  twenty  years  of  its  legal 
existence  there  is  no  complete  record.  Beginning  with  the 
command  of  I  vers  Jewett  in  1813  the  Ashburnham  Light 
Infantry  entered  upon  an  era  of  prosperity.  A  book  of 
enlistments,  containing  the  names  of  all  who  were  members 
of  the  company  in  1813,  with  dates  of  original  enlistment 
and  the  names  of  all  who  enlisted  from  that  date  to  1845,  is 
carefully  preserved  in  the  archives  of  the  company.  At  the 
close  of  the  year  1813,  the  number  of  rank  and  file,  including 
non-commissioned  officers  and  musicians,  was  fifty  men. 
The  only  original  member  of  the  company  was  James  Laws, 
Jr.,  of  Westminster,  who  enlisted  first  in  the  militia  in 
April,  1789,  two  years  before  the  company  was  organized 
under  permission  of  the  Legislature.  The  next  in  duration 
of  service  was  Joseph  F.  Burgess  who  joined  in  1796,  and 
following  with  a  record  of  seven  years  or  more  of  service  are 
the  names  of  Joseph  Miller,  Jonas  Holden,  John  Gates,  Jr., 


428  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

Jacob  Ward,  James  Adams,  Ebenezer  Munroe,  Jr.,  Charles 
Munroe,  John  Hastings,  Ebenezer  Adams,  Ivers  Jewett, 
Walter  E.  Adams,  Timothy  Crehore,  Jr.,  Dickerson  Brooks 
and  Jonathan  Samson,  Jr.  Including  the  existing  company 
in  1813  and  the  subsequent  enlistments  to  1845,  the  record 
contains  three  hundred  and  ninetj^-eight  names. 

The  obligation  to  which  each  recruit  subscribed,  copied  on 
the  first  page  of  the  book  of  enlistment  by  the  hand  of  Ivers 
Jewett,  is  probably  a  copy  of  the  obligation  adopted  in  1791. 
It  is  here  transcribed  and  will  be  familiar  to  many  now 
living : 

To  facilitate  the  performance  of  the  duty,  which  we  owe  to  our 
country-,  of  adding  to  our  character  as  citizens  some  portion  of  the 
skill  of  the  soldier,  to  increase  our  usefulness  as  militia  men  by 
adding  to  the  zeal  which  is  excited  by  patriotism,  the  ardor  which 
is  inspired  by  emulation  and  to  give  to  each  one  of  us  who  exert- 
ing himself  for  his  own  and  his  State's  defence  that  confidence  in 
the  zealous  and  skilful  cooperation  of  each  other  which  can  result 
only  in  military  discipline  ;  "We  do  hereby,  agreeable  to  a  resolve 
from  the  General  Court  of  this  Commonwealth,  passed  June  the 
eighteenth,  A.  D.  seventeen  hundred  and  ninety-one  for  the 
raising  of  a  Light  Infantiy  company  in  the  town  of  Ashburnham, 
voluntarily  enlist  as  members  of  the  Ashburnham  Light  Infantry 
compan}^  and  to  govern  us  in  the  pursuit  of  these  objects  we  agree 
to  equip  ourselves  according  to  the  laws  of  this  Commonwealth,  to 
uniform  according  to  the  uniform  of  said  company,  which  is  per 
according  to  the  clerk's  book,  and  to  submit  to  the  rules  and 
regulations  of  said  company.  All  of  which  we  pledge  our  honors 
to  perform. 

In  the  war  of  1812,  the  Ashburnham  Light  Infantry  was 
held  in  a  state  of  suspense  through  the  summer  of  1813  and 
a  part  of  the  following  year.  The  indifference  of  Massa- 
chusetts to  the  prosecution  of  the  war  is  a  part  of  the  general 


THE  ASHBURNHAM  LIGHT  INFANTRY.        429 

history  of  the  time.s.  So  far  as  individual  opinion  was  con- 
cerned the  general  sentiment  of  the  town  was  in  support  of 
the  position  of  Governor  Strong.  But  the  spirit  of  the 
soldier  arose  in  triumph  over  the  prevailing  sentiment  of  the 
town.  During  the  progress  of  the  war,  the  company  was 
frequently  disciplined  in  the  exercise  of  arms  and  expectantly 
awaited  the  summons  to  march. 

During  the  summer  of  1814  the  presence  of  an  unusual 
number  of  the  armed  vessels  of  the  enemy  caused  frequent 
and  grave  alarm  on  the  sea-coast.  At  this  time  several 
regiments  of  State  militia  were  called  out  and  were  stationed 
in  Boston  and  vicinity.  The  Ashburnham  Light  Infantry 
was  ordered  into  the  service  early  in  the  month  of  Septem- 
ber. There  are  several  now  living  who  remember  the 
hurried  preparation  and  departure  from  this  town.  It  was 
on  the  Sabbath.  The  company  assembled  at  the  Jewett 
store  and  after  brief  words  of  counsel  and  fervent  prayer  for 
their  safe  return  by  Kev.  Dr.  Gushing,  the  arms,  ammunition 
and  equipage  were  on  a  long  line  of  wagons  hastily  engaged 
for  the  occasion.  The  soldiers  were  in  uniform  but  in  the 
general  features  of  the  day  there  was  only  a  faint  suggestion 
of  a  military  demonstration.  The  highway  was  filled  with 
vehicles  of  all  descriptions  which  were  employed  to  transport 
the  army  on  its  way.  The  wagons  were  unloaded  at  Lan- 
caster. The  men  were  ordered  under  arms  and  they  pro- 
ceeded on  their  way  in  a  more  warlike  demonstration.  They 
arrived  in  due  time  at  Boston  and  were  mustered  into  the 
service  September  9.  The  company  was  stationed  at  South 
Boston  and  Dorchester  fifty-one  days  and  was  discharged 
October  30,  1814.  Soon  after  their  safe  return  to  their 
homes.  Rev.  Dr.  Gushing  preached  a  sermon  addressed 
particularly  to  the  soldiers,  congratulating  them  and  the 
public  on  the  prospect  of  peace.     The  sermon  contains  some 


430 


HISTORY  OF  ASHBURNHAM. 


wholesome  advice.  "Let  me  caution  you  to  take  heed  that 
you  rejoice  without  infringing  upon  the  rules  of  temperance. 
The  pleasure  of  this  day  is  marred  if  anything  takes  place 
inconsistent  with  your  characters  as  men  and  Christians." 

The  following  is  the  roll  of  the  company  at  this  time. 
The  three  last  names  were  enrolled  a  few  days  before  the 
company  was  ordered  into  service.  The  remaining  names 
are  transcribed  from  the  official  roll  at  the  annual  inspection 
in  May  preceding.  Four  of  the  company  —  James  Laws, 
Jr.,  Jonas  Holden,  Joseph  Policy  and  Adam  Butler — were 
residents  of  Westminster. 

Ivers  Jewett,  Captain 
Timothy  Crehore,  Lieutenant 
"Walter  R.  Adams,  Ensign 


Ebenezer  Adams,      Sergeant 
John  Gates,  Jr.,  " 

Reuben  Townsend,  Jr.,  " 
Elijah  Brooks,  " 

James  Adams,  Fifer 

Benjamin  Barrett,      " 
Oliver  Barrett,  Drummer 
Amos  Stone,  " 

Laban  Gushing,       " 
Jonathan  Samson,  Jr. 
Josiah  White 
Reuben  Rice,  Jr. 
Luther  Bigelow 
Joseph  F.  Burgess 
James  Billings 
Ebenezer  Flint 
James  Laws,  Jr. 
Charles  Munroe 
Ebenezer  Munroe,  Jr. 
Joseph  Miller 


Stephen  Marble 
Joseph  Rice 
Joseph  Townsend 
Ephraim  Taylor 
Jonas  Holden 
Humphrey  Harris 
Henry  Gipson 
Joel  Marble 
George  Wilker,  Jr.. 
Adam  Butler 
Thomas  Howard 
Charles  Stimson 
Asahel  Corey 
Caleb  Willard 
Elisha  Garfield 
Elias  Blodgett 
Enoch  Whitmore 
Charles  Barrett 
Asia  Phillips 
Dickerson  Brooks 


THE  ASHBUKNHAM  LIGHT  INFANTRY.        431 

Edward  Maynard  John  Hastings 

Joseph  PoUey  Reuben  Stirason 

Jacob  Ward  Heman  Harris 

Stephen  Adams  Jabez  Marble 

For  many  years  succeeding  the  war  of  1812  the  independ- 
ent company  was  maintained  with  full  ranks.  In  proficiency 
of  drill  and  standard  of  discipline  it  was  among  the  first 
companies  of  the  regiment.  The  ofiicers  were  frequently 
promoted  to  command  of  the  regiment  and  the  citizens  of 
the  town  evinced  a  reasonable  pride  in  the  organization.  In 
the  progress  of  years  the  military  spirit  was  suffered  to 
decline,  the  laws  of  the  State  were  frequently  amended  and 
proffered  a  diminishing  support  and  encouragement  in  the 
maintenance  of  a  military  organization.  In  an  hour  of 
despondency  the  company  appealed  to  the  town  for  assist- 
ance, but  in  this  direction  they  were  met  with  a  cold  refusal. 
In  1838  a  proposition  to  make  a  small  appropriation  for  the 
benefit  of  the  company  and  another  to  loan  them  a  small 
amount  of  money,  were  promptly  denied.  The  sentiment 
of  indifference  which  pervaded  the  community  as  a  natural 
consequence  was  disseminated  among  the  ranks  of  the  com- 
pany. From  about  1845,  the  record  is  gloomy  and  often 
overcast  with  inactivity,  but  the  company  maintained  a  legal 
existence  and  occasionally  manifested  a  spasmodic  effort  at 
resustication  until  December  1,  1851,  when  the  remaining 
oflScers  were  officially  discharged.  From  that  date  until 
1855,  the  company  remained  beneath  the  surface.  The  last 
captain  was  Nathaniel  F.  Cutter  who  resigned  November  14, 
1846,  and  no  successor  was  commissioned.  Lieutenant 
Clarence  M.  Proctor  remained  lieutenant  commanding  until, 
as  stated,  December  1,  1851.  In  the  mean  time  orders  for 
the   choice    of    officers   were    issued,  and   in  1847  Colonel 


432 


HISTOEY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


Francis  J.  Barrett  was  chosen   captain,  but  he  declined  to 
qualif}"  and  assume  command  of  the  company. 

From  1791  to  1851  the  following  officers  of  the  Ashburn- 
ham  Light  Infantry  have  been  commissioned.  The  absence 
of  a  date  in  connection  with  a  very  few  of  the  names  indi- 
cates that  no  official  record  of  the  commission  has  been 
found,  yet  no  name  has  been  admitted  without  ample  proof 
of  service  in  the  capacity  indicated. 


CAPTAINS. 

1 
i 

LIEUTENANTS 

ENSIGNS. 

Joseph  Jewett, 

1791 

Caleb  Kendall, 

1791 

Charles  Hastings, 

1791 

Charles  Hastings, 

1792 

Willard  Lane, 

1792 

John  Scollay, 

1792 

Willard  Lane, 

1795 

John  Scollay, 

1795 

Phinehas  Randall, 

1795 

John  Scollay, 

1797' 

Phinehas  Randall, 

1797 

Silas  Willard, 

Phinehas  Randall, 

Silas  Willard, 

1798 

Grovener  Scollay, 

1802 

Silas  Willard, 

1799 

Grovener  Scollay, 

1805 

Henry  Willard, 

1805 

Caleb  Wilder, 

1805 

Henry  Willard, 

1807 

Moses  Lawrence, 

1807 

Grovener  Scollay, 

Ivers  Jewett. 

1811 

Samuel  Gates, 

1810 

Henry  Willard, 

Timothy  Crehore,Jr 

.1813 

Walter  R.  Adams, 

1813 

IMoses  Lawrence, 

1810 

Ebenezer  Adams, 

1815 

John  Gates,  Jr., 

1815 

Ivers  Jewett, 

1813 

Charles  Barrett, 

1817 

John  Willard,  Jr., 

1817 

TimothyCrehore,  Jr.l815 

John  WiHard,  Jr., 

1820 

Joseph  Rice, 

1820 

Ebenezer  Adams, 

1817 

Joseph  Rice, 

1822 

Reuben  Rice, 

1822 

Hosea  Stone, 

1818 

Enoch  Whitmore, 

1824 

Samuel  Foster, 

1826 

Charles  Barrett, 

1820 

Reuben  Rice, 

182fi 

Gilman  Jones, 

1827 

John  Willard,  Jr., 

1823 

Samuel  Foster, 

1827 

Emery  Rice, 

1828 

Joseph  Rice, 

1824 

Gilman  Jones, 

1828 

Asa  Merriam, 

1830 

Reuben  Rice, 

1827 

Emery  Rice, 

1830 

Lewis  G.  Houghton 

,1831 

Samuel  Foster, 

1828 

Asa  Merriam, 

1831 

George  Woods, 

1832 

Emery  Rice, 

1831 

Lewis  G.  Houghton 

1832 

Alvin  Kendall, 

1834 

Asa  Merriam, 

1832 

Asahel  Corey, 

1833 

Henry  Kibling,  Jr., 

1837 

Kilburn  Harwood, 

1833 

John  W.  Mossman, 

1838 

Asahel  Wheeler, 

1838 

Alvin  Kendall, 

Asahel  Wheeler, 

1841 

Francis  J.  Barrett, 

1841 

Henry  Kibling,  Jr., 

1838 

Jonas  Corey, 

1844 

Jonas  Corey, 

1841 

John  W.  Mossman, 

1841 

Nathaniel  F.  Cutter 

1845 

Nathaniel  F.  Cutter 

,1844 

Asahel  Wheeler, 

1844 

Clarence  M.  Proctor 

,1846 

Clarence  M.  Proctor,1845 

Jonas  Corey, 

1845 

Alonzo  P.  Davis, 

1846 

Nathaniel  F.  Cutter 

,  1846 

During  the  last  five  years  of  this  period  there  were  more 
than  two  lieutenants.  After  1841  there  was  a  third  lieu- 
tenant and  the  officers  who  held  this  commission  were 
Nathaniel  F.  Cutter,  1841-44;  Clarence  M.  Proctor, 
1844-45 ;  Alonzo  P.  Davis,  1845-46 ;  Joseph  P.  Kice, 
1846-51.     The  only  fourth  lieutenant  was  Samuel  V.  Whit- 


THE  ASHBURNHAM  LIGHT  INFANTRY.        433 

ney  who  was  in  commission  from  1846  to  1851.  From  the 
officers  of  the  Ashburnhuni  Light  Infantry,  there  were  many 
promotions  in  the  service. 

Colonel  Joseph  Jewett  was  commissioned  major,  June  28, 
1792,  and  lieutenant-colonel,  April  13,  1795.  General  Ivers 
Jewett,  major,  April  24,  1815  ;  lieutenant-colonel,  June  20, 
1816  ;  colonel,  August  12,  1817  ;  brigadier-general,  May  11, 
1819  ;  major-general,  June  10,  1822 ;  resigned.  May  30, 
1826.  Colonel  Timothy  Crehore,  Jr.,  major,  August  12, 
•1817;  lieutenant-colonel.  May  7,  1818;  colonel,  June  28, 
1819.  Colonel  Hosea  Stone,  major,  March  23,  1820;  lieu- 
tenant-colonel, March  19,  1822.  Colonel  Charles  Barrett, 
major,  March  19,  1822;  lieutenant-colonel,  April  15,  1822; 
colonel,  March  2,  1824.  Colonel  Enoch  Whitmore  promoted 
from  lieutenant  to  major,  July  1,  1826;  lieutenant-colonel, 
July  23,  1827  ;  colonel,  August  31,  1829.  Colonel  Kilburn 
Harwood,  major.  May  13,  1837,  and  colonel,  July  24,  1841. 
Colonel  Francis  J.  Barrett  promoted  from  ensign  and 
adjutant  to  major,  August  20,  1842 ;  lieutenant-colonel, 
September  2,  1843;  colonel,  August  6,  1844;  resigned, 
February  26,  1846. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  in  the  resolve  of  the  General 
Court  creating  the  Ashburnham  Light  Infantry,  there  was  a 
provision  that  from  the  men  in  this  town  liable  to  perform 
military  duty,  sixty  or  more  should  be  reserved  for  a  militia 
company  under  the  general  laws  of  the  State.  This  service, 
upon  those  not  legally  exempt,  was  compulsory,  yet  for  many 
years  it  was  rendered  with  apparent  alacrity.  The  company 
of  militia  was  continued  and  it  maintained  a  visible  organiza- 
tion until  the  annual  trainings  and  musters  were  abolished. 
The  officers  of  the  militia  company  from  1792  to  1834  were 
as  follows  : 

28 


434 


HISTORY    OF    ASHBURNHAM. 


Jonatlian  Merriam, 
Silas  Whitney, 
EbenezerT.  Adams, 
Henry  Kiblinger, 
John  Willard, 
Samuel  Cotting, 
George  R.  Gushing, 
Philander  J.  Willard. 
Lemuel  AVhitney, 
Jacob  Fairbanks, 
Elias  Lane, 
Timothy  Stearns, 
Francis  Lane,  Jr., 
Benjamin  Gibbs, 
Jonas  Munroe, 
John  C.  Davis, 
Jehiel  Watkins, 
Henry  Kibling,  Jr., 
Jonas  Nutting,  Jr., 
Asa  Merriam, 
Josiah  L.  Wetherbee, 


1792 
1795 
1799 
1801 
1802 
1803 
1807 
1811 
1813 
1814 
1816 
1818 
1821 
1822 
1824 
1826 
1827 
1828 
1830 
1832 
1834 


LIEUTENANTS. 


Isaac  Whitmore, 
EbenezerT.  Adams, 
Henry  Kiblinger, 
Nathaniel  Foster, 
Caleb  Wilder, 
Silas  Whitney, 
Ithamer  Fairbanks, 
Philander  J.  Willard, 
Lemuel  Whitney, 
Elias  Lane, 
Timothy  Stearns, 
Francis  Lane,  Jr., 
Benjamin  Gibbs, 
Jonas  Munroe, 
John  C.  Davis, 
Jehiel  Watkins, 
Henry  Kibling,  Jr., 
Jonas  Nutting,  Jr., 
Charles  Davis, 
Josiah  L. Wetherbee, 


1792 
1795 
1797 
1799 
1802 
1803 
1805 
1809 
1811 
1814 
1816 
1818 
1821 
1822 
1824 
1826 
1827 
1828 
1830 
1833 


Henry  Whiteman, 
John  Adams,  Jr., 
John  Willard,  Jr., 
Nathaniel  Foster, 
Samuel  Cotting, 
Ithamer  Fairbanks, 
Lemuel  Whitney, 
Elias  Lane, 
Timothy  Stearns, 
Francis  Lane,  Jr., 
Charles  Stearns, 
Jonas  Munroe, 
John  C.  Davis, 
Jehiel  Watkins, 
Henry  Kibling,  Jr. , 
John  Leathers, 
Charles  Davis, 
Josiah  L.  Wetherbee 


1792 
1795 
1797 
1798 
179» 
1803 
1808 
1813 
1814 
1816 
1818 
1821 
1822 
1824 
1826 
1827 
1828 
1830 


In  1814  this  company,  then  under  the  command  of  Cap- 
tain Jacob  Fairbanks,  contained  seventy  men,  including 
officers.  In  the  summer  of  this  year  a  draft  of  two  men  was 
made.  Tradition  asserts  that  the  lot  fell  on  Deacon  William 
J.  Lawrence  and  Thomas  Hobart.  Both  of  these  men  were 
Federalists  and  opposed  to  the  prosecution  of  the  war  and 
the  administration  party  greatly  rejoiced  over  the  result.  In 
regard  to  Deacon  Lawrence  the  tradition  is  correct.  He 
was  drafted  at  this  time  and  furnished  a  substitute,  but  the 
name  of  Thomas  Hobart  does  not  appear  on  the  roll  of  the 
company.  Jesse  Ellis  was  the  other  man  drafted  and  Henry 
Whiteman  w^as  his  substitute.  From  this  company  Colonel 
Benjamin  Gibbs  was  promoted  to  major,  March  2,  1824,  and 
to  lieutenant-colonel,  March  2,  1825.  Colonel  Jehiel 
Watkins  was  promoted  to  major,  August  7,  1841 ;  to  lieu- 
tenant-colonel, September  6,  1841,  and  to  colonel,  Septem- 
ber 2,  1843.  Among  the  regimental  officers  several  were 
adjutants.     Dr.   Abraham  Lowe  was  appointed  regimental 


THE  ASHBURNHAM  LIGHT  INFANTRY.        435 

surgeon,  October  3,  1805  ;  Dr.  Abraham  T.  Lowe,  surgeon's 
mate,  March  24,  1821,  and  Melzer  Hudson  was  appointed 
quartermaster,  July  5,  1797. 

The  Ashburnham  Light  Infantry  did  not  long  remain 
beneath  the  surface.  The  second  epoch  of  its  history 
extends  from  1855  to  1862.  If  it  faded  from  existence 
through  the  tardy  processes  of  disintegration  it  sprang  into 
life  with  spontaneous  and  vigorous  animation.  The  slum- 
bering military  spirit  was  swiftly  kindled  into  tlame.  The 
occasion  was  found  in  a  Fourth  of  July  celebration  at  Fitch- 
burg  in  1855.  The  reviving  sentiment  of  the  town  invited 
Captain  Henry  Kibling  to  call  together  the  remaining  mem- 
bers of  the  company  and  to  till  the  ranks  with  new  recruits. 
The  men  were  drilled  and  participated  in  the  celebration  with 
credit  to  themselves  and  to  the  town.  The  spirit  of  former 
years  was  fully  aroused.  The  company  was  reorganized  and 
continued  in  a  flourishing  condition  until  the  war  of  the 
Eebellion.  A  conspicuous  record  of  service  in  the  field  is 
continued  in  another  chapter.  Under  authority  of  the 
following  general  order  the  old  company  was  revived  : 

Commonwealth  of  Massachusetts. 

Head  Quarters,  Boston,  July  13,  1855. 
Special  Order  No.  30. 

Whereas,  Alonzo  P.  Davis  and  fifty-eight  others  of  Ashburnham 
have  petitioned  His  Excellency  the  Governor  and  Commander-in- 
Chief  for  liberty  to  organize  a  company  of  Infantry  in  the  town  of 
Ashburnham  and  vicinity, 

The  Commander-in-Chief  grants  the  prayer  thereof  and  directs 
that  orders  be  issued  for  the  choice  of  officers  immediately ;  the 
notification  thereof  be  addressed  to  Alonzo  P.  Davis  of  Ashburn- 
ham. 

The  Commander-in-Chief  further  orders  that  when  said  Com- 
pany is  organized  it  be  known  as  Company  G,  Ninth  Regiment  of 


436  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

Infantry.  Upon  the  application  of  the  Captain  when  duly  quali- 
fied, and  a  certificate  from  the  Selectmen  of  Ashburnham  that  they 
have  provided  a  suitable  armory,  the  arms  and  equipments  will 
be  furnished  by  the  Adjutant-General. 

By  command  of  His  Excellency, 

HENRY  J.  GARDNER, 

Governor  and  Commander-in-Chief. 
Ebenezer   W.    Stone, 

Adjutant-General. 

The  company  promptly  organized  with  Joseph  P.  Rice, 
captain,  and  four  lieutenants.  This  number  of  officers  was 
continued  until  1861.  The  number  of  men  on  the  company 
roll  at  the  close  of  the  year  was  sixty-five,  nearly  all  of 
whom  enlisted  immediately  after  the  order  and  before  the 
choice  of  officers. 

The  petitioners  met  in  the  Town  Hall  July  26,  1855,  and 
completed  an  organization.  At  this  time  the  regulations 
prescribed  four  lieutenants  for  the  company.  The  officers 
chosen  at  this  time  were  commissioned  under  same  date  as 
follows  : 

Captain,  Joseph  P.  Rice ;  First  Lieutenant,  Addi- 
son A.  Walker ;  Second  Lieutenant,  Jonas  Morse ; 
Third  Lieutenant,  Alonzo  P.  Davis ;  Fourth  Lieutenant, 
George  H.  Barrett.  Fifty-five  men  were  included  in  the 
original  enlistment  and  eleven  were  added  immediately  after 
the  organization.  With  full  ranks  and  ably  commanded,  the 
company  attended  the  division  muster  at  West  Brookfield  in 
September.  At  this  date  Colonel  Edwin  Upton  of  Fitch- 
burg  was  in  command  of  the  regiment.  From  1855  to  1861, 
it  was  known  as  Company  G  of  the  Tenth  Regiment,  and 
until  all  companies  of  militia  were  depleted  by  individual 
enlistments  in  the  service,  the  Ashburnham  Light  Infantry 
was  in  a  prosperous  condition  and  was  maintained  with  full 


THE  ASHBURNHAM  LIGHT  INFANTRY.        437 

ranks.  The  whole  number  of  enlistments  from  the  date  of 
reorganization  to  April,  18 (51,  was  one  hundred  and  forty- 
three.  After  this  date  many  members  of  the  company 
entered  the  service  and  a  large  number  joined  the  company, 
but  the}^  were  enlisted  for  service  in  the  army,  rather  than  as 
members  of  a  local  company  of  militia.  During  this  period 
there  were  few  changes  in  the  officers.  Late  in  December  of 
the  same  year  Jonas  Morse  resigned.  Lieutenants  Davis 
and  Barrett  were  promoted  and  Silas  Nims  was  commissioned 
fourth  lieutenant,  February  28,  1857.  At  the  promotion  of 
Captain  Rice  Lieutenant  Walker  w^as  commissioned  captain, 
August  11,  1860.  Lieutenants  Davis  and  Barrett  were 
promoted  May  7,  1860.  Lieutenant  Nims  resigned  and 
Samuel  A.  Taylor  was  commissioned  third  lieutenant,  and 
James  W.  Gardner,  fourth  lieutenant,  June  15,  1860.  On 
the  occasion  of  the  resignation  of  First  Lieutenant  Walker 
in  March,  the  company  was  under  command  of  Lieutenant 
Davis  from  June  to  August,  1860.  Colonel  Joseph  P.  Rice 
was  promoted  to  colonel,  June  19,  1860.  On  his  staff  Dr. 
Alfred  jNliller  was  surgeon  and  Marshall  Wetherbee  was 
quartermaster. 

At  the  close  of  the  war  the  independent  organization  in 
this  town  was  revived.  Many  of  those  who  were  members 
before  the  war  desired  the  establishment  of  the  old  company 
and  a  greater  number  who  had  served  in  the  war  eagerly 
seized  a  favorable  opportunity  to  continue  in  this  manner  the 
companionship  and  association  of  arms.  Early  in  the  year 
1866,  the  contemplated  movement  was  earnestly  forwarded 
and  in  response  to  a  petition  numerously  signed  the  decisive 
order  was  issued  August  11,  1866. 

Special  Order,  No.  99. 

Asahel  AYheeler  and  fifty-nine  others  of  Asbburnham,  having 
forwarded   to  the  Adjutant-General  a  roll  of  enlistment  for  the 


438  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

Volunteer  Militia  of  the  Commonwealth,  agreeably"  to  the  laws  of 
this  Commonwealth  governing  and  regulating  the  militia, 

It  is  ordered  that  a  company  be  organized  of  the  men  thus  en- 
listed and  that  a  captain  and  one  first  lieutenant  and  one  second 
lieutenant  be  immediately  chosen.  The  order  to  assemble  the 
men  for  the  election  will  be  directed  to  Asahel  Wheeler  of  Ash- 
burnham  who  will  furnish  the  presiding  officer  with  an  attested 
copy  of  the  enlistment  roll  previous  to  the  meeting. 

The  chairman  of  the  board  of  Selectmen  of  Ashburuham  will 
preside  at  the  election.  The  company  when  organized  will  be 
designated  and  known  as  Company  E,  First  Battalion  Infantry, 
M.  V.  M. 

By  order  of  the  Commander-in-Chief. 

WILLIAM   SCHOULER, 

Adjutant-General. 

The  company  was  promptl}^  organized  and  the  commis- 
sions of  the  first  officers  bear  date  of  September  3,  1866. 
The  past  twenty  years  have  been  an  era  of  prosperity.  The 
organization  owns  the  armory  which  was  purchased  1883,  and 
have  camp  property  valued  at  about  three  hundred  dollars. 
The  present  number  of  men,  including  ofiicers,  is  fifty-eight, 
and  sustained  by  public  sentiment  the  future  of  the  company 
is  secure. 

Soon  after  the  reorganization  of  the  compan}'  in  1866, 
with  unqualified  unanimity  of  sentiment  and  in  memory  of 
the  gallant  Colonel  Joseph  P.  Rice,  the  organization  assumed 
the  name  of  The  Rice  Guards.  The  ofiicial  designation 
is  Company  E.  From  1866  to  1869,  the  company  composed 
a  part  of  the  first  battalion,  first  brigade,  and  first  division ; 
from  1869  to  1878,  the  company  Avas  in  the  Tenth  Regiment, 
third  brigade ;  and  since  the  reorganization  of  the  militia, 
December  3,  1878,  the  company  has  formed  a  part  of  the 
Sixth  Regiment  of  infantry  in  the  first  brigade.     The  officers 


THE   ASHBURNHAM   LIGHT   INFANTRY. 


439 


of  Company  E,  and  the  date  of  commission,  from  1866  to 
the  present  time,  are  given  as  follows  : 


CAPTAINS. 

FIRST   LIEUTKNANTS. 

SECOND  LIEUTENANTS. 

Asahel  Wheeler, 

1866 

George  E.  Davis, 

1866 

Harrison  C.  Cheney 

1866 

George  E.  Davis, 

1868 

Samuel  C.  Lesure, 

1867 

Samuel  C.  Lesure, 

1867 

William  H.  Lindley 

1871 

George  E.  Davis, 

1868 

James  M.  Garnet, 

1867 

Walter  0.  Parker, 

1872 

William  H.  Lindley 

,  1868 

George  E.  Davis, 

1868 

Josiah  W.  Bride, 

1879 

Walter  0.  Parker, 

1871 

Leander  W.  Libby, 

1868 

Walter  H.  Laws, 

1882 

Eugene  A.  Puffer, 

1872 

Harrison  C.  Cheney 

1860 

Charles  H.  Pratt, 

1885 

C.  Edgar  Willard, 

1874 

Michael  FitzGibbon 

,1870 

Josiah  W.  Bride, 

1875 

John  H.  Stoddard, 

1872 

Walter  H.  Laws, 

1880 

C.  Edgar  Willard, 

1874 

Charles  H.  Pratt, 

1882 

Daniel  F.  Ryan, 

1874 

Alvah  S.  Fullford, 

1885 

Lucius  R.  Hodgman,1876 

Charles  H.  Pratt, 

1880 

Alvah  S.  Fullford, 

1882 

Charles  H.  White, 

1885 

Major    Josiah   W.  Bride  was  commissioned  major,  Feb- 
ruary 7,  1882  ;  resio-ned  March  25,  1884. 


CHAPTER   XIX. 

WAR    OF    THE    REBELLION. 

PREPARED   FOR    WAR.  MISSION    OF     THE    ASHBURNHAM     LIGHT     INFANTRY. 

EARLY     ENLISTMENTS.  SECOND     REGIMENT.  THE     HOME      COMPANY. 

THE    UNIFORM.  LIBERALITY    OF   GEORGE    C.    WINCHESTER. STATE    AID. 

TWENTY-FIRST    REGIMENT.  ITS     RECORD.  NAMES    OF     MEN     IN    THIS 

SERVICE.  COLONEL      JOSEPH      P.      RICE.  CAPTAIN      WALKER     AND     THE 

SLAVERY   PROBLEM.  OTHER    ENLISTMENTS    IN  1861.  RECORD  OF    1862. 

FIFTY-THIRD     REGIMENT.  RESOLUTIONS.  RECORD     OF     1863.  THE 

DRAFT.  ENLISTMENTS.  THE    SECOND    DRAFT.  CONCLUSION. 

Massachusetts,  for  many  years  preceding  the  War  of  the 
Rebellion,  had  occupied  an  advanced  position  among  the 
Northern  States  in  the  maintenance  of  an  organized  and  dis- 
ciplined militia.  At  the  first  call  for  men  to  suppress  the 
Rebellion,  no  State  responded  with  less  delay.  The  regi- 
ments from  this  State  were  not  only  early  in  the  field,  but 
they  entered  the  service  in  a  better  state  of  discipline  than 
was  a  majority  of  the  army  hastily  gathered  at  Washington. 
In  these  measures  of  military  preparation  the  town  of  Ash- 
burnham  maintained  a  foremost  rank,  and  during  the  early 
progress  of  the  war  the  influence  and  the  mission  of  the 
Ashburnhani  Light  Infantry  was  clearly  revealed.  The 
military  spirit  fostered  by  the  organization,  joined  by  a 
stronger  force  in  the  patriotic  impulse  of  the  people,  was 
represented  by  over  eighty  men  from  this  town  in  the  army 
during  the  first  eight  months  of  the  war.  To  present  the 
names  of  the  volunteers  from  this  town,  with  the  date  of 

440 


WAK   OF   THE   llEBELLION.  441 

enlistment,  the  regiment  and  duration  of  service  and  a  record 
of  casualties  and  disability,  will  be  the  province  of  this  chap- 
ter. A  faithful  account  of  the  service  of  each  soldier  would 
fill  a  volume. 

In  the  spring  of  186 1,  the  Ashburnham  Light  Infantry, 
under  the  command  of  Captain  Addison  A.  Walker,  was  in 
a  good  state  of  discipline  and  promptly  tendered  service  to 
the  governor  as  an  organization.  The  disciplined  companies 
were  held  in  reserve  by  the  State  authorities  to  be  dis- 
tributed among  the  regiments  that  were  soon  to  be  recruited. 
For  this  reason  the  company  from  this  town  was  not  called 
into  the  service  until  the  Twenty-first  Eegiment  was  organized. 
This  delay,  complimentary  in  itself  to' the  company,  was  the 
prolific  source  of  embarrassment,  and  several  men  impatient 
of  delay  enlisted  in  other  organizations. 

Joseph  H.  Whitney,  George  P.  Nutting  and  Martin  V.  B. 
Grimes  enlisted  May  22,  1861,  in  Company  A,  Fourth 
Regiment,  and  were  discharged  at  expiration  of  term  of 
service  in  July  of  the  same  year. 

The  Second  Regiment  was  mustei-ed,  for  three  years, 
May  25,  1861,  and  by  reenlistment  was  continued  in  the 
service  until  July  14,  1865.  In  this  regiment,  which 
rendered  gallant  service  in  Virginia,  participating  in  the 
historic  battles  of  that  State,  and  later  formed  a  part  of 
General  Sherman's  army  in  the  grand  march  to  the  sea, 
Ashburnham  was  represented  by  six  men  :  Charles  H.  Heald 
was  promoted  to  second  lieutenant,  July  3,  1865  ;  Sergeant 
Allen  A.  Nutting  was  killed  June  9,  1863,  at  Beverly  Ford, 
Virginia;  Harvey  A.  Cheney  was  discharged  September  13, 
1861  ;  Benjamin  F.  Fay  was  killed  at  Cedar  Mountain, 
Virginia,  August  9,  1862;  Charles  W.  Kendall  was  trans- 
ferred August  6,  1863,  to  the  Veteran  Reserve  Corps,  and 
Auo;ustus  Mcintosh  was  discharoed  with  the  regiment  after 
four  years  of  service  in  July,  1865. 


442  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

In  the  Fifteenth  Reo^iment  there  were  two  orio-iual  enlist- 
ments  from  this  town.  They  were  mustered  July  12,  1861. 
Their  record  is  as  follows  :  John  K.  Walker  was  killed  at 
Ball's  Bluff,  Virginia,  October  21,  1861,  and  Robert  J. 
Elliot  was  transferred  to  the  regular  army,  September  24, 
1862. 

In  the  Sixteenth  Regiment  was  Patrick  McCoolif  who 
enlisted  July  2,  1861,  and  completed  three  years  of  service. 

In  the  Twentieth  Regiment  was  Francis  Sacket  who  was 
discharged  on  account  of  disability,  a  month  after  his  enlist- 
ment. 

John  Finan  enlisted  in  First  Regiment  of  Cavalry  in 
September,  and  was  discharged  on  account  of  wounds  in 
February,  1863. 

During  the  early  months  of  the  war,  and  while  the  soldiers 
already  named  were  enlisting  into  the  service,  the  thought 
of  the  people  and  the  action  of  the  town  related  more  par- 
ticularly to  the  home  company  which  was  momentarily 
expecting  a  summons  to  march.  In  a  town  meeting  held  at 
this  time  it  was  voted  to  raise  the  sum  of  eight  hundred 
dollars  to  procure  a  uniform  for  the  company,  and  a  short 
time  after  an  additional  sum  of  six  hundred  dollars  was 
appropriated  for  this  purpose.  The  material  was  purchased, 
a  tailor  was  employed  and  a  hundred  women  of  Ashburnham 
promptly  volunteered  to  assist  in  making  the  military  suits. 
This  action  of  the  town,  prompted  by  a  generous  impulse, 
was  of  little  benefit  to  the  company.  When  the  men  were 
called  into  service  they  were  required  to  uniform  in  accord- 
ance with  the  regulations  of  the  army. 

The  generosity  of  the  town  was  unappeased  with  this  act 
for  the  comfort  and  appearance  of  the  soldier.  The  enthu- 
siastic liberality  of  George  C.  Winchester  furnished  each 
member   of    the    company    with    a   knife    of  offensive  and 


WAR   OF   THE   REBELLION.  443 

defensive  proportions  and  several  of  them  are  still  preserved 
among  the  treasured  relics  of  the  war.  There  was  con- 
siderable talk  of  procuring  a  revolver  for  each  man  of  the 
company,  and  indeed,  suggested  by  emphatic  votes  passed 
at  an  informal  meeting  of  the  citizens,  a  large  number  was 
purchased  before  it  became  apparent  that  a  military  company 
could  not  enter  the  field  of  active  service  in  the  capacity  of 
a  movable  arsenal.  One  revolver  was  finally  presented  to 
each  officer  and  the  remainder  was  sold.  In  this  proceed- 
ing the  town  in  its  corporate  capacity  took  no  part  except  to 
express  an  emphatic  dissent ;  but  with  greater  wisdom  and  a 
more  attentive  regard  for  the  future  necessities  of  all  con- 
cerned, the  selectmen  were  instructed  to  provide  for  the 
needy  families  of  the  men  in  the  service.  During  the  con- 
tinued progress  of  the  war,  this  proposal  was  faithfully 
executed  and  large  sums  of  money  from  the  treasury  of  the 
town  and  of  the  State  were  expended  in  the  relief  of  the 
families  of  the  soldiers. 

The  Twenty-first  Regiment  was  recruited  in  July  and 
August,  1861.  Company  G  of  this  regiment,  composed 
largely  of  men  from  this  town,  entered  Camp  Lincoln  in 
Worcester,  July  19,  and  with  the  regiment  left  for  the  seat 
of  war  August  23.  The  record  of  this  gallant  regiment  is  a 
prominent  feature  of  the  reports  of  the  Adjutant-General  and 
its  history  has  been  published  in  an  interesting  and  authentic 
narrative  by  Captain  Charles  F.  Walcott.  The  regiment 
was  assigned  to  the  Burnside  expedition  to  North  Carolina 
and  there  participated  in  the  battles  of  Eoanoke,  Newbern 
and  Camden.  In  the  summer  and  autumn  of  1862  they 
participated  in  the  campaign  in  Virginia  and  there  inscribed 
on  their  colors  the  sanguinary  lines  of  Manassas,  Chantilly, 
South  Mountain,  Antietam  and  Frederickslmrg.  The 
•casualties    in    these    engagements    will    l>e  noted   with   the 


444  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

several  individual  records.  In  the  spring  of  1863  the  regi- 
ment rendered  efficient  service  in  Tennessee  and  in  this 
campaign  the  battles  of  Blue  Springs  and  Campbell's  Station 
and  the  siege  of  Knoxville  were  inscribed  on  their  banners. 

About  the  time  General  Grant  assumed  command  of  the 
armies  of  the  United  States,  the  regiment  joined  the  army  of 
Virginia  and  shared  the  arduous  service  and  honors  of  that 
decisive  campaign.  In  August,  1864,  at  the  expiration  of 
the  term  of  service,  those  who  had  not  reenlisted  were 
honorably  discharged  and  the  veterans  who  had  engaged  to 
serve  during  the  war  were  transferred  to  the  Thirty-sixth 
and  subsequently  to  the  Fifty-sixth  Regiment.  They  re- 
mained with  the  army  in  Virginia  and  shared  the  glory  of 
the  capitulation  of  the  rebel  arm}. 

The  following  list  contains  the  names  of  the  men  from 
Ashburnham  who  served  in  the  Twenty-first  Regiment. 
Nearly  all  of  them  were  members  of  the  Ashburnham  Light 
Infantry,  were  mustered  into  the  service  in  July,  1861,  and 
were  members  of  Company  G. 

Captain  Addison  A.  Walker,  the  senior  captain  of  the 
regiment,  was  the  commander  of  the  Light  Infantry  at  the 
beginning  of  the  war.  To  the  governor  he  promptly  tendered 
the  service  of  a  disciplined  and  efficient  company.  In  Janu- 
ary, 1862,  the  regiment  sailed  for  North  Carolina.  Captain 
Walker,  on  account  of  sickness,  was  left  at  Annapolis.  Sub- 
sequently he  was  detailed  on  recruiting  service  for  several 
months.  He  then  joined  the  regiment  at  Newbern,  North 
Carolina,  but  being  detailed  on  special  service  he  could  not 
be  assigned  to  the  command  of  his  compan3\  At  this  time 
General  Burnside  tendered  him  a  position  on  his  staif,  but 
impatient  at  the  restraints  and  embarrassments  of  the  situa- 
tion he  resigned  May  13,  1862.  From  the  first  he  enjoyed 
the  respect  of  his  men  and  the  confidence  of  his  superior 
officers. 


WAR   OF   THE   REBELLION.  445 

First  Lieutenant  Alonzo  P.  Davis  was  a  veteran  in  the 
Light  Infantry,  of  which  he  liad  been  an  officer  several  years. 
He  resigned  in  January,  1862. 

Second  Lieutenant  Samuel  A.  Taylor  was  promoted  first 
lieutenant,  January  24,  1862;  captain.  May  28,  1862; 
resigned,  January  13,  1863.  He  was  subsequently  a  second 
lieutenant  in  the  Fourth  Heavy  Artillery. 

Sergeant  Asahel  Wheeler  was  promoted  second  lieutenant, 
January  24,  1862;  first  lieutenant,  May  28,  1862;  captain, 
January  14,  1863  ;  resigned,  April  25,  1863.  He  was  sub- 
sequently a  captain  in  the  Sixty-first  Eegiment. 

Sergeant  Charles  H.  Parker  promoted  first  lieutenant. 
May  28,  1862;  resigned,  March  2,  1863.  Wounded 
severely  while  in  command  of  the  company  at  the  battle  of 
Antietam,  September  17,  1862. 

Corporal  George  E.  Davis  was  an  adjutant  and  sergeant- 
major ;  promoted  first  lieutenant,  April  2C^,  1863;  he  reen- 
listed  and  was  honorably  discharged,  August  30,  1864,  at 
the  reduction  of  the  regiment. 

Sergeant  Joseph  H.  Whitney  promoted  to  sergeant-major, 
July  21,  1862,  and  second  lieutenant,  October  30,  1862; 
resigned,  February  23,  1863. 

Sergeant  Samuel  C.  Lesure  reenlisted,  and  in  a  reoreani- 
zation  of  the  regiment  was  discharged  as  a  supernumerary, 
September  24,  1864. 

Sergeant  M.  Thomas  Russell  was  discharged  on  account 
of  disability.  May  8,  1862. 

Corporal  Lorenzo  H.  Gilbert  promoted  first  sergeant, 
January  2,  1864 ;  reenlisted  and  was  honorably  discharged, 
September  24,  1864.     He  was  Avounded  in  the  service. 

Corporal  Harrison  C.  Cheney  promoted  sergeant  and 
acting  sergeant-major  and  discharged  at  expiration  of  term 
of  service,  August  30,  1864. 


446  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

Corporal  Charles  G.  Lawrence  reenlisted ;  was  wounded 
at  Spottsylvania,  May  12,  1864. 

Corporal  Charles  Henry  Puffer  reenlisted ;  was  promoted 
to  sergeant  and  killed  at  Spottsylvania,  May  12,  1864. 

Corporal  Henry  H.  Martindale  reenlisted. 

George  F.  Puffer  promoted  corporal  and  sergeant ;  reen- 
listed and  was  honorably  discharged,  September  24,  1864. 

Jonas  W.  Dwinnell  promoted  to  corporal  and  discharged 
on  account  of  wounds,  January  22,  1863.  He  was  wounded 
and  suffered  the  loss  of  an  arm  at  the  battle  of  Fredericks- 
burg. 

Erastus  Mcintosh  promoted  corporal ;  reenlisted. 

Alfred  Piper  promoted  corporal ;  discharged  on  account 
of  disability,  October  16,  1862. 

Frank  J.  Litch,  wagoner,  discharged  at  expiration  of  term 
of  service,  August  30,  1864. 

Peter  Archambeau  discharged  on  account  of  disability. 
May  25,  1863. 

Joseph  B.  Brown  discharged  on  account  of  wounds,  May 
7,  1863. 

Merrill  Farwell  discharged  on  account  of  disability, 
August  4,  1862. 

James  M.  Garnet  was  transferred  to  Company  H,  Octo- 
ber 20,  1861 ;  promoted  to  sergeant ;  reenlisted  and  honor- 
ably discharged,  September  24,  1864. 

George  G.  Hadley  was  wounded  at  Camden,  North  Caro- 
lina, and  discharged  on  account  of  wounds,  December  4, 
1862. 

James  P.  Hare  was  wounded  at  Chantilly ;  discharged  on 
account  of  wounds,  January  16,  1863. 

George  W.  Lawrence  reenlisted. 

Washburn  Lewis  discharged  on  account  of  disability, 
March  18,  1864. 


WAR   OF   THE   REBELLION.  447 

James  Mclntire  died  at  Newbern,  North  Carolina,  April 
21,  1862. 

Ezra  M.  Merritt  discharged  on  account  of  disability, 
August  9,  1862. 

George  E.  Page  killed  at  Fredericksburg,  December  13, 
1862. 

Calvin  Pindar  reenlisted. 

William  Pratt  wounded  at  Antietam  and  discharged  on 
account  of  wounds,  November  25,  1862. 

Eugene  A.  Puffer  wounded  at  Antietam  ;  discharged  on 
account  of  wounds,  March  27,  1863. 

Robert  N.  Shaw  discharged  on  account  of  disability, 
November  29,  1862. 

Ransom  G.  Stowell  discharged  on  account  of  disability, 
May  8,  1862.  He  subsequently  served  in  the  Fifty-third 
Regiment. 

George  M.  Wetherbee  discharged  at  expiration  of  term 
of  service,  August  30,  1864. 

James  E.  Whipple  reenlisted. 

Charles  H.  White,  musician,  reenlisted. 

Frank  B.  Whitmore  discharged  at  expiration  of  term  of 
service,  August  30,  1864. 

Merrick  Whitney,  Jr.,  discharged  on  account  of  disability, 
January  26,  1863. 

George  W.  Wilson  discharged  on  account  of  disability, 
September  20,  1862. 

Waldo  Dwinnell  enlisted  January  5,  1864,  and  was 
assigned  to  this  company ;  he  was  taken  prisoner  at  the 
battle  of  the  Wilderness,  May  6,  1864,  and  died  in  Ander- 
sonville  Prison  in  September. 

Frank  G.  Kibling  enlisted  January  4,  1864,  and  died  in 
hospital  at  Camp  Nelson,  Kentucky,  February  22,  1864. 

Sylvester   F.  Oliver  enlisted  January  5,  1864,  and  was 


448  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

transferred  to  Thirty-sixth  Regiment.  He  died  January  29, 
1865. 

Henry  E.  Thomas  enlisted  December  31,  1863,  and  was 
killed  in  battle  of  Cold  Harbor,  June  2,  1864. 

Hosea  Wallace  enlisted  July  23,  1862,  and  was  discharged 
with  the  regiment,  August  30,  1864. 

Lemuel  Whitney  enlisted  in  Company  A  of  the  same  regi- 
ment, August  14,  1862,  and  was  discharged  with  the  regi- 
ment, August  30,  1864. 

James  H.  Willard  was  an  original  member  of  company  H, 
and  was  discharged,  August  30,  1864. 

Fernando  C.  L.  W.  Thayer  enlisted  in  January,  1864, 
and  was  assigned  to  Company  A.  He  was  transferred  with 
the  veterans  to  the  Thirty-sixth  Regiment. 

While  the  regiment  was  in  Tennessee  in  December,  1863, 
a  large  part  of  the  men  reenlisted  for  the  war.  The  vet- 
erans were  granted  a  furlough  of  thirty  days  and  were  per- 
mitted to  visit  their  homes.  When  the  regiment  was  dis- 
missed at  the  expiration  of  term  of  service,  the  veterans  were 
transferred  to  the  Thirty-sixth  Regiment.  In  this  connection 
their  continued  service  is  stated.  They  remained  with  the 
army  in  Virginia  until  the  regiment  was  disbanded  at  the 
expiration  of  term  of  service.  They  were  then  transferred  to 
the  Fifty-sixth  Regiment  and  were  honorably  discharged  with 
that  regiment,  July  12,  1865.  The  service  was  long  and 
the  record  honorable.  The  veterans  who  counted  twice  on 
the  quota  of  Ashburnham  were,  George  E.  Davis,  Samuel 
C.  Lesure,  Lorenzo  H.  Gilbert,  Charles  Henry  Puffer, 
George  F.  Puffer,  Charles  G.  Lawrence,  Erastus  Mcintosh, 
Charles  H.  White,  George  W.  Lawrence,  Henry  H.  Martin- 
dale,  James  M.  Garnet  and  James  E.  Whipple. 

Calvin  Pindar  enlisted  on  the  quota  of  Ashburnham  and 
reenlisted   on  quota   of  Clinton.     Lyman  F.  Thurston   of 


WAR   OF   THE   REBELLION.  449 

Holden,  Luther  E.  Stewart  of  Clinton,  Henry  C.  Perkins 
of  Fitzwilliam,  New  Hampshire,  Frank  Lumerzette  of 
Holden  and  Timothy  Donovan  of  Worcester,  on  reenlist- 
ment,  were  assigned  on  the  quota  of  Ashburnham.  The 
veterans  who  were  credited  to  the  quota  of  this  town  antici- 
pated a  bounty  which  they  did  not  receive. 

After  the  transfer  to  the  Thirty-sixth  Regiment  in  1864 
there  were  several  casualties  which  have  not  been  stated. 
Sylvester  F.  Olivei:  died  January  29,  1865  ;  Waldo  Dwin- 
nell  was  taken  prisoner  at  the  battle  of  the  Wilderness,  May 
6,  1864,  and  died  within  the  rebel  lines  in  September  fol- 
lowing ;  Frank  Lumerzette  died  of  wounds,  August  12, 
1864  ;  Henry  C.  Perkins  was  transferred  February  11,  1865, 
to  the  Veteran  Reserve  Corps,  and  James  E.  Whipple  was 
discharged  on  account  of  disability,  January  19,  1865. 

In  the  Twenty-first  Regiment,  associated  with  and  one  of 
the  men  of  Ashburnham,  was  Colonel  Joseph  P.  Rice.  He 
early  manifested  a  military  spirit  and  ability  to  command. 
He  had  been  an  able  and  popular  commander  of  the  Ash- 
burnham Light  Inftmtry,  and  at  the  outbreak  of  the  war  he 
was  colonel  of  the  Ninth  Regiment  of  militia  to  which  the 
Light  Infantry  belonged.  In  this  service  he  had  enjoyed 
the  respect  and  confidence  of  his  associates.  In  the  begin- 
ning of  the  war  he  early  tendered  the  service  of  his  command 
to  the  governor  and  was  greatly  disappointed  that  his  regi- 
ment was  not  accepted.  Ready  to  enter  the  service  in  any 
capacity  he  was  commissioned  a  captain  in  the  Twenty-first 
Regiment  and  assigned  to  the  command  of  Company  H.  In 
February  following  he  was  promoted  to  major  and  to  lieu- 
tenant-colonel, May  16.  He  was  a  soldier  in  the  best  use 
of  the  term,  and  to  bravery  and  courage  he  united  manliness 
of  character  and  genuine  kindness  of  heart.  At  the  battle 
of  Chantilly,  September    1,   1862,  while  advancing  beyond 

29 


450  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

his  command,  to  determine  whether  a  force  in  his  front  were 
friends  or  enemies,  he  was  shot  through  the  body  by  a 
musket-ball  and  died  instantly.  The  intelligence  of  his 
death  was  received  with  sudden  grief  and  unfeigned  expres- 
sions of  personal  sorrow.  At  a  meeting  of  the  town, 
November  4,  1862,  the  following  resolutions  were  unani- 
mously adopted  : 

Resolved,  That  as  citizens  of  Ashburnham  we  desire  to  expi-ess 
our  deep  sense  of  the  loss  we  have  sustained  in  the  recent  death 
of  Lieutenaut-Colouel  Joseph  P.  Rice  at  the  battle  of  Chantilly, 
and  our  appreciation  of  the  lasting  obligations  under  which  we 
rest  for  the  great  service  he  has  rendered  us  and  his  country  in 
the  time  of  need,  and  to  show,  as  far  as  in  us  lies,  a  becoming 
respect  for  his  memory. 

Resolved,  That  in  the  death  of  Colonel  Rice  we  mourn  the  loss 
of  one  who  has  been  to  us  a  friend  and  a  townsman  faithful  to 
every  delegated  trust,  discharging  all  the  duties  imposed  upon  him 
with  a  generous  disregard  of  self  and  in  such  a  manner  as  to 
entitle  him  to  our  warmest  admiration  and  respect. 

The  best  and  wisest  laws  that  have  governed  and  fostered 
civilization  often  have  been  the  crystallization  of  some  rule 
of  action  which  the  people  practised  by  choice  a  long  time 
before  they  were  required  to  yield  a  willing  obedience  to 
statute.  In  the  same  manner  an  humble  and  subordinate 
officer  in  the  discharge  of  duty  in  a  limited  field  has  often 
employed  methods  of  procedure  which  subsequently  have 
been  grasped  and  dignified  with  the  authority  of  a  policy  in 
the  conduct  of  national  aflfairs.  The  officers  of  the  army,  who 
were  the  first  to  come  into  immediate  contact  with  the  institu- 
tion of  slavery  and  the  attending  embarrassments,  originated 
and  early  put  in  practice  the  liberal  policy  which  was  finally 
adopted  by  the  Government. 


WAR   OF   THE   REBELLION.  451 

In  the  autumn  of  1801,  while  the  Twenty-lirst  Regiment 
was  in  Maryland,  in  accordance  with  a  practice  then  prevail- 
ing and  encouraged  in  the  army,  the  officers  were  expected 
to  return  to  the  owner  any  slave  Avho  might  be  found  in  their 
vicinity.  Captain  Walker,  faithfully  representing  the  senti- 
ment of  the  men  from  Ashburnham  under  his  command,  was 
the  tirst  officer  who  refused  to  perform  this  service.  On  an 
occasion  when  Captain  Walker  was  officer  of  the  day,  the 
dignified  personage  of  Governor  Hicks  applied  to  him  for 
the  recovery  of  a  slave  then  within  the  lines  of  the  regiment. 
The  governor  was  met  with  a  decided  refusal,  from  which  he 
appealed  with  eflect  to  the  colonel  of  the  regiment.  The 
colonel  ordered  Captain  Walker  to  find  and  deliver  the 
fugitive  to  the  expectant  owner.  To  this  Captain  Walker 
replied  that  he  did  not  enter  the  service  for  an  opportunity 
of  hunting  slaves  and  politely  requested  his  superior  officer 
to  detail  some  other  captain  to  perform  this  servile  duty. 
Then  every  captain  in  the  regiment  was  in  turn  detailed  for 
this  work  and  every  one  followed  the  example  of  Captain 
Walker.  The  negro  finally  escaped.  Had  the  fortunes  of 
this  slave  been  less  fortuitous,  the  events  of  the  day  were 
the  harbinger  of  the  freedom  of  his  race. 

The  large  number  already  named,  who  entered  the  service 
in  1861,  did  not  exhaust  the  patriotic  impulse  of  the  town. 
Immediately  after  the  departure  of  Company  G,  Twenty- 
first  Regiment,  twenty  men  enlisted  in  Company  F,  Twenty- 
fifth  Regiment.  They  were  mustered  into  the  service  at 
Worcester  in  September  and  left  for  the  seat  of  war, 
October  31,  1861.  This  organization  has  an  excellent 
record.  It  was  a  part  of  the  Burnside  expedition  and  was 
retained  in  North  Carolina  until  the  decisive  campaign  in 
Virginia.  It  then  participated  in  the  battle  of  Cold  Harbor 
and  other  engagements  near  Richmond.     In  October,  1864, 


452  HISTORY   OF    ASHBURNHAM. 

the  reenlisted  veterans  and  the  later  recruits  formed  a  bat- 
talion of  four  companies  and  remained  in  the  service  until 
July  13,  1865.  Three  recruits,  credited  on  the  quota  of 
Ashburnham,  subsequently  were  assigned  to  this  regiment 
and  will  be  named  in  later  paragraphs. 

Frank  A.  Davis,  Michael  FitzGibbon,  Francis  H.  Morton 
and  Carlos  P.  Ward  were  veterans  in  this  regiment.  Davis 
and  FitzGibbon  were  discharged  at  the  close  of  the  war  in 
July,  1865.  Morton  was  transferred  to  the  Veteran  Reserve 
Corps,  and  Ward,  whose  original  enlistment  was  not  credited 
to  the  quota  of  this  town,  died  at  Newbern,  North  Carolina, 
November  14,  1864. 

Corporal  Augustus  8.  Rockwood,  Corporal  John  A. 
Spaulding,  Octavius  W.  Brown,  Harvey  Clark,  Lincoln 
Wallace  and  Martin  Burgess  were  discharged  at  expiration 
of  term  of  service  in  October,  1864.  Burgess  was  a  member 
of  Company  I,  and  Rockwood  was  wounded. 

Stephen  C.  Hastings,  musician,  was  honorably  discharged 
August  30,  1862,  at  the  reduction  of  the  band,  and  Francis 
J.  Barrett  was  killed  at  Cold  Harbor,  Virginia,  June  3, 
1864. 

The  remaining  eight  were  discharged  on  account  of  dis- 
ability as  follows  :  Sergeant  Oliver  D.  Wilder,  March  12, 
1863 ;  James  L.  Walker,  April  6,  1863  ;  Luther  Clark, 
March  12,  1863  ;  Parley  Mclntire,  May  20,  1863  ;  Orin 
Morton,  January  31,  1863;  Charles  E.  Smith,  May  26, 
1862;  Joshua  T.  Stowell,  August  7,  1862,  and  Michael 
Thompson,  April  27,  1863. 

In  this  regiment  and  in  Company  I,  was  Henry  K.  Samp- 
son who  was  originally  credited  on  the  quota  of  Royalston. 
He  reenlisted  on  the  quota  of  this  town  in  January,  1864, 
and  was  discharged  in  July,  1865. 


WAK   OF   THE   KEBELLION.  453 

The  remaining  enlistments,  during  the  year  18(31,  included 
Samuel  D.  Holt  who  enlisted  on  the  quota  of  Readville  in 
the  Twenty-fourth  Regiment,  December  4,  1861,  and 
reenlisted  on  the  quota  of  Ashburnham  and  was  promoted 
corporal  in  January,  1864 ;  he  continued  in  the  service 
until  January,  1866  ;  Bartholomew  Coughlin,  who  enlisted 
December  6,  in  the  Twenty-ninth  Regiment  and  died  1862  ; 
Pascal  Brooks  enlisted  November  1 ,  in  Thirty-second  Regi- 
ment and  died  October  1,  1862,  at  Sharpsburg,  Maryland; 
Francis  S.  Willard  enlisted  November  1,  in  Thirty-second 
Regiment  and  died  in  Virginia,  February  5,  1863  ;  Leroy 
A.  Howe  enlisted  November  6,  in  Thirty-second  Regiment 
and  was  discharged  on  account  of  disability,  November  29, 
1862  ;  Charles  F.  Leathers,  a  veteran,  enlisted  November  4, 
in  Thirty-second  Regiment,  promoted  to  corporal,  reenlisted 
January  5,  1864,  and  was  dismissed  with  his  regiment,  June 
29,  1865;  Marcus  L.  Ward  enlisted  October  30,  1861,  in 
Thirty-second  Regiment  and  was  discharged  on  account  of 
disability,  February  26,  1863  ;  John  Hare  enlisted  Novem- 
ber 7,  1861,  Thirtieth  Regiment,  died  at  Ship  Island, 
Mississippi,  March  8,  1862;  George  G.  Farwell  enlisted 
November  2,  1861,  on  the  quota  of  Fitchburg,  in  Thirty- 
second  Regiment ;  he  reenlisted  January  4,  1864,  on  quota 
of  this  town  and  was  killed  June  18,  1864. 

In  1862  there  was  a  call  for  three  hundred  thousand  men. 
The  quota  of  Ashburnham  was  twenty-seven.  In  the 
Thirty-fourth  Regiment,  which  left  the  State  August  15, 
there  w^ere  live  men  from  this  town.  They  enlisted  in  July. 
Sergeant  Charles  Wood  was  promoted  to  second  lieutenant. 
May  15,  1865,  and  discharged  with  his  regiment;  Walter 
O.  Parker,  musician,  was  discharged  with  his  regiment,  June 
16,  1865 ;  Sumner  W.  Black  died  at  Harper's  Ferry, 
Virginia,  November  10,  1863  ;  Alfred  Castle  was  discharged 


454  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

on  account  of  disability,  February  11,  1865,  and  Martin  V. 
B.  Grimes  was  discharged  on  account  of  wounds,  February 
16,  1865. 

The  Thirty-sixth  Kegiment  was  recruited  in  July  and 
August  and  left  the  State  September  2.  This  organization 
contained,  at  this  time,  twenty-three  men  from  this  town. 
It  will  be  noted  that  a  few  of  them  were  temporary  residents 
at  the  date  of  enlistment. 

Of  the  twenty-three  in  this  service,  nine  were  honorably 
discharged  with  their  regiment,  June  8,  1865,  as  follows: 
Sergeant  Charles  W.  Whitney  promoted  •  to  second  lieu- 
tenant, November  13,  1864,  Sergeant  George  N.  Duncan, 
Sergeant  Charles  I.  Fish,  Chester  B.  Gale,  Francis  H. 
Perkins,  Frank  S.  Learned,  John  C.  Lawrence,  Cyrus  W. 
Nickerson  and  Joseph  Oaks. 

On  account  of  disability  the  following  six  were  discharged  : 
Thomas  H.  Ryan,  March  11,  1863;  Sergeant  Waldo  A. 
Foster,  May  30,  1863;  Corporal  John  B.  Harty,  date 
unknown;  John  L.  Finney,  January  13,  1865;  Mitchell 
Larby,  no  record;  Edward  Sibley,  April  12,  1865. 

The  individual  record  of  the  remaining  men  is  as  follows  : 
Sergeant  Joseph  Hames  died  of  wounds,  June  4,  1864; 
Corporal  Frederick  Biron  died  of  wounds  at  Knoxville, 
Kentucky,  January  11,  1864;  Corporal  Max  Hoffman  was 
killed  at  Petersburg,  Virginia,  June  17,  1864;  Otis  Metcalf 
and  Edward  B.  Merriam  were  transferred  to  the  Veteran 
Reserve  Corps  ;  Dennis  Murphy  reenlisted  and  was  trans- 
ferred on  the  quota  of  Hardwick  to  the  regular  army ; 
Charles  W.  Allard  was  left  in  the  hospital  at  Worcester  and 
there  died,  September  15,  a  few  days  after  the  regiment 
left  the  State.  The  record  of  the  remaining  man  from  Ash- 
burnham  is  exceptional.  Charles  Sherbert  deserted  April 
27,  1863. 


WAR   OF   THE   REBELLION.  455 

The  Thirty-sixth  Regiment  was  an  organization  of  good 
repute.  In  the  army  in  Virginia,  in  JVIississippi  and  the 
siege  of  Vicksburg  and  hiter  in  Virginia,  in  the  closing  yet 
sanguinar}^  service  of  the  war,  it  has  left  an  honorable  and 
gallant  record. 

In  the  autumn  of  this  year  the  Fifty- third  Regiment  was 
recruited  under  the  call  of  the  President  for  men  to  serve 
nine  months.  In  this  organization  Ashburnham  was  repre- 
sented by  twenty-seven  officers  and  men.  Of  this  regiment, 
George  H.  Barrett,  who  had  been  an  officer  of  the  Light 
Infantry,  was  lieutenant-colonel.  The  regiment  was  ordered 
to  the  South  and  rendered  efficient  service  in  Louisiana 
under  General  Banks.  The  organization  was  mustered  out 
September  3,  1863. 

In  this  service  four  died   of  disease,    one  was  killed  in 
action  and   two   were   discharged  on  account  of  disability. 
Henry  A.  Marble   died  at  New  Orleans,  May   19  ;  Rinaldo 
Shattuck  died  May  8,  at  Brashear ;    Stephen  C.   Whitney 
died  February  20,  at  New  Orleans  ;  James  M.  Woodell  died 
June    7,  at  New  Orleans;   Russell  Whipple  was  killed  at 
Port  Hudson,  June  14 ;  Corporal  Orange  E.  Howe  was  dis- 
charged February  25  and  William  M.  Young  was  discharged 
March  12,  1863.     The  remaining  twenty-one  completed  the 
term  of  enlistment  and   were    returned   to    their  homes  in 
September,   1863  :  Lieutenant-Colonel    George  H.  Barrett, 
Sergeant  William  D.  Capron,  Corporal  Spencer  Frost,  Cor- 
poral   William    Wallace,    Corporal    Ransom    G.    Stowell, 
Francis  S.  Balcom,  Marshall  H.  Bourne,  Aaron  G.  Buttrick, 
David    M.    Cushing,    Edwin    J.    Cushing,    Lewis    Glazier, 
Thomas  M.  Howard,  Charles  B.  Jones,  James  F.  Lincoln, 
Horace  O.  Mansfield,  Augustine  May,  Francis  H.  Merriam, 
Francis  A.  Munroe,   Hobart   W.   Piper,   Harvey  J.   Rice, 
Frederick  R.  Whipple. 


456  HISTORY    OF    ASHBURNHAM. 

Colonel  Barrett  was  commissioned  captain  of  Company  I, 
and  promoted  to  lieutenant-colonel,  November  10.  He  wa& 
in  command  of  the  regiment  at  its  departure  from  the  State 
and  remained  in  the  service  until  the  regiment  was  dis- 
charged. 

These  numerous  enlistments  filled  the  quota  of  1862.  At 
this  time  the  town  met  and  passed  the  following  resolution : 

Resolved,  That  we  recognize  the  devotion  and  disinterested 
services  of  all  our  fellow-townsmen  who  have  gone  out  from  among 
us  to  engage  in  the  service  of  the  country,  and  that  the  town  clerk 
be  requested  to  collect  and  enter  upon  the  town  records  the  names 
of  all  our  townsmen  who  have  been  or  may  hereafter  be  killed  or 
otherwise  lose  their  lives  in  the  service  of  their  country  in  putting 
down  the  present  unholy  rebellion. 

The  generous  impulse  of  the  several  towns  which  tendered 
temporary  relief  to  the  families  of  the  soldiers  was  sustained 
and  continued  by  the  State  and  through  the  war  the  generous 
measures  adopted  by  the  Commonwealth  were  faithfully 
executed  by  the  towns.  The  continued  action  of  the  citizens 
and  of  the  town  officers  of  Ashburnham  was  in  full  accord 
with  a  generous  and  comprehensive  system  of  benevolence. 

The  enlistments  of  1861  and  1862  called  a  large  propor- 
tion of  the  men  of  suitable  age  into  the  service.  The  quota 
of  1863  was  filled  with  less  alacrity  and  a  draft  was  ordered. 
This  peremptory  demand  for  troops  was  general  throughout 
the  North,  and  Ashburnham  shared  with  other  towns  a  new 
experience  of  the  war.  Sixty-four  men  from  this  town  were 
drafted.  Of  these  a  considerable  number  were  discharged 
on  account  of  disability  and  of  those  held  for  service,  several 
furnished  substitutes  or  paid  commutation.  The  names  of 
those  who  entered  the  service  in  response  to  this  imperative 
command  will  appear  in  the  subsequent  paragraphs  in  the 


WAR   OF   THE   REBELLION. 


457 


list  of  those  who   entered  the  service.     The  names  of  the 
drafted  men  are  as  follows  : 


John  D.  Hapgood 
Charles  F.  Rockwood 
George  A.  Stone 
Austin  Brooks 
Granville  B.  Gilchrist 
Samuel  E.  Stone 
Albert  F.  Johnson 
Willard  P.  Drury 
William  Dahymple 
Hiland  Hall 
Orrin  N.  Bennett 
WilliaiH  Briggs 
Alexander  Morse 
William  W.  Lane 
George  L.  Beals,  Jr. 
Asahel  Wheeler 
Earl  Richel 
Merrick  Hadley 
Nazzar  Dane 
Charles  W.  Lane 
Stephen  Sawin 
Edwin  J.  Russell 
Henry  Pelky 
Jonas  P.  Sawin 
William  Franklin 
Thomas  Doolan 
William  L.  G.  Ward 
Alexander  Grout 
Jesse  W.  Goodwin 
Hosea  S.  Whitney 
Charles  H.  Wallace 
Rodney  Kin2 


Franklin  S.  Oliver 
Osmore  A.  Brigham 
Timothy  O'Keif 
Walter  Lawrence 
Irving  Brooks 
Jona.  E.  Goodwin 
David  S.  Brown 
Wendell  P.  Clark 
Frederick  Wilder 
Benton  Adams 
Robert  N.  Shaw 
Ed.  W.  Weston 
George  F.  Potter 
Joseph  L.  Brigham 
George  G.  Hadley 
Charles  C.  Eaton 
Orange  S.  May 
Martin  B.  Lane 
Patrick  Mulchy 
John  M.  Baldwin 
Augustus  G.  Nutting, 
Edward  G.  Newell 
Henry  W.  Ward 
Charles  S.  Keyes 
Fred  M.  Stanley 
Edwin  A.  Whitney 
Osman  Casvant 
William  C.  Marea 
Mark  Dunlap 
Theodore  Barron 
Peter  Sherbert 
Cyrus  D.  Horton 


458  HISTOEY  OF  ASHBURNHAM. 

The  immediate  effect  of  the  draft  was  depressing.  The 
gloomy  days  of  the  war  and  the  season  of  discontent  were 
during  the  spring  and  early  summer  of  1863.  The 
spontaneous  enthusiasm  among  the  masses  which  attended 
the  early  progress  of  the  war,  reflecting  the  warm  colors  of 
hope  and  courage,  began  to  wane  and  a  general  sentiment  of 
depression  was  instant  and  pervading.  Bresently  the  victory 
at  Grettysburg  and  the  success  of  the  army  in  the  West  in- 
vited the  people  to  rally  for  the  closing  struggle.  The  firm 
command  of  General  Grant  and  a  unity  of  movement  and 
purpose,  which  controlled  the  separate  armies,  restored  the 
confidence  and  elicited  an  enthusiasm  scarcely  less  exultant 
than  that  which  thrilled  the  loyal  North  at  the  fall  of  Sumter. 
During  these  fluctuations  in  the  general  sentiment  of  the 
North,  the  people  of  Ashburnham,  unmoved  by  the  influences 
of  the  hour,  maintained  a  record  unstained  by  the  shadow  of 
disloyalty. 

The  men  who  entered  the  service  in  1863  were  generally 
assigned  to  regiments  already  in  the  field  and  very  few  of 
them  were  in  any  one  organization.  In  July  Rodney  King 
was  assigned  to  the  Nineteenth  and  transferred  to  the  Twen- 
tieth Regiment ;  John  M.  Baldwin  was  assigned  to  the  Thirty- 
ninth  and  transferred  to  the  Thirty-second  Regiment ;  John 
E.  Valentine,  a  corporal,  to  the  Fifteenth  Regiment;  and 
John  Fitzgerald  to  the  Nineteenth  and  transferred  to  the 
Twentieth  Regiment.  These  men  remained  in  the  service  to 
the  close  of  the  war  and  were  honorably  discharged. 

In  July  and  August  the  quota  of  the  town  was  credited 
with  the  names  of  Charles  Lepond,  John  Shaffer,  James 
Burke,  Charles  Wilson  and  Thomas  Andrews.  These  were 
hired  recruits  and  all  of  them  deserted  soon  after,  and  to 
secure  additional  bounty,  undoubtedly,  they  enlisted  and 
deserted  asain  before  the  close  of  the  war. 


WAR   OF  THE   REBELLION.  459 

George  F.  Potter  enlisted  July  14  and  was  assigned  to 
the  Sixteenth  Regiment.  He  was  subsequently  transferred 
to  the  Eleventh  Regiment  and  was  discharged  in  May,  1865. 
In  the  Second  Regiment  Heavy  Artillery  was  Harvey  P. 
Brooks  and  Edwin  A.  Pollard  ;  the  former  enlisted  in  July 
and  served  to  the  end  of  the  war  ;  the  latter  enlisted  in  Octo- 
ber and  died  at  Newbern,  North  Carolina,  November    16, 

1864.  Francis  Sacket,  who  enlisted  in  November,  was 
assigned  to  the  Twenty-seventh  Regiment  and  in  January, 

1865,  was  transferred  to  the  Veteran  Reserve  Corps.  Pat- 
rick Doolan  enlisted  in  December  and  served  to  the  close 
of  the  war  in  the  First  Battery  Light  Artillery.  John 
Cassidy  enlisted  in  August  in  the  Sixteenth  and  was  trans- 
ferred to  the  Eleventh  Regiment.  He  was  discharged  after 
a  service  of  eighteen  months  on  account  of  disability. 
Archibald  McMahon  enlisted  December  25  and  deserted  from 
the  Twenty-fifth  Regiment  after  a  service  of  eight  weeks, 
and  Theodore  A.  Dodge  enlisted  in  the  Veteran  Reserve 
Corps  in  November. 

From  January  1,  1864,  to  April  1,  1865,  eighty-three 
enlistments  were  credited  to  the  quota  of  Ashburnham. 
This  number  includes  four  entries  into  the  Twenty-first 
Regiment,  twenty-six  reenlisted  men  and  fifty-three  new 
enlistments.  A  few  of  the  men  who  entered  the  service 
during  this  period  were  hired  recruits  who  received  the 
bounty  oflered  by  the  town  without  reluctance  or  conscien- 
tious scruple,  and  with  equal  alacrity  deserted  at  the  first 
opportunity.  Others  were  residents  of  this  town  and  all  of 
these  earned  an  honorable  record.  In  the  following  list  will 
appear  the  names  of  several  who  had  previously  been  honor- 
ably discharged  from  a  former  service.  Unless  otherwise 
stated  all  of  the  following  were  honorably  discharged  on 
account  of  expiration  of  term  of  service  or  at  the  close  of  the 
war. 


460 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


William  8.  White 
John  Fregean 
Louis  C.  E.  Coderre 
Morris  Smeddy 


Dennis  O'Neill 

Josiah  Thomas 
Job  Foster 
William  Doolau 
James  Kelley 
Frank  B.  Sawtelle 


Henry  T.  Lane 
Charles  T.  Chamberlain 

Charles  L.  Starkey 

Albert  H.  Tuckerman 

Hobart  W.  Piper 


Frank  W.  Bemis 
Irving  Brooks 
Harlem  E.  Ward 


Alexander  O'Brien 
Samuel  A.  Taylor 


Asahel  Wheeler 


Joseph  H.  Whitney 


Oliver  D.  Wilder 
Theodore  Greenwood 
Ebenezer  Hart 
Frederick  Hammond 
James  Fargo 
William  H.  Smith 
George  O.  Whitney 
Joseph  Hanwart 
Etiene  Lechuga 
Sereno  Newton 
Richard  C.  Chase 
David  O.  Williams 
Charles  H.  Whipple 
Walter  C.  Clark 

Harlem  E.  Ward 
Michael  Horrigan 
George  G.  Hadley 
Isaac  Call 
Michael  Mulloy 


Jan.    4, 1864 
Jan.   18,  1864 

Jan.     5, 1864 

Jan.   29, 1864 
May   13, 1864 

June    2, 1864 
June  14, 1864 

June  14, 1864 
July  20,  18G4 

July  20,  1864 

July  23,  1864 

Aug.    6,  1864 

Aug.    6,  1864 


Aug,  11,  1864 
Aug.  16,  1864 


Aug.  20, 


Aug.  20, 


Aug.  20,  1864 


Sept.  21,1864 

Feb.  6, 1865 

Feb.  21,  1865 

Feb.  2,  1865 

Feb.  23,  1865 

Feb.  6,  1865 

Jan.  3, 1865 
Feb.  18,  1865 
June  28,  1864 
Aug.  29,  1864 
Aug.  27,  1864 


MILITARY 
OEGANIZATION 


57th  Regiment 
7th  Regiment 

25th  Regiment 

5th  Cavalry 
19th  Regiment 


2d  H.  A. 

60th  Regiment 


5th  Regiment 
Unattached 


Unattached 


30th  Regiment 

2d  Cavalry 

1st  H.  A. 
14th  Artillery 
I'Jth  Regiment 

4th  Cavalry 
19th  Regiment 
V.  R.  C. 


Discharged  July  30,  1865 
Died  May  30, 1864 
Deserted  April  1,  18G4 
Transferred  to  37th  and  to 
20th    Regt.;     discharged 
June  16,  1865 
Died  in  Rebel  Prison  Aug. 

6, 1864 
Discharged  Oct.     1, 1865 
Discharged  Mar.  25,  1865 
Discharged   July  20,  1865 
Discharged  June  30, 1865 
Discharged  May  6, 1865.  He 
had   previously    been    in 
Regimental    Band     20th 
Regt. 
Died  Oct.  29, 1864 
100  days  service  ;   dischar'd 

Nov.  30, 1864 
100  days  service  ;  dischar'd 

Nov.  30,  1864 
100  days  service  ;  dischar'd 

Nov.  16,  1864 
Promoted     corporal  ;    dis- 
charged Nov.  14, 1864.    He 
formerly    served    in    53d 
Regt. 
Discharged  Nov.  14,  1864 


This  name  is  repeated  in 

a  later  service 

Discharged  July  29, 1865 

Formerly  a  captain  in  21st 
Regt.  In  this  service  he 
was  a  lieutenant ;  resig'd 
March  8,  18G5 

Formerly  a  captain  in  21st 
Regt.  He  was  commis- 
sioned a  captain  in  this 
service  and  assigned  to 
the  Gist  Regt.  Mustered 
out  at  expiration  of  term 
of  service 

This  was  his  third  enlist- 
ment. He  was  formerly 
a  lieutenant  in  21st  Regt. 
Promoted  in  this  service 
to  sergeant-major,  Dec.  1, 
1864  ;  discharged  June  17, 
1865 

Discharged  June  17,  1865 


Discharged  July   5,  1866 

Discharged  May  18, 1865 
Discharged  July  20, 1865 
Deserted  Oct.  4,  1865 
Discharged  June  15, 1865 
Discharged  Feb.  20, 1865,  on 

account  of  disability 
Discharged  Aug.  12.  1865 
Discharged  June  30, 1865 
Discharged  Aug.  31, 1866 
Discharged  Nov.  15,1865 
Deserted  Sept.  29,  1864 


WAR   OF   THE   REBELLION. 


461 


James  Walker 
Newton  B.  Whitman 
William  Pfaffle 
Charles  W.  Kendall 
Michael  Murphy 
John  E.  Waliant 
John  Rebel 
AVilliam  G.  Davenport 
George  H.  Litch 
Charles  W.  Brigham 
Francis  E.  Brigham 
William  Butler 


Sept.  1, 1864 
Sept.  2, 1864 
Feb.  20, 1865 
Dec.  20,  1864 
Jan.   18,1865 

Feb.  6,  1865 
Sept.  14,1864 
Nov.  11,  1864 
Mar.  2,  1865 
Mar.  3,  1865 
Feb.    4, 1865 


V.  R.  C. 
Hancock  Corps 


N.C.  Regiment 
U.  S.  A. 


REMARKS. 


Discharged  Nov.  14, 18&4 
No  record 


In  the  midst  of  the  hiter  enlistments  and  accounting 
for  a  few  of  them  the  following  persons  were  drafted  May 
16,  18 04  :  Patrick  O'Brien,  Martin  N.  Ward,  Thomas  Ham- 
mond, Thomas  Mahan,  Amos  F.  Willard,  Patrick  J.  Hare, 
Timothy  A.  Tenney,  Merrick  Hadley,  George  A.  Stone, 
Job  Foster,  Orange  S.  Whitmore,  Hezekiah  Matthews, 
Joseph  L.  Brigham,  Frederick  Pelky,  George  G.  Kockwood, 
Aaron  Rice,  William  Doolan  and  Hartwell  Tenney.  No 
official  statement  of  the  several  quotas  of  this  town  has  been 
found  and  the  records  of  the  town  attbrd  no  information. 
The  number  of  enlistments  in  1861  was  eighty-five  ;  in  1862 
fifty-seven ;  in  1863  eighteen  and  in  1864  and  the  early 
months  of  1865,  including  the  veterans,  there  were  eighty- 
three  enlistments,  making  an  aggregate  of  two  hundred  and 
forty-three  entries  in  the  service  from  this  town  during  the 
war.  The  whole  number  of  individuals  who  entered  the 
service  from  Ashburnham,  so  far  as  found  in  this  record,  is 
two  hundred  and  thirteen.  Joseph  H.  Whitney  is  credited 
with  three  enlistments  and  the  following  persons  were 
counted  twice  upon  the  quota  of  the  town :  Charles  H. 
Heald,  Martin  V.  B.  Grimes,  Charles  W.  Kendall,  Francis 
Sacket,  Augustus  Mcintosh,  Samuel  A.  Taylor,  Asahel 
Wheeler,  George  E.  Davis,  Samuel  C.  Lesure,  Lorenzo  H. 
Gilbert,    Charles    G.    Lawrence,    George    W.    Lawrence. 


462  HISTORY   OF  ASHBURNHAM. 

Charles  H.  Puffer,  George  F.  Puffer,  Henry  H.  Martindale, 
Charles  H.  White,  Erastus  Mcintosh,  James  M.  Garnet, 
George  G.  Hadley,  Eansom  G.  Stowell,  James  E.  Whipple, 
Frank  A.  Davis,  Michael  FitzGibbon,  Francis  H.  Morton, 
Oliver  D.  Wilder,  Charles  F.  Leathers,  Hobart  W.  Piper^ 
Harlem  E.  Ward. 

Several,  who  were  residents  of  Ashburnham  at  the  time 
they  entered  the  service,  enlisted  on  the  quota  and  their 
names  appear  in  the  records  of  other  towns.  It  is  not  pre- 
sumed that  the  following  list  is  complete . 

Noyes  B.  Herrick,  Clarence  D.  Proctor  and  Alden  W. 
Parker,  on  the  quota  of  Fitchburg,  served  in  the  Fourth 
Reghnent  Heavy  Artillery  from  August  20,  1864,  to  June 
17,  1865. 

Lieutenant  George  M.  Munroe,  on  the  quota  of  Boston, 
was  an  original  member  of  Company  G,  Twenty-first  Regi- 
ment. He  was  promoted  from  first  sergeant  to  second  lieu- 
tenant, September  26,  1862,  and  to  first  lieutenant,  March 
3,  1863.  At  the  battle  of  Antietam,  after  Lieutenant 
Charles  H.  Parker  was  removed  from  the  field  on  account  of 
wounds,  he  assumed  command  of  the  company  and  was 
wounded  in  the  knee  and  the  arm. 

Charles  L.  Stimson  was  in  Company  E,  Twenty-fourth 
Regiment,  on  the  quota  of  Boston.  He  was  detailed  as 
military  secretary  to  General  Burnside  and  subsequently  was 
commissioned  a  lieutenant  in  the  First  Ohio  Cavalry. 

George  Henry  Stearns,  credited  to  Bridgewater,  was  a 
member  of  the  Brigade  Band,  Twentieth  Army  Corps. 

William  H.  Richardson,  Otis  Pratt  and  Aaron  Pratt 
served  in  Rhode  Island  regiments. 

Aaron  B.  Bixby  enlisted  from  Fitchburg  in  Company  A, 
Thirty-sixth  Regiment,  and  was  transferred  in  September, 
1863,  to  the  Veteran  Reserve  Corps. 


WAR  OF   THE    REBELLION.  463- 

Corporal  Charles  M.  Whitney,  assigned  to  quota  of  Fitch- 
burg,  was  a  member  of  Company  D,  Twenty-first  Regiment. 
He  was  killed  September  1,  1862,  at  the  battle  of  Chantilly. 

Ephraim  W.  Moore  enlisted  from  Boston  in  Company  F, 
Second  Regiment.  He  died  August  20,  1802,  from  wounds 
received  in  the  engagement  of  Cedar  Mountain. 

Newton  Brooks,  on  the  quota  of  Gardner,  was  a  member 
of  Company  G,  Fifty -third  Regiment. 

Patrick  Fitzgerald,  there  known  as  James  Fitz,  was  a 
member  of  Company  K,  Sixth  New  Hampshire  Regiment. 
He  served  from  November,  1861,  to  July  17,  1865. 

Webster  W.  Wallace,  on  the  quota  of  Lawrence,  enlisted 
in  First  Regiment  Heavy  Artillery,  August  1,  1861.  He 
was  promoted  a  sergeant  and  died  of  wounds,  July  26, 
1864. 

In  other  regiments  are  found  the  names  of  Henry  Merriam,, 
George  Willard,  Charles  Stone,  John  L.  Cook,  Reuben  A.. 
Buzzell,  George  O.  Metcalf  and  George  P.  Ward. 

A  large  number  of  the  sons  of  Ashburnham  who  removed 
from  their  native  town  previous  to  the  war  were  in  the 
service  and  several  were  officers  of  rank  and  distinction.  So 
far  as  the  facts  are  ascertained,  a  record  of  service  will  be 
given  in  the  fiimily  registers. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

PHYSICIANS. LA^VYERS.  PERSONAL    NOTICES. COLLEGE 

GRADUATES.  OTHER     SONS    OF    ASHBURNHAM. 

DOCTORS  BROOKS,  SENTER,  ABRAHAM  LOWE,  ABRAHAM  T.  LOWE,  NATHANIEL 
PEIRCE,  ABERCROMBIE,  CUTLER,  STONE,  MILLER,  WALLACE,  WHITMORB, 
MATTOON,      TEMPLE,     JILLSON,      CHARLES     L.     PIERCE,     STICKNEY,     AMORT 

JEWETT,  NATHANIEL   JEWETT.  LAWYERS    CUNNINGHAM,  ADAMS,    PARKER 

AND    ANDREWS. SAMUEL  WILDER. — JOSEPH  JEWETT.  IVERS    JEWETT. 

JACOB     WILLARD. SILAS     WILLARD.  — JOHN    ADAMS. ENOCH     WHIT- 
MORE.  JEROME  W.   FOSTER.  OHIO  WHITNEY.  ISAAC  HILL. THOMAS 

PARKMAN    GUSHING.  MILTON     WHITNEY.  A    LIST    OF    COLLEGE    GRADU- 
ATES.    OTHER    SONS    OF    ASHBURNHAM. 

Physicians.  —  Ashburnham  has  been  fortunate  in  the 
character  and  ability  of  the  resident  physicians.  The  follow- 
ing list  includes  several  men  of  superior  skill  and  professional 
reputation. 

Dr.  Peter  Brooks  was  the  first  physician  of  Ashburn- 
ham, and  during  the  greater  part  of  his  practice  here  he  had 
no  competitor.  Dr.  Senter  was  here  a  short  time,  but  his 
practice  was  not  of  sufficient  duration  to  disturb  him  in  the 
full  possession  of  the  field  which  he  held  until  the  arrival  of 
Dr.  Lowe.  Dr.  Brooks  lived  on  the  old  Winchendon  road, 
between  the  common  and  the  David  Russell  farm.  About 
1792  he  left  town  and  nothing  is  known  of  his  subsequent 
history.  His  family  remained  permanently  and  his  descend- 
ants in  this  town  have  been  numerous.  Of  the  native  ability 
and  professional  skill  of  Dr.  Brooks  little  is  known.  From 
the  fact  that  he  remained  here  twenty  years  it  is  reasonable 

464 


PERSONAL   NOTICES.  465 

to  presume  that  he   enjoyed  some  measure  of  public  conti- 
deuce. 

Dr.  Senter  was  here  a  short  time  immediately  preceding 
the  Eevolution.  In  1774  he  was  chosen  one  of  a  committee 
to  amend  the  Boston  Covenant  before  it  was  signed,  but  his 
name  does  not  appear  again  in  the  records.  Tradition  pre- 
serves his  name  and  compliments  him  with  good  ability  and 
a  liberal  education.  His  stay  was  brief  and  his  connection 
with  this  town  unimportant. 

Dr.  Abraham  Lowe,  son  of  Jonathan  and  Sarah  (Per- 
kins) Lowe,  w^as  born  in  Ipswich,  February  11,  1755.  The 
homestead  of  his  father  was  in  the  parish  of  Chebacco,  and 
is  now  a  part  of  the  town  of  Essex.  In  his  infancy  the 
family  removed  to  Lunenburg.  If  Dr.  Lowe  did  not  pursue 
a  liberal  course  of  academical  study  at  the  schools  he  was  a 
close  and  attentive  reader  and  an  accurate  scholar.  His 
professional  studies  were  pursued  under  the  tuition  of  Dr. 
Abraham  Haskell,  a  justly  famed  physician  of  Lunenburg. 
At  this  time  Dr.  Lowe  became  acquainted  with  Dr.  Peter 
Snow,  who  was  a  fellow-student,  and  subsequently  a  dis- 
tinguished physician  and  esteemed  citizen  of  Fitchburg. 
The  acquaintance  ripened  into  a  mutual  friendship  which  was 
sustained  through  life.  In  1786,  or  the  year  preceding,  Dr. 
Lowe  removed  to  Ashburnham  and  here  began  the  labor  of 
a  long  and  useful  life.  In  an  eminent  degree  he  was  trusted 
as  a  physician  and  esteemed  as  a  citizen.  He  was  frequently 
chosen  to  positions  of  trust  and  in  professional  employment 
he  had  no  rival  for  many  years.  Among  his  minor  employ- 
ments Dr.  Lowe  was  town  clerk  seven  years,  transcribing 
the  records  in  a  clear  hand  and  in  well-chosen  language. 
But  for  municipal  service  he  found  little  leisure.  His  active 
years  w^ere  devoted  to  his  profession  and  few  physicians  have 
practised  wdth  less  criticism  and  greater  success.     Among 


466  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

his  fellow-men  he  was  accorded  a  supremacy  which  is  only 
surrendered  to  superior  abilities  and  unchallenged  character. 
The  aged  who  remember  him  are  familiar  with  the  courtesy 
of  his  manner,  the  kindness  of  his  heart  and  the  impress  of 
truth  and  wisdom  which  attended  his  speech.  He  died 
October  23,  1834. 

Dr.  Abraham  T.  Lowe,  a  son  of  Dr.  Abraham  Lowe 
and  Charlotte  (Hale)  Lowe,  was  born  in  this  town,  August 
15,  1796.  The  influences  of  his  home  invited  study,  and 
at  an  early  age  he  attended  the  academy  in  New  Ipswich, 
and  at  twenty  years  of  age  he  was  graduated  a  Doctor  of 
Medicine  at  Dartmouth  Medical  College.  At  the  solicita- 
tion of  his  father  he  commenced  practice  in  this  town  where 
he  was  successfully  employed  nine  years.  His  circuit  ex- 
tended into  Westminster  and  other  adjoining  towns.  Of  his 
professional  labors  at  this  time  Dr.  Lowe  has  said,  "My 
duties  called  me,  I  believe,  almost  without  exception,  into 
every  house  and  faniily  in  town.  I  knew  the  direction  and 
condition  of  every  road,  bridle  path  and  passable  cross-cut 
way.  I  never,  while  in  health,  declined  a  professional  visit. 
I  rode  on  horseback,  in  a  light- wheel  carriage,  or  sleigh,  to 
meet  the  requirements  of  the  season  or  state  of  the  travelled 
ways  ;  but  there  were  times  when  travelling  in  either  of 
these  modes  was  impracticable  ;  then  I  took  to  my  rackets, 
or  Indian  snow-shoes ;  and  I  have  frequently  in  this  manner 
made  visits,  both  in  and  out  of  town." 

In  the  midst  of  this  arduous,  professional  employment 
Dr.  Lowe  took  an  active  interest  in  the  schools  of  this  town 
and  was  a  member  of  the  committee  of  supervision.  He 
was  popular  with  all  classes  and  is  held  in  grateful  remem- 
brance by  the  aged  who  were  his  associates.  In  1825  or 
1826  he  removed  to  Boston  and  engaged  in  the  business  of 
a  wholesale  and  prescription  druggist.  In  this  business  he 
was  successful  and  retired  with  a  competency  in  1839. 


m-^  ,. 


we-' 


PERSONAL   NOTICES.  467 

Dr.  Lowe  has  been  a  director  in  several  monetary  institu- 
tions and  in  this  direction  his  service  has  been  conspicuous. 
In  1859  he  was  chosen  president  of  the  Safety  Fund  Bank 
which  subsequently  became  the  First  National  Bank  of 
Boston,  and  under  his  sao;acious  management  this  institution 
has  maintained  a  prominent  position  among  its  energetic 
rivals.  Dr.  Lowe  was  an  able  advocate,  and  was  promi- 
nently identiiied  with  the  construction  of  the  Boston  and 
Lowell  railroad.  At  that  date  many  regarded  the  project  as 
experimental,  but  the  substantial  results  are  a  tribute  to  the 
foresight  and  judgment  of  Dr.  Lowe  and  his  associates.  He 
was  one  of  the  early  directors  of  the  road  from  Worcester  to 
Albany  and  for  several  years  a  director  of  the  Boston  and 
Worcester  railroad  and  also  the  Fall  River  railroad.  He 
early  and  clearly  comprehended  the  importance  of  these 
gigantic  enterprises  and  with  energy  and  courage  he  labored 
for  the  future  interests  of  his  city  and  Commonwealth. 

In  addition  to  efficient  service  for  the  public  schools  of 
Boston,  he  has  repeatedly  served  in  the  Board  of  Aldermen, 
and  beginning  in  1824,  he  has  been  a  member  of  the  Massa- 
chusetts Legislature  several  years.  In  this  service  he 
disclosed  the  rare  traits  of  mind  and  of  character  which 
distinguish  his  successful  career  in  business. 

In  early  life  Dr.  Lowe  compiled  the  Columbian  Orator,  a 
school-book  which  was  favorably  received,  and  subsequently 
he  published  the  Second  Class  Book,  for  younger  pupils  ; 
but  he  is  better  known  as  the  author  of  several  papers  upon 
scientific  and  medical  subjects.  He  is  one  of  the  original 
trustees  of  Cushing  Academy  and  during  the  past  ten  years 
he  has  been  president  of  the  board. 

Dr.  Lowe  at  the  age  of  almost  ninety  years  has  earned  a 
respite  from  active  employment.  Without  ambition  or 
ostentation  he  has  conscientiously  met  every  responsibility 


468  HISTOKY   OF   ASHBUIINHAM. 

and  faithfully  directed  every  interest  confided  to  his  care. 
His  industry,  his  integrity  and  his  purity  of  character,  which 
attended  him  through  life,  now  crown  his  age  with  blessings 
and  honor, 

De.  Nathaniel  Peiece,  a  son  of  Oliver  and  Mary 
(Smith)  Peirce,  was  born  in  Lunenburg,  October  8,  1778. 
He  pursued  his  preparatory  studies  at  New  Ipswich  Academy 
and  was  a  teacher  in  the  public  schools  several  years.  He 
entered  Harvard  University,  but  on  account  of  failing  health 
did  not  graduate.  Later  he  pursued  a  course  of  professional 
study  and  received  his  diploma  at  the  Medical  School,  then 
in  Weathersfield,  Vermont,  and  in  that  town  he  practised  a 
short  time.  Leaving  Weathersfield  he  removed  to  his  native 
town  where  he  was  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  wool  or 
felt  hats,  at  that  time  one  of  the  home  industries  of  New 
England.  He  removed  to  this  town  in  1825  and  immediately 
entered  upon  the  practice  of  his  profession.  From  the  first 
he  secured  and  maintained  the  confidence  of  the  people  and 
for  many  years  his  practice  was  large  and  remunerative.  In 
the  mean  time  he  purchased  many  acres  of  land  and  became 
a  prosperous  farmer,  and  as  the  infiiTuities  of  age  invited 
him  to  less  active  pursuits  he  gradually  retired  from  practice 
and  gave  his  attention  to  the  supervision  of  his  farm. 

A  tall,  commanding  man,  his  head  towering  above  the 
multitude,  he  was  dignified  in  manner  and  deliberate  in  the 
use  of  words.  In  method  he  was  direct  and  aggressive,  and 
if  he  was  sometimes  blunt  in  his  speech  he  was  generally 
just.  His  opinions  were  well  matured  and  when  required 
they  were  expressed  without  evasion  or  concealment.  If  he 
honestly  differed  with  others  in  opinion  and  expressed  his 
own  views  plainly,  he  tolerated  no  contention  and  conducted 
no  quarrels.  He  was  a  kind  neighbor,  an  honest  man  and  a 
faithful  citizen.     He  was  frequently  chosen  by  his  townsmen 


'm^^^ 


9/1' 


y^i 


C-T. 


PERSONAL   NOTICES.  469 

to  local  office  and  was  a  member  of  the  Legislature  1831 
and  1832.     He  died  September  3,  1862. 

Dr.  Otis  Abercrombie,  a  native  of  Deerfield  and  a  grad- 
uate of  the  Yale  Medical  School,  came  to  Ashburnham  in 
1827.  He  was  favorably  received  and  was  chosen  a  member 
of  the  school  committee  soon  after  his  arrival.  At  this  time 
the  held  was  occupied  by  members  of  the  profession  who 
had  become  established  in  the  confidence  of  the  people.  In 
1829  he  removed  to  Fitchburg.  After  a  successful  practice 
of  nine  years,  on  account  of  failing  health,  he  retired  from 
business  and  removed  to  Lunenburg  where  he  died  January 
24,  1851,  aged  forty-nine  years. 

Dr.  William  H.  Cutler,  son  of  Jonathan  and  Keziah 
(Hutchins)  Cutler,  was  born  in  Plainfield,  Connecticut,  July 
2,  1787.  After  attending  school  at  the  academy  in  Plain- 
field  he  pursued  his  professional  studies  with  Dr.  Darius 
Hutchins  of  Abington,  Connecticut.  His  first  professional 
labors  were  in  Winchendon  where  he  practised  about  seven 
years.  In  1820  he  removed  to  New  Salem  and  was  there 
successfully  employed  until  he  removed  to  this  town  in  1829. 
In  Winchendon  he  was  a  member  of  the  school  committee  in 
1819  and  in  New  Salem  he  was  frequently  chosen  to  positions 
of  trust,  among  which  he  was  for  many  years  one  of  the 
trustees  of  the  New  Salem  Academy.  In  this  town  Dr. 
Cutler  rode  a  wide  circuit  many  years  and  was  justly  re- 
garded as  a  conscientious,  skilful  physician.  As  a  man, 
he  was  upright,  sincere  and  honest,  and  was  held  in  high 
esteem.  As  the  infirmities  of  age  grew  upon  him  he  retired 
from  active  practice  and  removed  in  1864  to  Andover  where 
he  died  July  16,  1867. 

Dr.  William  P.  Stone,  son  of  David  and  Lydia  (Per- 
kins) Stone  and  a  brother  of  Rev.  Benjamin  P.  Stone,  D.  D., 
late  of  Concord,  New   Hampshire,    was    born  in  Reading, 


470  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

Vermont,  July  23,  1809.  A  few  years  after  this  date 
the  family  removed  from  Reading  to  Enosburg,  Vermont. 
Dr.  Stone  graduated  at  Dartmouth  Medical  School  in  1835 
and  came  to  this  town  in  1837,  where  he  was  successfully 
employed  eight  years.  From  the  first  he  was  well  received. 
Beneath  a  modest  and  unassuming  manner,  there  was  no 
failure  in  the  discovery  of  an  intelligent  mind  and  a  faithful 
and  competent  physician.  He  had  many  friends  and  no 
enemies.  In  the  spring  of  1845  he  removed  to  Boston  and 
previous  to  1850  he  removed  to  Danbury,  New  Hampshire, 
where  he  remained  several  years.  In  October,  1862,  he 
was  commissioned  assistant  surgeon  of  the  Second  New 
Hampshire  Volunteers,  and  was  promoted  to  surgeon  of  this 
regiment,  July  6,  1864.  He  remained  in  the  service  until 
the  regiment  was  mustered  out,  December  19,  1865.  Soon 
after  the  war  he  removed  from  Danbury  to  Westminster, 
Vermont,  where  he  continued  the  practice  of  his  profession 
a  few  years.     He  died  in  Burke,  New  York,  1872. 

Dr.  Alfred  Miller,  son  of  John  and  Betsey  (Robinson) 
Miller,  was  born  in  Westminster,  Vermont,  March  15,  1815. 
He  pursued  his  preparatory  studies  in  the  schools  of  West- 
minster and  Bernardston  and  graduated  at  Middlebury 
College  1840.  While  reading  for  his  profession  he  taught 
school  several  years  and  completed  his  study  with  Dr. 
Alfred  Hitchcock  and  at  the  Medical  School  in  Woodstock, 
Vermont,  where  he  graduated  in  1844.  In  the  following 
year  he  entered  upon  the  practice  of  his  profession  in  this 
town  where  he  was  successfully  employed  until  he  removed 
to  Fitchburg  in  1863. 

He  was  a  skilful  physician  and  was  highly  respected  by 
all  who  knew  him.  Affable  and  kind  in  his  manner,  atten- 
tive to  the  calls  of  his  profession,  he  was  a  popular  physician 
and  a  valued  citizen.     Dr.  Miller  was  repeatedly  elected  a 


PERSONAL   NOTICES.  471 

member  of  the  school  committee  and  to  other  positions  of 
trust.  In  Fitchburg  he  was  eminently  successful.  He  con- 
tinued in  active  practice  in  that  city  until  his  death,  Novem- 
ber 15,  1877,  aged  sixty-two  years.  He  was  a  member  of 
the  Legislature  1866  and  1876. 

Dr.  Mekkick  Wallace,  a  son  of  Nahum  Wallace  of 
Oxford,  was  born  April  12,  1808.  In  1847  he  completed  a 
course  of  study  at  the  Botanical  Medical  College  then  in 
Worcester,  and  to  this  school  of  medicine  he  closely  adhered 
in  his  practice.  His  remedial  methods  were  then  compara- 
tively new  and  he  early  secured  a  liberal  patronage.  His 
practice  extended  into  the  adjoining  towns  and  frequently  he 
made  long  journeys  in  response  to  demands  for  his  profes- 
sional attendance.  Dr.  Wallace  was  also  a  successful  farmer 
and  in  this  pursuit  he  manifested  a  constant  interest.  He 
died  May  22,  1875. 

Dr.  Lorenzo  Locke  Whitmore,  a  son  of  Colonel  Enoch 
and  Clarissa  (Willard)  Whitmore,  was  born  in  this  town, 
July  2,  1823.  With  the  exception  of  Dr.  Abraham  T. 
Lowe,  he  is  the  only  physician  in  this  town  who  was  born 
within  the  field  of  his  professional  labor.  He  pursued  a 
liberal  course  of  academical  and  professional  study,  gradu- 
ating at  the  Harvard  Medical  School  in  the  class  of  1852. 
After  a  brief  practice  in  Warwick,  he  returned  to  this  town 
and  assumed  the  management  of  a  large  farm  which  for  more 
than  one  hundred  years  has  been  the  homestead  of  his 
ancestors.  For  several  years  he  rode  an  extended  circuit  in 
this  town  and  in  Rindge,  and  fully  maintained  the  confidence 
of  his  patrons.  More  recently  he  has  found  full  employ- 
ment in  the  management  of  his  farm. 

Dr.  John  Orlando  Mattoon  (eclectic)  was  a  native  of 
Vershire,  Vermont,  born  October  10,  1837.  He  was 
-educated  at   the    academy   in    Chelsea,   Vermont,    and   the 


472  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

well-known  institution  in  New  London,  New  Hampshire. 
He  read  for  his  profession  with  Dr.  George  K.  Bagley  of 
Chelsea,  Vermont,  and  graduated  at  a  medical  school  in 
Cincinnati  in  1858.  The  same  year  he  located  in  this  town 
and  practised  with  a  fair  measure  of  success  until  his  early 
death  which  occurred  January  13,  1862. 

Dr.  Theron  Temple,  son  of  John  and  Sally  (Taylor) 
Temple,  was  born  in  Heath,  April  20,  1833.  He  is  a  gradu- 
ate of  Berkshire  Medical  College  in  class  of  1856.  In  1857 
he  entered  upon  the  practice  of  his  profession  in  Belchertown 
and  was  there  successfully  employed  until  1861,  when  he 
was  commissioned  assistant-surgeon  in  the  Twenty-fifth 
Massachusetts  Volunteers.  This  regiment  was  assigned  to 
the  Burnside  expedition.  In  this  service  Dr.  Temple  con- 
tracted malarial  fever  and  resigned  in  the  spring  of  1862. 
The  same  year  he  removed  to  this  town  where  he  commanded 
the  respect  of  the  community  and  secured  a  lucrative  prac- 
tice. While  residing  in  this  town  he  was  examining  surgeon 
by  appointment  from  Governor  Andrew.  In  the  autumn  of 
1864,  he  removed  to  Amherst  and  continued  in  active  prac- 
tice until  1875.  During  the  past  ten  years  he  has  been 
employed  in  the  customs  service  at  Boston  with  a  residence 
in  Waltham. 

Dr.  Harvey  D.  Jillson  (eclectic)  pursued  his  pro- 
fessional studies  at  Harvard  Medical  School  and  at  Worces- 
ter. Adopting  the  theories  of  the  eclectic  school,  he 
entered  upon  the  practice  of  his  profession  in  Leominster  in 
1860.  He  removed  to  this  town  in  1864.  He  was  elected 
a  member  of  the  school  committee  for  three  years  but 
removed  to  Fitchburg  in  1868  before  the  completion  of  the 
term.  For  two  years  he  was  president  of  the  Worcester 
North  Eclectic  Society,  and  eleven  years  its  secretary,  and 
was  a  vice-president  of  the  National  Eclectic  Medical  Society. 


PERSONAL   NOTICES.  473 

He    died    September    25,    1877,   aged    forty-three    years. 

Dr.  Charles  L.  Pierce,  son  of  John  F.  and  Abigail 
Fiske  Pierce,  was  born  in  Derby,  Vermont,  May  17,  1840. 
He  attended  school  at  Newbury,  Vermont,  and  at  Meriden, 
New  Hampshire,  and  graduated  at  the  New  York  College  of 
Physicians  and  Surgeons.  He  practised  his  profession  a 
short  time  at  Charlestown,  New  Hampshire,  and  removed  to 
this  town  in  1865.  Dr.  Pierce  was  generally  regarded  as  a 
skilful  physician  and  was  employed  by  a  considerable  part 
of  the  community.  He  removed  to  Natick  in  1871,  and 
from  thence  to  San  Francisco,  California,  where  he  died 
May  11,  1885. 

Dr.  Alonzo  Lawrence  Stickney,  son  of  Alvah  and 
Rebecca  (Wright)  Stickney,  was  born  in  Townsend,  May 
26,  1835.  He  attended  the  academies  at  Milford  and  New 
Ipswich,  New  Hampshire,  and  graduated  at  Harvard 
Medical  School  in  the  class  of  1862.  His  first  professional 
labors  were  at  Sutton.  In  the  spring  of  1864  he  was 
appointed  assistant-surgeon  in  the  regular  army  and  served 
to  the  close  of  the  war.  Returning  to  Sutton  he  was  there 
successfully  employed  in  the  practice  of  his  profession  until 
his  removal  to  this  town  in  1871.  In  an  unusual  degree,  he 
early  secured  and  has  merited  the  confidence  of  his  patrons. 
His  success  as  a  physician  and  his  usefulness  as  a  citizen  will 
elicit  prompt  recognition  in  future  reviews  of  completed 
labor. 

Dr.  Amory  Jewett,  son  of  Amory  and  Lucy  E.  (Die- 
waide)  Jewett,  was  born  in  Boston,  January  17,  1833.  He 
attended  the  public  schools  of  Boston  and  graduated  at  the 
Eclectic  Medical  College,  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  After  a  brief 
practice  in  Boston,  he  removed  to  this  town  in  1868  and 
remained  in  successful  practice  until  1873.  Since  he  re- 
moved fi'om  this  town  he  has  practised  in  Clinton,  Fitchburg 


474  HISTORY   OF    ASHBURNHAM. 

and  Hubbardston.  On  account  of  failing  health  he  has  retired 
from  active  practice  and  now  resides  in  Somerville.  Dr. 
Jewett,  while  residing  in  this  town,  was  successively  secre- 
tary, councillor  and  president  of  the  Worcester  North 
Eclectic  Medical  Society. 

Dr.  Nathaniel  Jewett,  a  brother  of  Dr.  Amory  Jewett, 
was  born  in  Boston,  March  10,  1841.  He  graduated  at  the 
Boston  High  School  in  1858  and  pursued  a  course  of  pro- 
fessional study  under  private  tuition.  He  graduated  at  the 
Boston  Dental  College  1869,  and  at  the  New  York  Eclectic 
College  1871.  In  the  mean  time  Dr.  Jewett  attended 
lectures  at  Harvard  Medical  School  and  at  the  College  of 
Physicians  and  Surgeons,  New  York.  He  removed  to  this 
town  in  1871  and  has  maintained  a  lucrative  practice  to  the 
present  time.  He  has  been  president  of  the  Worcester 
North  Eclectic  Medical  Society,  and  for  many  years  the 
secretary  and  treasurer.  He  has  been  councillor  and  presi- 
dent of  the  Massachusetts  Eclectic  Medical  Society  and  is  a 
member  of  the  National  Eclectic  Medical  Association.  Dr. 
Jewett  is  the  eighteenth  resident  physician  who  has  practised 
in  this  town  and  among  this  number  none  has  been  more 
constantly  employed. 

Dr.  Charles  Knowlton  was  here  a  few  months  in  the 
autumn  and  winter  of  1830-31. 

Dr.  Miles  Spauldixg,  now  of  Groton,  practised  in  this 
town  from  April  to  September,  1845,  supplying  the  time 
between  the  practice  of  Dr.  Stone  and  Dr.  Miller. 

Dr.  John  Petts,  who  resided  in  this  town  for  many 
years,  was  a  physician,  but  he  did  not  engage  in  practice 
after  he  removed  to  Ashburnham. 

Lawyers. — Of  the  four  resident  lawyers  of  this  town 
only  one  remained  any  considerable  length  of  time.  If  the 
good  people  of  Ashburnham  have  not  been  wholly  free  from 


PERSONAL   NOTICES.  475 

strife  and  contention,  they  have  seldom  appealed  to  the 
courts  for  arbitration.  And  in  some  instances  it  is  possible 
the  contestants  have  found  more  entertainment  in  a  continued 
prosecution  of  some  domestic  quarrel  than  could  be  realized 
in  any  possible  terms  of  legal  adjustment. 

Ephraim  May  Cunningham,  Esq.,  practised  law  in  this 
town  from  about  1818  to  1824.  He  removed  to  South 
Reading,  now  Wakefield.  While  in  this  town  he  boarded 
with  the  Jewetts,  and  by  tradition  he  is  furnished  with  the 
credentials  of  a  good  character  and  respectable  abilities. 

Henry  Adams,  Esq.,  came  to  this  town  in  1825,  or  early 
in  1826,  and  remained  four  or  five  years.  He  was  a  man  of 
fair  abilities  and  met  with  a  reasonable  measure  of  success. 

George  G.  Parker,  Esq.,  was  born  in  Coventry, 
Connecticut,  May  10,  1800,  and  was  graduated  at  Yale  in 
the  class  of  1828.  He  pursued  his  professional  studies  in 
the  oflSce  of  Myron  Lawrence,  Esq.,  of  Belchertown,  and 
began  the  practice  of  law  in  this  town  in  1831.  He  was 
quite  deaf  and  labored  under  great  embarrassment,  yet  he 
was  successful  and  was  highly  esteemed  by  the  profession 
and  by  his  townsmen.  He  served  two  years  in  the  supervi- 
sion of  the  public  schools  and  for  many  years  he  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  board  of  selectmen.  In  1840  and  1841  he  ably 
represented  the  town  in  the  Legislature.  He  died  Decem- 
ber 14,  1852. 

Albert  Haynes  Andrews,  Esq.,  son  of  Jeremiah  and 
Abigail  Anna  (Haynes)  Andrews,  was  born  in  Waltham, 
December  29,  1829.  He  attended  the  schools  in  Ashby  and 
Fitchburg  and  the  Academy  at  Westminster,  and  pursued 
his  professional  studies  in  the  office  of  Judge  Thornton  K. 
Ware  of  Fitchburg.  He  was  admitted  to  the  Worcester 
county  bar  in  1856.  With  a  view  of  entering  upon  the 
practice  of  law  in  the  West,  Mr.  Andrews  went  to  Chicago 


476  HISTORY   OF  ASHBURNHAM. 

and  there  becoming  interested  in  the  controversy  attending 
the  political  situation  of  Kansas  he  raised  a  company  of  sixty 
men  and  hastened  to  the  relief  of  the  Free  State  party  in  this 
memorable  conflict.  Returning  to  the  East  he  entered  upon 
the  practice  of  law  in  this  town  in  the  autumn  of  1857.  He 
was  the  fourth  and  last  resident  lawyer  in  Ashburnham. 

While  a  resident  of  this  town  he  was  a  member  of  the 
school  committee  and  in  1860  and  1861  he  represented  this 
district  in  the  Legislature,  and  was  adjutant  of  the  Ninth 
Eegiment  of  Militia ,  then  under  command  of  Colonel  Joseph 
P.  Rice.  In  May,  1861,  Mr.  Andrews  was  commissioned  a 
first  lieutenant  in  the  regular  army  and  assigned  to  the 
Nineteenth  Infantry.  He  continued  in  the  service  about 
nine  years  and  during  this  time  he  was  in  fact  a  citizen  of 
Ashburnham.  For  gallant  and  meritorious  service  at  the 
battle  of  Shiloh  he  was  breveted  captain  and  at  Stone  River 
he  won  the  brevet  rank  of  major.  In  the  autumn  of  1863 
Major  Andrews  was  ordered  North  on  recruiting  service. 
After  enlisting  two  hundred  and  sixty-five  men  he  remained 
with  his  regiment  in  Tennessee  and  Georgia  until  the  sur- 
render of  the  Confederate  army.  Subsequently,  Major 
Andrew^s  was  with  his  regiment  in  Arkansas  and  Louisiana 
until  he  resigned  January  1,  1870.  During  this  time  he  was 
commandant  of  military  posts  much  of  the  time  and  was 
frequently  assigned  to  important  trusts. 

During  the  past  seventeen  years  Major  Andrews  has 
resided  in  Fitchburg,  in  Kansas  and  in  San  Francisco,  Cali- 
fornia, and  since  November,  1879,  he  has  been  Inspector  of 
Customs  at  Boston.  In  a  life  of  diversified  employment, 
Major  Andrews  has  been  faithful  and  efiicient  in  the  dis- 
charge of  duty  and  has  commanded  the  respect  and  confi- 
dence of  his  associates. 


PEKSONAL   NOTICES.  477 

Deacon  Samuel  Wilder  was  born  in  Lancaster,  May  7, 
17o9.  He  was  a  son  of  Colonel  Caleb  Wilder  and  a  grand- 
son of  Judge  Joseph  Wilder.  Colonel  Caleb  Wilder  owned 
many  acres  of  land  in  Dorchester  Canada  and  was  much 
employed  in  forwarding  the  settlement.  His  name  frequently 
appears  in  the  records  of  the  proprietors,  but  he  never  re- 
sided in  this  town.  Samuel  Wilder  settled  here  previous  to 
1765.  At  the  first  town  meeting  under  the  act  of  incorpora- 
tion, March  25,  1765,  he  was  chosen  collector  of  the  land 
tax.  Before  the  close  of  the  year  he  temporarily  removed 
from  the  town  and  in  November  following  Samuel  Nichols 
was  chosen  in  place  of  Mr.  Wilder  who  was,  as  the  record 
asserts,  "  out  of  the  province."  He  soon  returned  and  in 
1767  he  was  a  selectman  and  received  other  mention  in  the 
proceedings  of  the  meetings.  From  this  date  he  resided  in 
Ashburnham  continuously  until  his  deatl\.  In  early  life  he 
was  a  captain  in  the  colonial  militia,  but  he  was  never  honored 
with  the  title  after  he  was  chosen  a  deacon.  The  records 
assert  his  popularity  and  the  unlimited  confidence  of  his 
townsmen.  He  was  several  years  a  member  of  the  General 
Court;  was  the  town  clerk  twenty-two  years,  a  selectman 
fifteen  years  and  an  assessor  twenty  years.  In  addition  to 
this  extended  service  he  was  frequently  chosen  on  important 
committees  and  in  every  emergency  his  service  was  invoked. 
For  many  years  he  was  justice  of  the  peace  and  in  his  time 
few  legal  papers  were  executed  in  this  town  which  did  not 
bear  his  familiar  signature. 

The  advancement  of  Mr.  Wilder  was  attended  by  no  for- 
tuitous circumstances.  His  honors  were  merited  and  his 
position  among  his  townsmen  was  the  voice  of  mature  senti- 
ment. If  not  brilKant,  his  qualities  were  solid,  and  if  he  did 
not  win  the  applause  of  his  fellow-men,  he  enjoyed  in  an 
unusual  degree  their  tnist  and  confidence.  At  fifty-nine 
years  of  age  he   died   suddenly  May   9,  1798,  but  he  lived 


478  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

until  Joseph  Jewett  had  been  advanced  to  his  assistance  in 
town  aft'airs.  Leaving  his  mantle,  like  the  prophet  of  old, 
upon  the  shoulders  of  his  successor,  he  closed  a  record  full 
of  honor  and  unstained  with  an  ignoble  deed. 

Joseph  Jewett,  son  of  Edward  and  Sarah  Jewett,  was 
born  in  Stow,  May  10,  1761.  The  family  had  previously 
resided  in  Concord,  where  some  of  the  older  children  were 
born  and  subsequently  removed  to  Bolton.  Deacon  Edward 
Jewett,  a  man  of  superior  ability  and  a  prominent  citizen  of 
Rindge,  was  an  older  brother.  After  serving  in  the  Revolu- 
tion, of  which  mention  is  made  in  another  chapter,  Joseph 
Jewett  removed  to  this  town  in  1783.  He  was  a  merchant 
and  a  farmer  and  for  many  years  the  leading  business  man  in 
the  place  ;  but  in  other  employments  he  was  even  more  in- 
timately identified  with  the  town's  history.  In  this  con- 
nection his  record,  as  a  citizen,  and  the  sterling  qualities  of 
his  character  demand  more  than  a  passing  notice.  At  the 
age  of  twenty-two  years  he  entered  upon  the  scene  of  his 
future  activity  and  immediately  the  town  recognized  the 
qualities  of  the  man.  The  proof  of  his  popularity  and  the 
measure  of  the  confidence  reposed  in  him  are  witnessed  by 
the  records.  He  was  a  member  of  the  board  of  selectmen 
fifteen  years,  an  assessor  fifteen  years,  town  clerk  eighteen 
years  and  was  ten  times  chosen  to  preside  over  the  annual 
March  meeting. 

In  the  midst  of  these  accumulating  honors  and  responsi- 
bilities he  was  a  member  of  the  Legislature  seven  years  and 
was  frequently  chosen  to  serve  on  committees  and  render 
other  service  to  the  town.  But  no  numerical  statement  of 
his  official  service  will  fairly  express  the  measure  of  confi- 
dence reposed  in  him,  or  the  unanimity  in  which  he  was 
called  to  these  posts  of  duty.  In  military  afi"airs  he  evinced 
a  lively  interest.  Tradition  asserts  he  was  the  first  captain 
of  the  Ashburnham  Light  Infantry.     It  is  certain  that  he 


PERSONAL   NOTICES.  479 

commanded  a  company  in  this  town  as  early  as  1789  and  was 
commissioned  a  captain  of  the  independent  company  in  this 
town,  July  12,  1791,  and  the  following  year  was  promoted 
to  major.  He  was  lieutenant-colonel  in  1705  and  colonel 
of  the  regiment,  to  which  the  Ashburnham  companies 
belonged,  in  1796.  For  many  years  he  was  a  justice  of  the 
peace  and  was  frequently  called  upon  to  act  in  this  capacity. 
A  rear  room  in  the  store  building  was  styled  the  court-room 
and  there  many  official  papers  were  executed  and  many 
minor  suits  were  adjudicated. 

In  these  outlines  of  a  life  work,  if  other  evidence  failed, 
there  would  remain  the  inference  of  capacity,  honesty  and  a 
measure  of  urbanity  through  which  his  fellow-men  clearly 
recognized  these  sterling  qualities. 

In  civil  affairs  Joseph  Jewett  is  the  most  conspicuous  per- 
sonage in  the  town's  history.  He  was  the  oracle  of  his  time 
and  an  autocrat  among  his  townsmen,  yet  his  ambition  was 
limited  and  he  wisely  exercised  authority  when  thrust  upon 
him.  The  aged  who  remember  Mr.  Jewett  are  united  in  the 
testimony  that  he  was  a  man  of  rigid  integrity,  —  that  the 
distinguishing  qualities  of  his  mind  were  an  intuitive  per- 
ception and  a  sound  judgment,  and  that  he  was  kind  and 
considerate  to  his  fellow-men.     He  died  May  3,  1846. 

General  Iyers  Jewett,  a  son  of  Colonel  Joseph  Jewett, 
was  born  in  this  town.  May  7,  1788.  His  record  as  a  mer- 
chant in  his  native  town  has  been  stated  in  another  chapter. 
In  1827  he  removed  to  Fitchburg  and  was  interested  in 
several  manufacturing  and  other  enterprises.  Many  of  the 
business  ventures  which  he  forwarded  with  enthusiasm  and 
supported  with  his  money  and  credit  were  unfortunate  for 
him  and  his  friends.  General  Jewett  was  of  buoyant,  ardent 
temperament,  of  attractive,  personal  appearance  and  com- 
manding presence.  He  was  affable,  kind-hearted  and  gener- 
ous.    Popularity  was   his  birthright  and  the  record   of  his 


480  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

-early  life  is  attractive  and  inspiriting.  At  thirty-four  years 
of  age  he  had  risen  from  the  ranks  of  the  Ashbiirnham  Light 
Infantry  to  the  rank  of  a  general  of  the  State  Militia.  At 
every  step  in  this  rapid  transition  he  had  been  an  efficient 
and  popular  officer.  He  had  been  a  successful  merchant  and 
had  enlarged  the  business  established  by  his  father.  He  had 
been  employed  in  town  affiiirs  and  had  exercised  unusual 
sway  and  command  among  his  fellow-men. 

Few  men  at  this  age  and  in  a  rural  community  of  limited 
population  have  made  a  more  brilliant  record.  In  mental 
capacity,  in  fitness  to  lead  and  ability  to  command  among 
men  and  aptitude  in  the  routine  transaction  of  lousiness,  he 
resembled  his  father  in  an  eminent  degree.  In  boldness  of 
conception,  in  power  to  persuade  and  in  originality  of  project 
he  was  his  superior ;  but  in  ripeness  of  judgment,  in  pru- 
dence and  caution,  he  failed  at  the  threshold  of  his  father's 
success.  Of  his  later  life  little  is  known.  He  removed  to 
the  South  and  there  accumulated  a  handsome  property  which 
was  swept  away  by  the  fortunes  of  war  during  the  Rebellion. 
He  died  at  Mobile,  Alabama,  April  26,  1871. 

The  Willards.  —  The  brothers  Deacon  John  and  Jacob 
Willard  removed  from  Harvard  1768.  They  were  men  of 
ability  and  occupied  prominent  positions  in  public  affairs. 
Deacon  Willard  died  July  4,  1793,  having  been  in  feeble 
health  for  several  years.  He  was  a  man  of  most  estimable 
character  and  was  highly  respected.  Had  he  been  sustained 
by  health  it  is  probable  that  very  few  in  the  history  of  the 
town  would  have  been  more  conspicuous. 

Jacob  Willard  was  a  strong,  aggressive  character.  His 
services  in  behalf  of  good  government  during  the  disturb- 
ances succeeding  the  Revolution,  and  especially  during  the 
excitement  attending  the  revolt  of  Daniel  Shays,  were  instant 
and  effective.     He  was  a  delegate  to  the  Law  and  Order 


PEKSONAL   NOTICES.  481 

Conventions  held  at  that  time,  and  was  a  hrni  supporter  of 
the  Government.  He  was  a  representative  to  the  first 
Legislature  convened  under  the  Constitution  of  the  State, 
and  was  four  times  elected  subsequently.  His  name  fre- 
quently appears  in  the  list  of  town  officers  in  another  chap- 
ter, and  few  men  have  exercised  a  stronger  or  more  salutary 
influence  in  town  affairs.     He  died  February  22,  1808. 

Silas  Willard,  Esq.,  son  of  Deacon  John  Willard,  was 
another  prominent  citizen  of  this  town.  In  1820  he  was  a 
member  of  the  Constitutional  Convention  and  was  frequently 
chosen  to  positions  of  trust.  For  twenty-eight  years  he  was 
a  justice  of  the  peace  and  through  a  long  life  he  commanded 
the  esteem  and  respect  of  all  who  knew  him.  He  died  June 
14,  1855. 

JoHX  Adams,  son  of  Captain  Thomas  and  Lydia  (Chad- 
wick),  Adams,  was  born,  January  22,  1745.  In  1766  he 
began  a  clearing  on  Cambridge  farm,  on  land  purchased  of 
his  father,  and  here  he  was  engaged  each  summer  in  clearing 
land  and  in  building  a  house  and  a  barn  until  1770,  when  he 
became  a  permanent  resident  of  this  town.  That  John 
Adams  was  a  man  of  unusual  vigor  of  body  is  an  easy  infer- 
ence from  the  fact  that  he  lived  to  the  advanced  age  of  one 
hundred  and  four  years,  one  month  and  four  days,  and  that 
he  was  a  man  of  superior  mental  endowment  is  swiftly  wit- 
nessed by  the  record  of  a  prolonged  and  useful  life.  He  was 
frequently  elected  assessor  and  selectman,  and  in  other 
municipal  afiairs  he  was  much  employed.  In  an.  unusual 
degree  he  commanded  the  respect  and  good  will  of  his  towns- 
men. The  fruit  of  a  life  of  industry  and  frugality  he  dis- 
tributed, while  living,  among  his  children,  and  when  over 
ninety  years  of  age,  with  a  horse  and  light  wagon,  he 
journeyed  to  Harford,  Susquehannah  county,  Pennsylvania, 
and  back  to  Ashburnham.     His  son,  James,  had  previously 


482  HISTORY  OP  ASHBURNHAM. 

removed  to  Harford  and  soon  after  his  visit  there  he   re- 
turned to  that  place  and  there  resided  until  his  death. 

In  the  closing  years  of  a  remarkable  life  he  passed  through 
no  twilight  of  mental  decay  and  feebleness.  When  over  one 
hundred  years  of  age,  in  a  letter  to  Mrs.  Samuel  Gibson, 
who  during  many  years  was  a  near  neighbor,  he  writes  of 
himself  in  these  clear,  intelligent  sentences,  —  "My  eyesight 
remains  much  as  it  has  been  for  many  years.  I  can  see  with 
glasses  to  read  an  hour  or  two  at  a  time  which  answers  in 
the  room  of  hearing."  Not  until  he  had  closely  approached 
one  hundred  years  did  his  hearing  fail,  and  to  the  end  he 
was  able  to  converse  with  his  friends,  although  his  hearing 
was  considerably  impaired.  Under  date  of  February  7, 
1846,  he  writes  to  his  grandson,  John  Adams,  as  follows  : 

Beloved  Grandson :  —  This  morning  I  received  the  kindness  of 
your  letter,  and  among  other  things  it  brought  the  sorrowful  and 
melancholy  tidings  of  the  death  of  your  venerable  grandmother 
Gibson.  The  news  has  struck  me  with  uncommon  feelings  of 
sorrow.  I  presume  you  are  not  unacquainted  with  the  friendship 
that  has  for  many  long  years  subsisted  between  the  old  lady,  your 
grandmother,  and  myself,  and  hope  you  will  not  wonder  at  my 
being  overpowered.  My  mind  is  too  much  disturbed  to  be  able  to 
write.  O,  what  a  vale  of  tears  is  this  pilgrimage,  —  this  worldly 
state  in  which  we  are  placed !  And  how  are  we  excited  to  sym- 
pathize with  each  other  under  the  bereavements  which  we  have 
sustained  since  I  saw  you  last,  when  we  look  around  and  see  what 
slaughter  the  King  of  Terrors  has  been  permitted  to  make  in  our 
family.  O,  how  many  of  our  nearest  relations  and  even  bosom 
companions  are  no  more  ;  —  and  last  of  all  your  beloved  grand- 
mother, my  friend  and  sister.  And  where  now  shall  we  look  for 
consolation?  To  God  and  to  the  Gospel  of  his  Son.  There,  and 
there  alone,  shall  we  find  relief. 

Love  to  j'our  children  and  all  enquiring  friends,  your  uncle 
Samuel's  [Gibson]  family  in  particular.  With  the  affections  of  a 
parent,  I  remain 

JOHN  ADAMS. 


PERSONAL   NOTICES.  4§3 

In  a  letter  to  Joel  Foster,  son  of  Samuel  and  grandson  of 
Jeremiah  Foster,  an  early  settler  in  this  town,  vivid  evidences 
of  an  unimpaired  memory  are  apparent.  The  letter  was 
written  at  Harford,  February  3,  1846. 

Respected  Friend :  —  I  am  now  with  a  weak  and  faltering  hand 
attempting  to  comply  with  your  request  by  writing  a  few  lines  to 
you,  hoping  tliis  will  find  you  and  your  family  in  health  and 
prospering.  I  would  inform  you  that  my  health  is  as  good  as  may 
be  expected  by  a  person  like  myself  under  the  infirmities  of  old 
age  and  the  decay  of  mental  faculties.  Dear  sir,  I  received  your 
friendly  letter  by  my  son  James  and  took  much  pleasure  in  read- 
ing the  contents  of  it ;  it  always  gives  me  much  pleasure  to  receive 
a  letter  from  my  Massachusetts  friends,  but  especially  from  a 
family  where  I  have  been  so  agreeably  acquainted  as  I  was  with 
your  honored  father  and  his  family.  It  reminds  me  of  by-gone 
days  when  we  were  doing  town  business  together.  If  ever  I  took 
satisfaction  in  that  business  it  was  when  I  was  connected  with 
your  father.  True,  he  was  not  a  ready  writer  ;  but  his  candor,  his 
judicious  and  sound  judgment  and  unprejudiced  mind  and  ex- 
tensive knowledge  of  the  town  and  its  affairs,  qualified  him  for  the 
business  in  which  he  was  often  engaged.  I  presume  you  remember 
me  often  at  your  house,  and  I  knew  something  of  its  affairs  ;  and 
truly  I  thought  your  father  and  his  family  was  a  worthy  example, 
and  on  his  farm  a  pattern  of  industry,  dilligence  and  economy ; 
in  the  town,  a  pillar  to  the  community  a  blessing  to  all,  an  honest 
man,  which  is  the  noblest  work  of  God.  But  his  God  whom  he 
served  saw  fit  in  the  midst  of  his  days  to  call  him  hence,  and  shall 
not  the  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth  do  right?  And  who  shall  say 
to  the  Almighty,  what  doest  thou,  or  why  doest  thou  so? 

I  understand  by  your  letters  that  in  years  past  you  have  been 
visited  by  sickness  and  the  loss  of  friends,  even  your  bosom  friend. 
In  this  I  can  feelingly  sympathize  with  you,  having  been  tried  in 
the  same  furnace  of  affliction,  losing  the  wife  of  my  youth  with 
whom  I  lived  fifty-three  years,  every  year  adding  strength  to  the 
tie  of  aff^ection.     But  under  these  trials  it  becomes  us  to  cultivate 


484  HISTORY    OF    ASHBURNHAM. 

a  spirit  of  resignation  whereby  we  may  be  enabled  to  say  from  the 
heart, —  "  Not  my  will,  heavenly  Father,  but  thine  be  done." 

Dear  friend,  I  now  take  the  liberty  to  congratulate  you  on  the 
happy  connexion  which  you  have  formed  with  the  once  Mrs. 
Cobleigh,  a  lady  with  whom  I  have  in  time  past  had  some  acquaint- 
ance, and  view  her  to  be  a  lad}'  of  virtue,  intelligence  and  benefi- 
cence, and  with  whom  I  wish  3'ou  to  enjo}'  a  long,  peaceful,  joyful, 
prosperous  and  happy  life. 

I  must  write  one  sad  piece  of  news,  if  you  have  not  heard  of  it. 
Our  coal  mine,  about  eighteen  miles  from  here,  about  a  fortnight 
ago  broke  in  and  covered  seventeen  men  which  have  not  yet  been 
found. 

Give  my  respects  to  all  your  surviving  family  and  enquiring 
friends.  When  I  think  of  Ashburnham,  it  seems  as  though  I  was 
at  home,  being  the  place  where  I  spent  the  prime  and  vigor  of  my 
days,  and  where  there  are  now  many  of  my  near  relations  and 
dear  friends  sleeping  in  the  dust.  Peace  to  their  ashes ;  and 
peace  to  the  town  ;  long  may  it  continue  to  prosper ;  and  may 
truth  and  righteousness  grow  and  flourish. 

Divine  Providence,  it  seems,  has  so  ordered  that  my  body  must 
return  to  dust  in  a  strange  land,  that  is,  in  a  land  far  distant  from 
where  rest  most  of  the  ashes  of  my  beloved  relatives.  Truly  such 
would  not  have  been  my  choice  ;  but  why  should  we  be  anxious 
about  the  clay  when  the  spirit  has  taken  its  flight  to  God  who  gave 
it  ?  And  blessed  be  God  for  the  hope  which  is  the  anchor  of  the 
soul  sure  and  steadfast,  that  we  in  his  own  time  shall  meet  and 
worship  him  and  his  son  Jesus  Christ  our  Redeemer,  joining  in  a 
new  and  never-ending  anthem  and  song  of  redeeming  love. 

And  here,  dear  sir,  I  must  conclude  my  broken  epistle ;  and 
bidding  you  goodby,  I  remain  your  sincere  friend, 

JOHN   ADAMS,    aged  one  hundred  and  one  years. 

Mr.  Joel  Foster. 

Other  letters  and  writings,  treasured  by  his  descendants, 
assert  the  vigor  of  an  active  mind,  and  those  written  when 
this  aged  man   had  lived  an  hundred  years  are  without  a 


^, 


tr>i^e^ 


PEESONAL   NOTICES.  485 

parallc4.  He  died  February  26,  1849.  His  descendants  in 
this  town  have  been  and  still  are  numerous  and  have  ever 
been  useful  and  prominent  citizens. 

Colonel  Enoch  Whit^iore,  son  of  Isaac  and  Rebecca 
(Foster)  Whitmore,  was  born  in  this  town,  September  8, 
1796.  He  was  a  farmer  and  a  manufacturer,  and  resided  in 
the  northwest  part  of  the  town.  In  early  life  he  was  an 
efficient  officer  in  the  militia  and  rapidly  rose  to  the  command 
of  the  regiment.  Having  held  the  commissions  of  lower 
rank  he  was  commissioned  colonel  of  the  Fourth  Regiment 
in  1829.  In  town  aftairs  he  was  frequently  called  to  positions 
of  trust  and  was  chosen  to  nearly  all  the  offices  within  the 
gift  of  the  town. 

The  anti-slavery  cause  early  enlisted  his  sympathies  and 
found  in  him  an  intelligent  and  steadfast  support.  With 
him  the  sentiment  was  not  the  offspring  of  emotional 
sympathy,  but  a  living  principle  of  human  right  and  justice. 
In  this  and  in  all  questions  of  moment.  Colonel  Whitmore 
was  a  radical  but  not  a  fanatic.  In  his  view  the  institution 
of  slavery  was  wrong,  and  to  oppose  it  with  the  force  of  a 
persistent  nature  was  a  natural  sequence.  For  many  years 
he  was  in  the  minority  and  during  an  age  of  strong  political 
prejudices,  his  political  views  were  a  bar  to  promotion  in 
public  service  ;  yet  his  frequent  election  to  office  was  a  spon- 
taneous recognition  of  his  worth  and  ability.  In  his  daily 
life  he  was  above  reproach,  and  in  his  social  relations  he  was 
generous  and  affectionate.     He  died  September  13,  1860. 

Jerome  W.  Foster,  Esq.,  son  of  Joel  and  Dolly 
(Wetherbee)  Foster,  was  born  in  this  town,  December  15, 
1810.  He  was  a  great-grandson  of  Jeremiah  Foster,  one  of 
the  early  settlers  of  this  town,  and  inherited  in  an  eminent 
degree  a  firmness  of  character  and  soundness  of  judgment 
which  had  distinguished  his  ancestors.     Mr.  Foster  was  a 


486  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

man  of  varied  employments  and  many  trusts  were  safely 
confided  to  his  efficient  management.  He  was  a  civil 
engineer,  a  justice  of  the  peace,  for  many  years  the  superin- 
tendent of  the  post  office  and  was  frequently  employed  in  the 
conduct  of  town  affiiirs.  He  was  also  a  trustee  of  Gushing 
Academy  and  a  member  of  the  committee  of  construction, 
and  to  his  prudent  and  sagacious  counsels  the  Academy  is 
much  indebted.  For  eighteen  years  he  was  town  clerk. 
The  records  by  him  transcribed  are  expressed  with  precision 
and  orderly  arrangement.  In  every  labor  of  an  industrious 
life,  Mr.  Foster  has  left  the  impress  of  mature  judgment  and 
integrity  of  character.  If  he  never  sought  the  applause  of 
his  fellow-men  and  never  suggested  his  own  advancement  he 
did  not  fail  to  receive  the  spontaneous  confidence  and  un- 
qualified respect  of  all  who  knew  him. 

Mr.  Foster  was  reserved  in  manner  and  conservative  in 
his  habits  of  thought,  yet  he  never  failed  in  the  discharge  of 
important  trusts,  nor  in  courage  to  maintain  his  convictions 
of  right  and  duty.  He  was  prominent  in  all  measures  per- 
taining to  the  welfare  of  the  town  and  on  questions  of 
moment  his  advice  was  frequently  sought,  and  in  his  loyal 
service  the  best  interests  of  the  community  were  encouraged 
and  advanced.     He  died  March  23,  1871. 

Hon.  Ohio  Whitney,  son  of  Ohio  and  Mary  (Bolton) 
Whitney,  was  born  in  Ashburnham,  June  9,  1813. 
He  was  honorably  connected  in  direct  and  collateral 
branches  of  his  family.  In  early  life  he  was  an  apprentice 
with  Josiah  White,  a  carpenter  of  this  town,  and  sub- 
sequently he  was  foreman  with  Mr.  Tower  of  Worcester,  a 
few  years.  Eeturning  to  his  native  town  at  the  age  of 
twenty-six  years,  he  was  mainly  employed  as  a  contractor 
and  builder  through  the  earlier  years  of  an  active  and  useful 
life.     He  was  engaged  at  different  times  in  many  business 


PrL&T 


PERSONAL   NOTICES.  487 

enterprises,  and  especially  those  in  which  the  prosperity  of 
the  town  was  more  immediately  involved.  But  he  was  best 
known  and  is  more  conspicuous  in  the  annals  of  this  town  as 
a  public-spirited,  loyal  citizen.  With  him  the  fame  and 
growth  of  Ashburnham  was  not  merely  a  series  of  sudden 
impulses,  enlisting  his  energies  for  a  day,  but  rather  a  con- 
trolling and  ever  renewed  inspiration  which  neither  failed 
under  discouragement  nor  suffered  abatement  under  oppos- 
ing obstacles. 

Every  commendable  enterprise  has  found  in  Mr.  Whitney 
unfailing  encouragement  and  to  the  aid  of  very  many  his 
willing  service  has  been  summoned.  For  many  years  he 
was  a  trustee  of  the  Fitchburg  Savings  Bank  and  a  vice- 
president  of  the  Ashburnham  Savings  Bank,  and  an  original 
director  of  the  Ashburnham  National  Bank.  He  was  presi- 
dent of  the  Worcester  North  Agricultural  Society  in  1864 
and  1865,  and  an  active  member  of  the  Fitchburg  Board  of 
Trade.  His  efficient  service  in  behalf  of  Gushing  Academy, 
is  mentioned  in  another  chapter. 

In  the  affairs  of  the  town  he  w^as  much  employed.  His 
service  in  this  direction  was  efficient  and  cheerfully  rendered. 
Eighteen  years  he  presided  over  the  annual  March  meetings 
and  was  frequently  elected  to  the  board  of  selectmen  and 
assessors  and  upon  important  committees.  In  1856  he 
represented  the  town  in  the  House  of  Representatives,  and 
the  following  year  he  was  a  member  of  the  Senate. 

But  such  enumeration  of  public  services  fails  to  suggest 
the  characteristics  of  the  man.  In  this  direction  others  have 
earned  equal  honors,  but  few  have  served  the  public  with 
equal  acceptance  and  efficiency.  In  his  intercourse  with  his 
fellow-men  he  was  affable  and  charitable.  He  bore  malice 
to  none.  In  the  inner  walks  of  his  daily  life  his  affections 
were  constant  and  his  friendships  enduring.  He  died 
February  6,  1879. 


488  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

Personal  Notices.  —  To  the  following  notices  are 
appended  brief  sketches  of  Governor  Isaac  Hill,  Thomas 
Parkman  Gushing  and  Hon.  Milton  Whitney.  While  they 
removed  from  this  town  in  early  life  they  were  members  of 
Ashburnham  families ;  Mr.  Gushing  and  Mr.  Whitney  were 
natives  of  this  town. 

Hon.  Isaac  Hill,  eldest  son  of  Isaac  and  Hannah  (Rus- 
sell) Hill,  was  born  in  Cambridge,  now  Arlington,  April  6, 
1788.  The  family  removed  to  Ashburnham  in  1798  and 
here  found  many  ties  of  kindred.  The  mother  of  this  dis- 
tinguished man  was  a  grand-daughter  of  Captain  Thomas 
Adams  who  removed  to  this  town  in  1775  and  a  sister  of 
Thomas  Eussell  who  removed  here  about  1790.  The  parents 
continued  to  live  and  died  in  this  town,  and  three  of  the 
daughters  became  the  wives  of  Ashburnham  men.  Assist- 
ing in  the  management  of  a  farm  and  attending  the  primitive 
schools  of  this  town  a  few  weeks  in  each  year,  Mr.  Hill 
remained  here  until  December,  1802,  when  he  was  appren- 
ticed to  Joseph'  Cushing,  the  publisher  of  the  Farmers' 
Cabinet  at  Amherst,  New  Hampshire.  Mr.  Cushing  was 
a  son  of  Captain  David  Cushing  of  this  town. 

Having  improved  every  opportunity  for  the  acquisition  of 
knowledge,  he  left  the  employ  of  Mr.  Cushing  and  went  to 
Concord,  New  Hampshire,  April  5,  1809,  the  day  before  he 
was  twenty-one  years  of  age.  In  the  autumn  preceding  the 
American  Patriot,  a  small  weekly  paper,  had  been 
established  in  Concord  and  at  this  time  Mr.  Hill  purchased 
the  establishment.  On  the  eighteenth  of  April  he  became  a 
citizen  of  Concord  and  entered  upon  a  career  enlivened  by 
many  weighty  and  brilliant  achievements.  He  was  an  able 
controversial  writer  and  for  many  3^ears  the  vigorous  editor 
of  the  New  Hampshire  Patriot.  Through  the  columns  of 
this    paper   he  won  a  national    reputation  and  became  the 


PERSONAL   NOTICES.  48^ 

acknowledged  leader  of  the  Democratic  party  of  the  State. 
He  was  a  rigid  partisan,  ready  at  all  times  to  give  and  to 
receive  vigorous  blows  ;  and  if  he  was  strong  and  some- 
times scathing  in  attack  he  was  generous  and  noble  in  all  his 
personal  relations  with  his  fellow-men.  His  friendship  was 
unfailing,  he  was  frank,  sincere  and  honest  and  his  character 
was  above  reproach.  It  is  easily  within  the  limits  of  con- 
servative estimate  to  assert  that  Isaac  Hill  had  a  more 
numerous  personal  following  and  firmer  adherents  than  has 
fallen  to  the  lot  of  any  man  in  New  Hampshire. 

In  the  course  of  an  active  life  he  was  called  to  numerous 
positions  of  trust  and  responsibility  and  in  this  varied  service 
his  integrity  and  ability  were  conspicuous.  He  was  a  di- 
rector of  several  local  monetary  organizations ;  twice  the 
clerk  of  the  State  Senate,  a  member  of  both  branches  of  the 
Legislature  and  in  1829  he  was  appointed  by  President  Jack- 
son second  comptroller  of  the  Treasury  Department.  He 
was  chosen  United  States  senator  for  a  full  term  commencing 
March,  1831.  Having  been  elected  governor  of  New  Hamp- 
shire in  the  spring  of  1836  he  resigned  his  seat  in  the  Senate 
a  few  months  before  the  completion  of  the  term.  In  1837 
and  1838  he  was  reelected  governor,  and  in  1840  he  was 
appointed  sub-treasurer  of  the  United  States  at  Boston. 

Thomas  Parkman  Gushing  was  born  in  this  town,  Octo- 
ber 7,  1787.  He  was  the  youngest  of  the  eight  children  of 
Rev.  Dr.  John  and  Sarah  (Parkman)  Gushing.  In  lineal 
descent  this  family  is  not  represented  in  this  town  at  the 
present  time,  but  the  name  is  crystallized  in  the  annals  of 
Ashburnham.  It  will  live  for  ages  and  will  be  read  in  fair 
characters,  both  in  the  prolonged  and  useful  pastorate  of  the 
father  and  in  the  life  and  benevolence  of  the  son.  At  the 
age  of  thirteen  years  he  entered  the  store  of  an  elder  brother 
in  Boston.     This  engagement  was  interrupted  by  the  death 


490  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

of  his  brother.  In  1809  he  became  one  of  the  firm  of  Tuck- 
erman  and  Rogers,  subsequently  known  as  Tuckerman  and 
Cushing  and  as  Gushing  and  Wilkinson.  In  this  firm  he 
was  actively  engaged  until  he  retired  from  business  a  few 
years  previous  to  his  death. 

In  an  address  delivered  by  Rev.  Josiah  D.  Crosby  at  the 
dedication  of  Cushing  Academy,  1875,  appears  the  following 
outline  of  the  business  life  of  Mr.  Cushing. 

"The  knowledge,  varied,  extensive  and  valuable,  necessary 
to  conduct  such  establishments  successfully,  is  almost  an 
education  of  itself.  Besides,  the  habits  of  the  man  of  busi- 
ness in  respect  to  order,  punctuality,  observation,  large 
generalization  of  facts,  of  close  and  consecutive  thinking,  of 
decisive  and  instant  action,  conjoined  with  honorable  dealing, 
are  of  high  value. 

"  Not  unfrequently  men,  so  trained,  have  stepped  into  the 
highest  offices  of  the  country,  and  have  filled  them  with 
great  profit  to  the  people,  as  well  as  honor  to  themselves. 
Mr.  Cushing  seems  to  have  applied  himself  with  a  character- 
istic enthusiasm  to  a  thorough  mastery  of  all  the  knowledge 
connected  with  his  business,  and  much  more  ^han  this,  as 
will  appear  farther  on.  He  went  abroad  for  business  pur- 
poses early  in  life,  and  made  good  use  of  his  opportunities 
for  general  improvement.  But  all  this  was  incidental  to  his 
main  purpose,  that  is,  success  in  business.  About  1812,  he 
formed  the  purpose  of  going  to  Europe  to  purchase  goods 
to  be  put  upon  a  bare  market  after  the  war.  He  was 
defeated  in  his  first  attempt,  but  finally  reached  England 
through  Halifax.  He  remained  in  Europe  to  the  close  of 
the  war.  He  bought  his  goods,  and  they  came  upon  the 
market  at  a  favorable  time,  with  much  advantage  to  himself 
from  his  venture. 


PERSONAL   NOTICES.  491 

"  Mr.  Gushing  was  an  upright  and  honorable  merchant  of 
the  old  school.  He  guided  his  conduct  by  principles,  and 
not  impulses.  His  gains  were  not  from  speculation,  dash  or 
reckless  movements,  but  were  the  results  of  fair  trade.  His 
morals  were  pure  and  his  habits  good.  Though  a  man  of 
great  energy  and  persistency,  yet  he  was  a  quiet,  noiseless 
man,  especially  pleased  with  home  and  domestic  scenes. 
His  relief  from  toils  of  business  was  not  in  the  gatherings  of 
men,  but  in  reading,  many  times  till  late  at  night.  It  may 
suffice  to  say,  that  by  good  conduct,  untiring  industry  and 
excellent  judgment,  he  gained  for  himself  an  ample  fortune 
in  the  sense  of  his  time,  and  achieved  a  place  among  the 
solid  men  of  Boston." 

In  his  youth  the  exterior  educational  advantages  of  Mr. 
Gushing  were  limited,  but  the  influences  of  his  home  in 
childhood  gave  direction  to  his  habits  of  thought  and  his 
manner  of  life.  He  was  a  student  always  and  with  an  ex- 
acting employment  of  his  leisure  hours  he  became  a  master 
of  English  literature  and  acquired  a  fair  knowledge  of  French 
and  Spanish. 

By  attentive  reading,  by  observation  and  through  the  asso- 
ciation with  persons  of  similar  tastes,  Mr.  Gushing  fully 
comprehended  the  enlargement  of  education  and  the  progress 
of  art  and  the  sciences  that  have  attended  the  age  in  which 
he  lived.  In  these  habits  of  thought  and  in  such  employ- 
ments, stimulated  by  a  thirst  for  knowledge  which  his  early 
advantages  could  not  satisfy,  the  foundations  of  Gushing 
Academy  were  wisely  and  firmly  laid. 

Goncerning  his  manner  in  his  daily  life  the  aifectionate 
hand  of  a  daughter  has  written  : 

"My  father  had  a  remarkably  even  temper,  and  rarely 
gave  way  to  anything  like  excitement  in  tone  or  look.  He 
had  a  quick  sense  of  humor  and  enjoyed  telling  and  hearing 


492  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

a  good  story.  His  manners  were  ever  those  of  a  highly 
bred  gentleman,  his  voice  naturally  low,  and  uniform  urban- 
ity and  courtesy  distinguished  him  in  his  family  as  abroad. 
He  had  a  fine  musical  ear ;  in  younger  days  was  a  good 
singer  and  played  the  flute  well.  Even  to  the  last  year  of 
his  life,  it  was  a  delight  to  him  to  accompany  the  piano  with 
his  favorite  instrument,  and  our  evenings  were  often  spent 
in  music  and  singing. 

"  He  was  also  fond  of  art,  and  though  never  in  Italy,  was 
familiar  with  her  treasures  of  sculpture,  architecture  and 
painting,  and  possessed  many  fine  engravings  of  the  same." 

Thomas  Parkman  Gushing  died  November  23,  1854.  His 
Avill  which  had  been  written  a  few  years,  making  ample  pro- 
vision for  an  institution  of  learning  in  his  native  town,  was 
then  announced.  The  wisdom  and  the  liberality  of  the 
bequest  have  received  willing  tributes  of  commendation,  but 
no  one  can  present  a  clearer  picture  of  the  man  or  give  a 
better  interpretation  of  his  thought  than  are  revealed  in  the 
pages  of  his  will. 

Milton  Whitney,  Esq.,  son  of  Captain  Silas  and 
Hannah  (Gushing)  Whitney,  was  born  in  this  town, 
October  9,  1823.  In  an  exact  use  of  an  ambiguous  term, 
Mr.  Whitney  was  a  self-educated  man.  His  only  educa- 
tional privileges  were  found  in  the  public  schools  in  this 
town  ,  and  at  a  time  before  high  schools  and  academies 
presented  an  opportunity  for  an  advanced  course  of  study. 
At  an  early  age  he  entered  the  law  office  of  Torrey  and 
Woods,  Esqs.,  of  Fitchburg.  He  was  an  attentive  student 
and  was  admitted  to  the  Worcester  county  bar  about  1845. 
After  a  brief  practice  in  Fitchburg,  he  removed  to  Baltimore, 
Maryland,  in  1850.  There,  as  if  awaiting  his  arrival,  the 
laurels  of  conquest  abundantly  crowned  his  industry  and 
earnest  efforts.     His  ability  as  a  lawyer  and  his  power  as  an 


PERSONAL   NOTICES.  493 

advocate  were  promptly  recognized,  and  he  early  secured  a 
large  and  lucrative  practice.  In  1854  he  was  chosen  county 
attorney  for  the  county  of  Baltimore,  and  at  the  completion 
of  his  term  in  1858,  he  was  reelected.  In  the  conduct  of 
this  office,  he  manifested  both  ability  and  courage.  He  in- 
stituted a  fearless  and  vigorous  prosecution  of  a  disorderly 
element  of  the  population,  and  liberated  the  city  from  a 
reign  of  terror  which  had  prevailed  for  many  years.  With 
unrelenting  energy  he  brought  men  of  high  and  low  degree 
to  feel  the  power  of  oftended  law,  and  gave  to  human  life 
and  property  a  security  unknown  in  former  years.  In  this 
direction  his  success  was  brilliant  and  substantial.  Often  he 
labored  in  the  midst  of  an  adverse  public  sentiment  and 
wrested  a  verdict  against  crime  from  a  sympathizing  jury. 

In  1860  he  resigned  an  office  in  which  for  six  years  he  had 
won  unusual  distinction  and  had  secured  the  merited  regard 
of  his  fellow-men.  During  the  remaining  years  of  his  life  he 
conducted  many  trials  that  are  historic  in  that  State. 

The  national  government  recognizing  his  ability,  confided 
to  his  care  several  important  cases.  In  one  of  these  he 
secured  a  verdict  of  three  million  dollars  on  a  claim  of  the 
Post  Office  Department  against  a  delinquent  contractor. 
This  successful  issue  attracted  considerable  attention  from 
the  foct  that  the  defendants  had  successfully  resisted  all 
former  proceedings  against  them.  But  he  was  best  known 
and  won  the  highest  distinction  as  a  criminal  lawyer.  With 
the  training  he  had  received  as  a  prosecuting  attorney,  with 
an  intimate  knowledge  of  criminal  law  and  the  ability  to 
summon  every  energy  for  instant  use  he  was  as  successful  in 
defence  as  he  had  formerly  been  in  the  prosecution  of  persons 
accused  of  crime.  He  was  frequently  brought  into  com- 
petition with  men  of  the  highest  legal  attainments  and 
ability  as   advocates,   but   on    all    occasions    he    sustained 


494  HISTORY   OF  ASHBURNHAM. 

himself  with  credit  and  honor.  His  intellect  brightened  in 
the  contest  and  each  encounter  added  to  his  fame. 

In  the  midst  of  his  greatest  achievements  his  strength 
failed  him  and  he  sought  his  native  town  for  rest  and  in  the 
hope  of  amended  health.  Surrounded  by  friends  and  visited 
by  the  acquaintances  of  his  youth,  his  courage  triumphed 
over  his  weakness,  yet  he  found  no  relief  and  lived  only  a 
few  weeks. 

Mr.  Whitney  was  of  medium  height  and  of  slender  form. 
Sudden  and  nervous  in  his  movements,  he  was  yet  afiable 
and  inviting  in  his  manner.  In  his  clear  blue  eye  beamed 
the  light  of  restless  force  and  the  tone  of  his  voice  gave 
accurate  expression  to  the  ardor  of  his  emotions.  Modest 
and  unassuming,  he  seldom  referred  to  his  achievements  or 
appeared  conscious  of  the  magnitude  of  his  labor.  He  died 
in  Ashburnham,  September  3,  1875,  and  was  buried  in 
Baltimore,  Maryland. 

College  Graduates.  —  The  following  list  of  college 
graduates  both  in  number  and  ability  is  highly  creditable  to 
the  town.  All  of  them  are  either  natives  of  Ashburnham  Oj- 
removed  hither  in  early  childhood.  A  few  are  included  who 
did  not  graduate,  although  they  substantially  completed  a 
collegiate  course  of  study. 

Asa  Stearns,  son  of  William  and  Lydia  (Davis) 
Stearns,  was  born  in  Ashburnham,  October  14,  1784. 
Graduated  at  Harvard  University,  1807.  He  was  a  young 
man  of  promise.  His  early  death  is  recorded  by  Rev.  John 
Gushing  :  — Asa  Stearns,  A.  B.,  a  candidate  for  the  gospel 
ministry,  died  December  19,  1809,  M.  25." 

Rev.  Oliver  Green,  son  of  Oliver  and  Dorothy  Hildreth 
Green,  was  born  in  Pepperell,  July  4,  1781.  Oliver  Green, 
Sen.,  was  a  native  of  Pepperell  and  resided  there  until  about 
1782   when  he    removed  to   Ashby.       The    year    1799    he 


PERSONAL  NOTICES.  495 

resided  iu  Westford,  and  in  1800  he  removed  to  this  town 
where  he  died  May  15,  1834.  Oliver,  the  son,  was  nineteen 
years  of  age  when  the  family  removed  to  Ashburnhara.  He 
graduated  at  Dartmouth  College,  1807,  and  studied  divinity 
with  Kev.  Dr.  Samuel  Austin,  of  Worcester.  He  taught  at 
New  Salem  from  June,  1807,  to  October  1808,  and  at 
Saratoga  Springs,  New  York,  from  October,  1808,  to 
September,  1809.  In  the  autumn  of  the  last  year  he 
removed  to  Sparta,  New  Jersey,  where  he  was  pastor  of  the 
Presbyterian  church  and  a  teacher.  He  died  at  Sparta, 
October  24,  1810. 

Dr.  Samuel  Scollay,  son  of  Grover  and  Rebecca 
(Harris)  Scollay,  was  born  in  Harvard,  January  21,  1781. 
The  family  removed  to  Ashburnham  when  he  was  a  child  of 
three  or  four  years  of  age.  He  fully  improved  the  public 
schools  of  this  town  and  labored  upon  the  farm  of  his  father 
until  he  became  of  age  and  was  at  full  liberty  to  direct  his 
future  course.  He  then  pursued  a  liberal  course  of  study 
and  was  graduated  at  Harvard  University,  1808.  After 
teaching  a  short  time,  he  studied  medicine  with  Dr.  Samuel 
J.  Cramer,  of  Charlestown,  Virginia,  and  in  the  spring  of 
1816,  he  received  his  degree  from  the  University  of  Pennsyl- 
vania in  Philadelphia.  He  entered  upon  the  practice  of  his 
profession  in  Smithfield,  Jefferson  county,  Virginia,  now 
West  Virginia,  and  there  remained  in  active  labor  until  his 
death.  He  was  a  man  of  superior  ability,  and  in  his  pro- 
fession he  merited  and  enjoyed  an  excellent  reputation.  He 
acquired  a  substantial  estate,  but  the  memory  of  his  spotless 
character  and  excellent  qualities  of  mind  and  heart  was  the 
richer  inheritance  of  his  children.  He  died  January  11, 
1857. 

Rev.  Jonathan  David  Winchester,  son  of  Henry  and 
Lois  (Phelps)  Winchester,  and  a  grandson  of  Rev.  Jonathan 


496  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

Winchester,  was  born  in  Ashburnham,  April  28,  1781. 
Oraduated  at  Middlebiny  College,  1809.  He  read  theology 
with  Rev.  Holland  Weeks,  of  Abington.  After  preaching  a 
few  years  at  Madrid,  New  York,  he  was  pastor  of  the  First 
Presbyterian  church  in  Madison,  Ohio,  from  1826  to  1828, 
and  of  the  Second  Presbyterian  church  in  that  place  1830-31. 
He  was  a  noted  biblical  student  and  devoted  considerable 
time  to  a  critical  study,  but  a  literal  interpretation  of  the 
prophecies  concerning  the  restoration  of  the  Jews.  He 
believed  in  their  early  return  to  Jerusalem  with  their 
Mosaic  rights  and  ceremonies  and  that  their  conversion  to 
Christianity  would  immediately  follow.  Until  his  death  he 
labored  assiduously  to  direct  the  attention  of  the  Christian 
public  to  this  subject,  and  also  to  convince  the  Jews  of  the 
general  truths  of  Christianity.  Imbued  with  these  senti- 
ments and  improving  every  opportunity  to  give  them  ex- 
pression, he  travelled  extensively  in  this  country  and  also 
visited  England  where  he  was  engaged  several  months  in 
active  labor.  With  a  lofty  faith  and  courage  unabated,  he 
was  contemplating  a  journey  to  the  shores  of  the  Medi- 
terranean, in  a  hope  that  he  might  render  more  signal  service 
in  preparing  a  way  for  the  return  of  Israel  to  their  ancient 
Jeiiisalem,  when  death  overtook  him.  He  died  at  Madison, 
Ohio,  August  17,  1835. 

Henry  Crosby,  son  ot  Frederick  and  Martha  (Maynard) 
Crosby,  was  born  in  Shrewsbury,  July  18,  1785.  The 
family  removed  to  this  town  1795.  He  graduated  at  Dart- 
mouth College,  1810,  and  read  for  the  profession  of  law  in 
the  State  of  New  York,  where  he  practiced  several  years. 
Subsequently,  he  removed  to  Middlebrook  Mills,  Mont- 
gomery county,  Maryland,  where  he  was  engaged  in  teach- 
ing many  years.  About  1838,  it  is  supposed,  he  removed 
to  Missouri  and  his  subsequent  career  is  unknown. 


PERSONAL  NOTICES.  497 

Asa  Green,  M.  D.,  son  of  Oliver  and  Dorothy  (Hil- 
(Ireth)  Green,  was  born  in  Ashby,  February  11,'  1789.  He 
entered  sophomore  class  of  Williams  College  and  graduated 
1813.  In  college  he  held  a  good  reputation  as  a  scholar  and 
was  distinguished  for  wit  and  vigor  of  thought.  He 
practised  medicine  in  Lunenburg,  Townsend  and  North 
Adams,  and  while  residing  in  the  last  named  place  he  con- 
ducted a  paper  for  a  short  time.  Later,  he  removed  to  New 
York  city  and  published  a  readable  work  of  fiction  which 
was  intended  to  ridicule  quackery  in  medicine.  He  received 
his  degree  of  Doctor  of  Medicine  from  Brown  University. 
He  died  in  New  York,  1839. 

Hox.  Phinehas  Randall,  son  of  Phinehas  and  Sarah 
(Crosby)  Randall,  was  born  in  Ashburnham,  June  5,  1787. 
About  1810  the  family  removed  to  Williston,  Vermont,  and 
while  a  resident  of  that  place  he  entered  the  University  of 
Vermont  where  he  graduated  in  the  class  of  1813.  He  was 
principal  of  the  academy  in  Cherry  Valley,  New  York,  for 
a  short  time  and  was  early  admitted  to  the  bar.  He  was 
successfully  engaged  in  the  practice  of  his  profession  at 
Bowman's  Creek,  later  known  as  Ames,  in  Montgomery 
county,  New  York,  until  1851,  when  he  removed  to 
Waukesha,  Wisconsin,  where  he  died  1853. 

In  1828-9,  he  was  a  member  of  the  New  York  Legislature 
and  was  appointed  Judge  of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas  for 
the  county  of  Montgomery  1839.  Among  his  children  are 
included  Hon.  Alexander  W.  Randall,  governor  of  Wiscon- 
sin, and  Hon.  Edwin  M.  Randall,  Chief  Justice  of  Florida. 
The  family  record  is  continued  in  the  Genealogical  Register. 

Rev.  John  Stearns,  son  of  Isaac  and  Mary  (Crosby) 
Stearns,  was  born  in  this  town,  May  11,  1791.  Graduated 
at  Union  College,  1821.  He  studied  divinity  and  was 
ordained  in  the  ministry  without  charge.     He  was  a  teacher 


498  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

in  Washington,  D.  C,  where  he  died   September  10,  1824. 

Eev.  Merrick  Augustus  Jewett,  D.  D.,  youngest 
son  of  Colonel  Joseph  and  Sarah  (Woods)  Jewett,  was  born 
in  this  town,  August  26,  1798.  He  is  remembered  as  a 
youth  of  excellent  qualities  of  mind  and  heart,  and  was  held 
in  high  esteem  as  a  pupil  and  subsequently  as  a  teacher  in 
the  public  schools  of  his  native  town.  He  pursued  his 
preparatory  studies  at  Phillips  Academy,  Andover,  and 
graduated  at  Dartmouth  College  in  class  of  1823.  During 
the  ensuing  two  or  three  years  he  assisted  in  the  store  of  an 
elder  brother  who  was  established  in  Baltimore,  Maryland, 
and  while  there  he  studied  theology  under  the  direction  of 
Rev.  Dr.  John  McKim  Duncan.  After  preaching  nearly 
eight  years  in  Bedford  county,  Pennsylvania,  in  the  sum- 
mer of  1834,  while  journeying  to  St.  Louis  where  a  field  of 
labor  was  inviting  him,  he  tarried  for  a  day  at  Terre  Haute, 
Indiana.  The  labor  of  a  lifetime  now  met  him  on  his  way. 
He  was  cordially  invited  to  remain  and  preach  the  ensuing 
Sabbath.  The  first  sermon  determined  the  future  relations 
between  the  preacher  and  the  settlement.  Terre  Haute, 
now  a  city  of  thirty-five  thousand  inhabitants,  was  then  a 
village  of  twelve  hundred.  At  their  earnest  solicitation 
Mr.  Jewett  remained  and  preached  to  them  through  the 
week,  and  early  in  December,  1834,  a  Congregational 
church  was  organized  with  eleven  members.  With  an 
ardent,  eloquent  preacher  and  a  respected  and  beloved 
pastor,  the  church  grew  with  the  town.  In  1841,  during  a 
series  of  revival  meetings,  Mr.  Jewett  was  assisted  by  Rev. 
Henry  Ward  Beecher  and  over  one  hundred  names  were 
added  to  the  roll  of  the  church. 

An  incident  connected  with  his  early  labors  in  Terre 
Haute  was  never  forgotten  by  the  pastor  or  his  sympathizing 
flock.     After  he  had  preached  a  few  weeks  he  returned  to 


PERSONAL   NOTICES.  499 

Baltimore  to  attend  his  family  on  the  journey  to  their  future 
home.  Returning  they  arrived  at  Terre  Haute  Christmas 
eve.  The  following  morning  his  little  son  was  instantly 
killed  by  the  accidental  discharge  of  a  gun  in  the  hands  of  a 
servant.  If  his  labors  were  begun  with  tears,  the  sorrowful 
event  awoke  the  tender  sympathy  of  his  people. 

In  1860,  and  after  a  successful  and  able  pastorate  of  nearly 
twenty-six  years,  Mr.  Jewett  resigned  his  charge.  Without 
charge,  though  frequently  engaged  in  religious  labor,  he 
continued  a  residence  in  that  place  until  a  few  months  pre- 
ceding his  death.  While  journeying  in  the  South  for  the 
benefit  of  impaired  health  he  died  at  Paris,  Texas,  April  3, 
1874,  aged  nearly  seventy-six. 

In  regard  to  the  ministry  of  Rev.  Dr.  Jewett,  one  who 
knew  him  through  all  the  years  of  his  devoted  labor  in 
Terre  Haute,  pays  him  a  cheerful  tribute  :  "He  was  a  man 
of  great  ability,  bearing  a  high  reputation  as  a  pulpit  orator 
and  as  a  faithful,  sympathetic  pastor."  "Added  to  his  social 
qualities  and  to  his  strong  sympathy  and  to  his  broad 
catholicity  were  his  superior  talents.  He  was  an  earnest 
preacher  of  the  truth.  He  was  a  man  of  thought,  a  man  of 
culture." 

Rev.  Josiah  Davis  Crosby,  Union  College,  1826. 
Vide  Chapter  VIII. 

Rev.  Jesse  George  Davis  Stearns,  son  of  Jesse  and 
Lucinda  (Davis)  Stearns,  was  born  in  this  town,  February 
24,  1812.  The  family  removed  to  New  Ipswich  in  1829 
where  he  pursued  his  preparatory  studies  and  graduated  at 
Amherst  College,  1836.  He  was  principal  of  Hopkins 
Academy  in  Hadley  1836-8,  and  tutor  in  Amherst  College 
1839-41.  Mr.  Stearns  pursued  a  full  course  of  theological 
study  at  Andover,  1838-9  and  '41-2.  He  was  ordained  at 
Billerica,  the  home  of  his  ancestors,  May  29,  1843,  and  was 


500  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

dismissed  May  8,  1867.  He  was  subsequent ly  acting  pastor 
at  Zumbrota,  Minnesota,  from  1876  until  his  death  which 
occurred  November  1,  1882. 

Of  his  pastorate  in  Billerica,  Rev.  Henry  A.  Hazen 
accords  the  following  merited  tribute  :  "  The  long  and  faith- 
ful pastorate  of  Mr.  Stearns  deserves  especial  recognition. 
A  scholar  of  exceptional  diligence  and  culture,  modest  and 
devout  and  active  in  every  good  word  and  work,  he  com- 
mended himself  to  the  citizens  of  the  town  as  well  as  to  his 
own  charge.  As  a  teacher  of  a  useful  private  school  and 
superintendent  of  the  schools  of  the  town,  he  exerted  no 
little  influence  and  represented  the  town  in  the  Legislature." 
Mr.  Stearns  is  the  author  of  "  Meaning  and  Power  of 
Baptism,"  and  of  several  printed  discourses  and  pamphlets. 

REA^  William  Raymond,  son  of  Daniel  and  Sally 
(Green)  Raymond,  was  born  in  Ashby,  October  27,  1815. 
The  fomily  removed  to  this  town  in  1822.  He  entered 
Amherst  College  in  1834  and  remained  two  years.  Subse- 
quently he  was  an  academical  and  theological  student  at 
Oberlin  College  but  did  not  graduate.  Having  been 
appointed  to  the  Mendi  Mission,  Africa,  under  the  auspices 
of  the  American  Missionary  Association  he  amved  with  his 
wife  at  Freetown,  Sierra  Leone,  January  15,  1842,  after  a 
passage  of  fifty  days.  During  the  voyage  they  experienced 
considerable  sickness  and  buried  their  only  child.  They 
immediately  returned  to  their  native  land,  but  again  sailed 
for  Afi'ica,  November  21,  1843.  In  this  service  he  died  in 
Africa,  November  26,  1847. 

Rev.  William  S afford  Spaulding,  son  of  Isaac  and 
Lydia  (Brown)  Spauldiug,  was  born  in  this  town,  March  4, 
1809.  He  was  a  student  at  New  Ipswich  Academy  and 
graduated  at  Marietta  College  1839.  He  was  principal  of  an 
academy  in  East  Brooklyn,  New  York,  1841-2  ;  of  Brooklyn 


PERSONAL   NOTICES.  501 

Female  Collegiate  Institute  1843-4;  of  Salisbury,  New 
Hampshire,  Academy,  1845-6  ;  of  Boscawen,  New  Hamp- 
shire Academy,  1847-8.  While  residing  in  Salisbury  he 
studied  divinity  with  Rev.  C.  B.  Tracey  and  was  ordained 
in  the  ministry  September  18,  1848.  During  the  succeed- 
ing ten  years  he  was  engaged  in  teaching  and  in  the  ministry 
in  Ohio.  Commencing  in  1859  he  was  two  years  acting 
pastor  of  the  Congregational  church  in  Bristol,  New  Hamp- 
shire, and  agent  of  the  American  Tract  Society  from  1867  to 
1870.     He  died  in  Lynn,  June  10,  1884. 

General  Harrison  C.  Hob  art,  a  distinguished  lawyer 
and  politician  of  Wisconsin,  was  born  in  this  town,  January 
31,  1815.  He  was  a  son  of  Peter  and  Keziah  (Hobart) 
Hunt  and  at  the  solicitation  of  his  maternal  relatives  he 
assumed  the  name  of  Hobart.  In  his  youth  he  served  an 
apprenticeship  of  three  years  in  a  printing-office  at  Haverhill, 
New  Hampshire.  Through  his  own  efforts  at  his  trade  and 
in  teaching  school  he  pursued  a  liberal  course  of  study  grad- 
uating at  Dartmouth  College  1842.  He  studied  law  in  the 
office  of  Hon.  Robert  Rantoul  of  Boston  and  emigrated  to 
the  Territory  of  Wisconsin  in  1846.  Mr.  Hobart  entered 
upon  the  practice  of  his  profession  in  Sheboygan.  His 
talents  and  sterling  qualities  commanded  immediate  recog- 
nition and  on  the  year  of  his  arrival  he"  was  chosen  to  the 
territorial  legislature  from  Sheboygan  and  Washington 
counties.  On  the  organization  of  the  State  government  he 
was  the  first  senator  from  his  district.  In  this  service  he 
was  appointed  chairman  of  the  Committee  on  Judiciary,  a 
most  important  position,  and  many  of  the  early  statutes  of 
the  State  were  drafted  by  him.  The  following  year  he  was 
returned  to  the  Assembly  and  was  elected  Speaker  of  the 
House.  In  the  years  immediately  following  he  was  twice 
nominated  for  Congress  and  commanded  the  full  support  of 
his  political  party  which  was  in  the  minority  in  his  district. 


502  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

In  1855  he  removed  to  Chilton  in  Camulet  county  and  from 
that  district  he  was  elected  to  the  Assembly  in  1859.  The 
following  year  he  was  the  standard  bearer  of  the  Democratic 
party  in  the  gubernatorial  contest.  In  this  canvass  the  town 
of  Ashburnham  was  exclusively  and  honorably  represented, 
the  Republican  and  successful  candidate  being  Hon.  Alex- 
ander W.  Randall  whose  father  was  a  native  of  this  town. 

During  these  years,  crowned  with  many  and  substantial 
^honors,  Mr.  Hobart  has  been  a  successful  lawyer  and  has 
been  thoroughly  identified  with  the  prosperity  of  a  vigorous 
State  and  the  welfare  of  its  public  institutions.  At  the  first 
call  for  troops  in  the  Spring  of  1861  he  closed  his  office  and 
enlisted  as  a  private.  In  the  organization  of  the  Fourth 
"Wisconsin  Regiment  he  was  commissioned  captain.  Having 
been  stationed  several  months  near  Washington,  in  March, 
1862,  the  regiment  was  ordered  to  New  Orleans  under  com- 
mand of  General  Butler.  In  this  campaign  the  regiment 
rendered  gallant  service.  Captain  Hobart,  then  at  Baton 
Rouge,  was  promoted  August  21,  1862,  to  lieutenant-colonel 
of  the  Twenty-first  Wisconsin  Regiment.  Colonel  Hobart 
joined  his  regiment  in  Kentucky  in  October.  The  colonel 
being  absent  on  account  of  wounds,  Colonel  Hobart  was  in 
command  of  the  regiment  from  the  time  of  his  arrival  in 
Kentucky.  At  the  battle  of  Stone  River  which  ensued  soon 
after.  Colonel  Hobart  and  his  command  received  honorable 
mention  in  the  report  of  General  Rosseau.  On  the  evening 
of  the  memorable  battle  at  Chickamauga,  General  Thomas 
ordered  a  retreat ;  in  this  movement.  Colonel  Hobart  who 
had  been  holding  a  forward  position  was  taken  prisoner. 
With  many  other  Union  prisoners  he  was  incarcerated  in 
Libby  prison.  At  the  end  of  four  months  he  Avith  piany 
others  escaped  through  a  tunnel  which  they  had  excavated 
under  the  street  and  a  distance  of  sixty  feet.     He  returned  to 


\-^  Q, 


PERSONAL   NOTICES.  503 

his  regiment  and  participated  in  the  siege  of  Atlanta,  Georgia, 
and  in  the  "March  to  the  Sea."  In  the  closing  scenes  of  the 
war  he  was  in  command  of  a  brigade.  At  the  request  of 
General  Sherman  and  dating  from  the  capture  of  Atlanta,  he 
was  bre vetted  brigadier-general  for  meritorious  service.  On 
his  return  to  civil  life  in  1865  General  Hobart  removed  to 
Milwaukee  and  there  renewed  the  practice  of  his  profes- 
sion. In  1865  he  was  again  a  candidate  for  governor  and 
was  defeated  by  Hon.  Lucius  Fairchild  on  party  issues. 
Two  years  later  finds  him  again  in  the  Assembly  where  his 
service  was  conspicuous.  Through  several  succeeding  years 
he  was  a  member  of  the  city  council  and  in  1878  its 
president. 

His  career  has  been  brilliant  and  honorable.  As  a  lawyer, 
an  orator,  a  legislator  and  a  soldier,  he  has  won  many  laurels 
and  has  secured  the  confidence  and  respect  of  his  fellow-men. 

Rev.  Josiah  Milton  Stearns,  son  of  Jesse  and  Lucinda 
(Davis)  Stearns,  was  born  in  this  town,  June  17,  1818.  He 
fitted  for  college  at  New  Ipswich  Academy  and  entered 
Amherst  College  in  class  of  1843  but  graduated  at  Marshall 
College,  Pennsylvania,  in  class  of  1844.  He  studied  theol- 
ogy at  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  and  was  ordained  over  the  Congre- 
gational church  at  Lunenburg,  Vermont,  June  6,  1849. 
From  his  first  charge  he  was  dismissed  February  3,  1852. 
After  a  brief  pastorate  at  Brentwood,  New  Hampshire,  he 
died  in  that  town  June  12,  1853. 

Rev.  Danforth  Leander  Eaton,  son  of  Josiah  and 
Mary  (Reed)  Eaton,  was  born,  July  4,  1822.  Entering 
Oberlin  College  he  graduated  in  regular  course  1843  and 
remained  in  the  theological  department  of  that  institution 
the  ensuing  two  years.  During  a  prolonged  and  active 
career  he  has  been  a  successful  preacher  in  Michigan.  (All 
the  places  named  in   the  following  paragraphs  are   in  that 


504  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

State.)  He  was  ordained  in  the  ministry  at  Farmers  Creek, 
March  1,  1848,  and  the  same  year  he  was  installed  over  the 
Congregational  church  in  Oakland,  where  he  remained  until 
1856.  Subsequently  he  labored  four  years  at  Howell  and 
at  Brighton.  In  1860  he  was  installed  over  the  Congrega- 
tional church  in  Lowell.  From  1862  to  1866  he  was 
engaged  in  business  but  returned  'to  the  ministry  and 
preached  in  several  places  in  the  vicinit}^  and  again  in 
Lowell  from  1874  to  1878.  During  the  past  eight  years, 
with  a  home  in  Lowell,  he  has  supplied  in  Ovid,  Cannon  and 
Cannonsburg. 

Mr.  Eaton  has  been  a  faithful  pastor  and  an  acceptable 
preacher.  He  has  ever  maintained  friendly  and  intimate 
relations  with  his  charge,  and  with  rare  executive  ability  he 
has  been  eminently  successful  in  building  up  the  churches 
over  which  he  has  presided. 

Peter  Thatcher  Hunt,  son  of  Peter  and  Hezekiah 
(Hobart)  Hunt,  was  born  in  Ashburnham,  September  9, 
1819.  He  graduated  at  Dartmouth  College,  1847.  He 
taught  at  Lexington  and  at  Louisville,  Kentucky,  and  was 
principal  of  the  Glasgow  Academy  in  the  place  last  named. 
In  the  mean  time  he  studied  law  and  was  admitted  to  prac- 
tice in  Louisville.  Removing  to  Iowa  he  entered  upon  a 
successful  practice  of  his  profession,  but  failing  health  led 
him  to  modify  the  matured  plans  of  a  life  work.  In  quest 
of  health  he  visited  the  Pacific  coast  where  for  several  years 
he  was  familiar  with  a  life  among  the  mines  and  with  Indian 
warfare.  Later  he  removed  to  Washington  Territory  and 
was  there  engaged  in  teaching  and  in  stock-raising.  During 
the  war  he  was  active  and  iniiuential  in  the  Union  cause  and 
a  leading  member  of  the  Legislature.  In  1872  he  removed 
to  Denver,  Colorado,  where  he  continues  to  reside  and  is  a 
useful  and  influential  citizen. 


PERSONAL   NOTICES.  505 

Dr.  Charles  Edson  Davis,  son  of  Charles  and  Elvira 
(Buss)  Davis,  was  born  in  this  town.  May  11,  1822.  He 
entered  Dartmouth  College  1846,  and  remained  through 
Freshman  and  Sophomore  years.  With  impaired  health  he 
pursued  his  professional  study  with  Dr.  Harriman  of  Gard- 
ner and  graduated  at  Dartmouth  Medical  School,  1852.  He 
practised  successfully  in  Greenwich,  Hard  wick  and  Ashby. 
He  died  in  this  town,  June  8,  1863. 

Oliver  Davis,  son  of  Charles  and  Elvira  (Buss)  Davis, 
was  born  in  this  town,  August  7,  1823.  He  entered  Dart- 
mouth College  with  his  brother  and  graduated  in  class  of 
1850.  He  studied  medicine  with  Dr.  Alfred  Hitchcock  of 
Fitchburg,  and  later  he  was  a  student  at  Harvard  Medical 
School.  On  account  of  failing  health  he  returned  to  his 
home  a  few  weeks  before  the  completion  of  the  prescribed 
course  of  study.  With  ample  preparation  and  ability  for  a 
life  of  usefulness,  he  died  March  1,  1853. 

Eev.  Walter  Rice,  son  of  Silas  and  Almira  (Corey) 
Rice,  was  born  in  this  town,  December  25,  1836.  He 
attended  the  public  schools  of  his  native  town  and  of  Ashby 
and  in  early  life  removed  to  Illinois.  With  a  view  to  enter 
the  ministry,  he  entered  Beloit  College,  Wisconsin,  where  he 
graduated  with  honor  in  the  class  of  1862.  He  pursued  the 
prescribed  course  of  study  at  Newton  Theological  Institution 
and  graduated  1865.  In  July  of  the  same  year  he  was 
ordained  and  installed  over  the  church  in  West  Acton.  In 
1868,  he  became  acting  pastor  of  the  church  in  South  Royals- 
ton.  Commencing  in  April,  1874,  he  was  a  student,  in 
special  course,  at  Andover  Theological  Seminary,  and  sub- 
sequently was  pastor  of  the  church  in  Lunenburg.  Since 
May,  1880,  Mr.  Rice  has  been  pastor  of  the  church  in 
Brandon,    Vermont.     He    is    in    the   midst    of  a  successful 


506  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

career  and  every  year  is  presenting  the  fruit  which  will 
attend  the  labor  of  a  lifetime. 

Rev.  Francis  Joel  Fairbanks,  son  of  Emory  and 
Emiice  (Hay ward)  Fairbanks,  was  born  in  this  town,  Sep- 
tember 8,  1835.  Daring  his  preparatory  studies  he  was  a 
popular  teacher  in  the  public  schools  of  this  town,  Lunen- 
burg and  Gardner  and  one  term  in  the  High  school  at  Ashby. 
He  entered  Amherst  College  the  last  term  of  Freshman  year 
and  graduated  in  class  of  1862.  He  pursued  a  course  of 
theological  study  at  the  Theological  Seminary,  Princeton, 
New  Jersey,  and  Union  Theological  Seminary,  New  York 
city.  Licensed  to  preach  May,  1863,  by  the  Worcester 
North  Association.  Having  supplied  at  Westminster, 
Vermont,  during  vacations  while  at  the  seminary,  he  was 
installed  over  the  church  in  that  place  August  31,  1864,  and 
dismissed  in  May,  1871.  From  January  1,  1872,  he  was 
acting  pastor  two  years  of  the  church  in  Ayer  and  acting 
pastor  of  the  church  in  Paxton  from  April  1,  1874,  to  Sep- 
tember 1,  1877.  Since  the  last  date  he  has  been  acting 
pastor  of  the  Congregational  church  in  West  Boylston. 
Mr.  Fairbanks  is  an  earnest  laborer  in  his  profession.  With 
the  force  of  a  vigorous  mind  and  a  lixed  purpose  he  has 
commanded  the  attention  and  respect  of  his  charge.  His 
warm  sympathies  have  sought  their  confidence  and  love,  and 
in  his  daily  life  his  public  instruction  is  continually  renewed. 
He  has  delivered  a  number  of  discourses  on  miscellaneous 
subjects,  and  is  the  author  of  the  History  of  Westminster, 
Vermont. 

Joseph  Whitcomb  Fairbanks,  Ph.  D.,  son  of  Emory 
and  Eunice  (Hayward)  Fairbanks,  was  born  in  this  town, 
March  26,  1841.  He  fitted  for  college  at  Williston  Semi- 
nary, Easthampton,  and  graduated  at  Amherst  College  1866. 
He  was  principal  of  the  High  School,  South   Hadley  Falls, 


PERSONAL   NOTICES.  507 

1866-8  ;  of  Centre  School,  Nomvalk,  Connecticut,  1868-74  ; 
of  Dix  Street  Grammar  School,  Worcester,  1874-5  ;  of 
Worcester  High  School,  1875-8  and  of  Williston  Seminary, 
Easthampton,  1878-84.  During-  the  past  two  years  he  has 
been  private  tutor  at  St.  Paul,  Minnesota.  Mr.  Fairbanks 
is  a  person  of  strong  and  massive  frame,  genial  in  manner 
and  of  commanding  presence.  Endowed  with  rare  executive 
ability,  combined  with  liberal  culture  and  ripe  scholarship, 
he  is  a  popular  and  efficient  instructor.  The  labor  of  his  life 
has  been  attended  with  an  unusual  measure  of  success. 

MELvm  O.  Adams,  Esq.,  son  of  Joseph  and  Dolly  Win- 
ship  (Whitney)  Adams,  was  born  in  Ashburnham,  November 
7,  1847.  He  pursued  his  preparatory  studies  in  this  town 
and  at  New  Ipswich  Appleton  Academy  and  graduated  with 
honors  at  Dartmouth  College  in  the  able  class  of  1871.  He 
was  sub-master  of  the  Fitchburg  High  School  1871-2,  and 
read  law  with  Hon.  Edward  Avery  of  Boston,  and  Hon. 
Amasa  Norcross  of  Fitchburg.  He  received  the  degree  of 
Bachelor  of  Laws  from  Boston  University  1874,  and  the 
same  year  he  was  admitted  to  the  Suffolk  county  bar.  Until 
the  year  1876  he  continued  a  legal  residence  in  this  town  and 
was  moderator  of  the  annual  March  meeting  1874,  '75  and 
'76.  Mindful  of  the  partiality  and  appreciative  regard  of  his 
townsmen,  he  has  responded  to  many  invitations  for  ad- 
dresses on  miscellaneous  subjects. 

In  his  professional  labors  in  Boston  since  1874,  he  has 
been  successful  and  has  won  a  merited  reputation  for  character 
and  ability.  Since  1876  he  has  been  assistant  district  attor- 
ney for  the  district  of  Suffolk,  and  has  probabl}^  been 
engaged  in  the  trial  of  a  greater  number  of  cases  than  has 
fallen  to  the  lot  of  any  lawyer  of  his  age  in  the  State.  In 
habit  of  thought  he  is  quick  and  vigorous.  In  attack  or 
defence  his  resources  are  at  instant  command,  and   all  his 


508  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

work  is  sustained  by  the  weight  of  integrity  and  character. 
Mr.  Adams  is  yet  a  young  man,  possessing  ability  and 
opportunity  to  complete  a  career  which  has  been  ably  and 
firmly  outlined. 

Dr.  Ernest  P.  Miller,  son  of  Dr.  Alfred  and  Elsie  L. 
(Kibling)  Miller,  was  born  in  Ashburnham,  January  4, 
1851.  He  attended  the  public  schools  of  this  town  and  of 
Fitchburg,  and  graduated  at  Harvard  University  1872,  and 
at  Harvard  Medical  School  1877.  He  immediately  entered 
upon  the  practice  of  his  profession  in  Fitchburg,  and  ha& 
been  successfully  employed.  Since  1877,  he  has  been 
Medical  Examiner;  in  1878  and  1883  he  was  elected  City 
Physician  and  since  1884  he  has  been  a  member  of  the  Board 
of  Examining  Surgeons  for  Pensions. 

Frederic  D.  Laxe,  son  of  Samuel  and  Nancy  H. 
(Eaton)  Lane,  was  born  in  this  town,  July  4,  1849.  He 
attended  the  public  schools  of  Ashl)urnham  and  Appleton 
Academy  at  New  Ipswich  and  graduated  at  Dartmouth  Col- 
lege in  class  of  1878.  He  taught  one  year  in  the  public 
schools  of  Ashby  and  this  town  and  since  December,  1879, 
he  has  been  an  instructor  of  mathematics  and  German  in 
Cushing  Academy. 

Francis  W.  Lane,  son  of  Allen  F.  and  Laura  (Tyler) 
Lane,  was  born  in  this  town,  October  24,  1858.  He  pur- 
sued his  studies  in  the  public  schools  of  his  native  town  and 
at  Cushing  Academy,  and  graduated  at  Dartmouth  College 
1881.  He  has  taught  in  Yonkers,  New  York,  and  in  Wash- 
ington, D.  C.  At  the  present  time  he  is  examiner  of  pen- 
sions in  the  Department  of  the  Interior. 

Dr.  Henry  E.  Cushing,  son  of  Benjamin  and  Lois 
(Holbrook)  Cushing,  was  born  in  this  town,  November  30, 
1853.  Pursued  his  preparatory  studies  at  Westfield  High 
School   and    srraduated    at   Dartmouth    College    1882.     He 


PERSONAL  NOTICES.  509 

received  his  degree  from  the  Chicago  Medical  College  in 
March,  1884,  where  ho  had  pursued  a  prescribed  course  of 
study.  In  April  following  he  removed  to  Champion,  Illi- 
nois, and  is  junior  member  of  the  firm  of  Howard  &  Cush- 
ing,  physicians  and  surgeons. 

"Waltek  Herbert  Marble,  son  of  Warren  and  Mary 
L.  (Wilker)  Marble,  was  born  in  this  town,  September  13, 
1858.  He  was  a  student  in  the  public  schools  of  this  town 
and  at  Cushing  Academy.  He  graduated  at  Dartmouth 
College  in  class  of  1883.  At  present  he  is  a  student  at  the 
Chicago  Medical  College,  where  he  will  graduate  in  March, 
1886. 

In  addition  to  the  college  graduates  a  considerable  number 
from  this  town  have  been  admitted  to  the  learned  professions. 
Some  of  them  have  been  distinguished  in  their  calling  and 
none  have  failed  to  honor  the  town  from  whence  they  came 
and  in  which  the  early  habits  of  life  were  formed. 

Rev.  Stephen  Eandall,  son  of  Stephen  and  Sarah 
(Fairbanks)  Randall,  was  born  in  Stow,  January  20,  1763. 
He  was  the  eldest  of  ten  children,  seven  of  whom  were  born 
before  the  family  removed  to  this  town  in  1780.  He  was 
married  and  resided  in  this  town  until  about  1808.  In  1795 
he  was  dismissed  at  his  request  from  the  Congregational 
church  in  order  that  he  might  unite  with  the  Methodists. 
He  was  a  preacher  in  that  denomination  several  years.  He 
died  in  Sweden,  New  York,  April  16,  1828. 

Rev.  Samuel  Harris,  son  of  Deacon  Jacob  and  Eliza- 
beth (Winchester)  Harris,  and  a  grandson  of  Rev.  Jonathan 
Winchester,  was  born  in  this  town,  August  18,  1774.  He 
read  theology  with  Rev.  Dr.  Seth  Payson  of  Riudge,  and 
with  Rev.  Samuel  Worcester  of  Fitchburg,  and  was  licensed 
to  preach  1803.  After  preaching  a  short  time  at  Alstead 
and   New  Boston,  New  Hampshire,  he  was    ordained   and 


510  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

installed  over  the  Congregational  church  in  Windham,  New- 
Hampshire,  October  9,  1805.  In  consequence  of  loss  of 
voice,  he  was  dismissed  at  his  request  in  December,  1826. 
In  1830  and  1831  he  preached  in  Dublin,  New  Hampshire, 
but  his  voice  again  failed  and  he  returned  to  Windham, 
where  he  died  September  5;  1848.  He  was  a  faithful  pastor 
and  a  useful  man,  and  was  held  in  high  esteem  by  all  who 
knew  him. 

Key.  Elijah  Willard^  son  of  Deacon  John  and  Sarah 
(Willard)  Willard,  was  born  in  this  town,  April  19,  1782. 
At  nineteen  years  of  age  he  entered  the  Methodist  ministry 
and  was  then  received  into  the  New  England  Conference. 
For  several  years  he  was  assigned  to  stations  in  New  Hamp- 
shire, Vermont  and  Canada.  Subsequently,  he  filled  several 
pastorates  in  this  State,  but  for  many  years  he  was  retained 
in  the  Conference  in  superannuated  relation.  He  was  an 
attentive  student  of  the  Scriptures  and  eminently  biblical  in 
the  matter  and  the  language  of  his  public  instruction.  It  is 
the  unanimous  testimony  of  all  who  knew  him,  that  he  was  a 
sincere,  earnest  preacher  and  a  most  worthy  and  exemplary 
man.     He  died  at  Saugus,  September  5,  1852. 

Dr.  Abel  Wilder,  son  of  Samuel  and  Dorothy  (Carter) 
Wilder,  was  born  in  this  town,  June  24,  1786.  He  was  a 
man  of  marked  ability,  and  for  many  years  a  distinguished 
citizen  and  eminent  physician  of  Blackstone,  where  he  was 
engaged  in  active  practice  from  1823  to  1864.  A  few  weeks 
before  his  death  he  removed  to  New  York  where  he  died 
1864. 

Simeon  Sanderson,  Esq.,  son  of  Moses  and  Mary 
Proctor  Sanderson,  was  born,  September  24,  1790.  After 
attending  the  public  schools  of  this  town  and  several  terms 
at  the  academies  in  this  vicinity,  he  read  law  with  Mr. 
Dustan  of  Westminster,  and  entered  upon  the  practice  of 


PERSONAL   NOTICES.  511 

his  profession  in  that  place.  He  was  laborious  in  his  habits, 
attentive  to  the  interests  of  his  clients,  and  many  important 
cases  were  entrusted  to  his  care.  He  died  December  3, 
1841. 

Dr.  Charles  Woodward  Wilder,  son  of  Caleb  and 
Elizabeth  (Woodward)  Wilder,  and  a  grandson  of  Colonel 
Caleb  Wilder  of  Lancaster,  was  born  in  this  town,  December 
30,  1790.  He  graduated  at  Dartmouth  Medical  School  in 
class  of  1817,  and  successfully  practised  his  profession  many 
years  in  Templeton.  About  1845  he  removed  to  Fitchburg. 
He  ably  forwarded  the  construction  of  the  Fitchburg  and 
Worcester  railroad  and  became  the  first  president  of  the  cor- 
poration. In  this  position  he  was  succeeded  by  Colonel 
Ivers  Phillips,  also  a  native  of  Ashburnham.  Dr.  Wilder 
subsequently  removed  to  Leominster  where  he  died  February 
12,  1851.  He  was  a  skilful  physician  and  an  influential 
citizen.  He  was  frequently  elected  to  positions  of  trust  and 
represented  the  town  of  Leominster  in  the  Legislature. 

Rev.  Calvin  Cuivimings,  son  of  Abraham  and  Mary 
(Bourne)  Cummings,  was  born  in  this  town,  October  10, 
1792.  The  family  removed  to  Ashburnham  from  Attle- 
borough  a  year  or  two  previous  to  this  date.  Without  doubt 
he  enjoyed  the  limited  school  privileges  of  the  community  in 
which  he  lived  and  no  information  of  an  advanced  course  of 
study  has  been  secured.  His  home  was  in  the  north  part  of 
the  town  and  near  the  families  of  the  early  Methodists.  He 
became  identified  with  them  at  an  early  age.  About  1820, 
he  was  licensed  to  preach,  and  since  that  date  he  did  not 
permanently  reside  in  this  town.  It  is  currently  stated  that 
he  became  a  presiding  elder  and  continued  in  the  ministry 
many  years,  but  a  record  of  his  labors  has  not  been  found. 
He  died  near  Boston  about  1855. 


512.  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

Eev.  HujMPHrey  Harris,  son  of  William  and  Betsey 
Harris,  was  born  in  Concord,  March  28,  1795.  The  family 
removed  to  this  town  before  the  close  of  the  past  century. 
With  few  educational  advantages  he  began  to  preach 
Methodism  about  1828,  and  the  following  year  he  was 
admitted  to  the  New  England  Conference  and  stationed  one 
year  at  Gill.  At  the  close  of  this  appointment  he  joined 
the  Wesleyan  Conference  and  preached  a  few  years  in 
Vermont  and  one  year  in  Rhode  Island.  About  1835  he 
returned  to  this  town  where  he  was  a  farmer  and  occasion- 
ally a  preacher  until  his  death.  Subsequently  he  removed 
to  Winchendon  and  soon  after  was  killed  by  a  falling  tree  in 
1847. 

Rev,  William  Whitney,  son  of  William  and  Lucy 
(Brooks)  Whitney,  was  born  in  Ashburnham,  July  22, 
1809.  He  attended  the  public  schools  of  this  town  and  the 
academy  in  South  Reading.  At  the  age  of  twenty-one 
years  he  travelled  by  stage,  canal  and  steamboat  to  the 
West.  At  that  time  it  required  six  weeks  to  reach  the 
western  part  of  Illinois.  He  continued  his  studies  at  Rock- 
spring  Seminary,  now  the  Shurtleff'  College,  of  Alton, 
Illinois  ;  and  at  Granville  Seminary,  now  Denison  University, 
and  at  Oberlin,  Ohio.  He  was  licensed  to  preach  in  1833, 
but  soon  entered  upon  a  continued  and  useful  career  as  a 
teacher.  He  was  an  instructor  four  years  in  Granville,  six 
in  Lancaster  and  eleven  in  other  places  in  Ohio.  In  1865, 
Mr.  Whitney  was  appointed  financial  agent  of  Denison 
LTniversity  and  in  1870  treasurer  of  the  Baptist  Educational 
Society.  He  has  been  an  officer  in  several  other  religious 
and  educational  organizations,  and  in  each  position,  to  which 
he  has  been  summoned,  he  has  been  efficient  and  faithful  in 
the  discharge  of  duty.     He  resides  at  Granville,  Ohio. 


PERSONAL   NOTICES.  513 

Eev.  Stephen  Gushing,  son  of  Stephen  and  Eliza  (Good- 
ale)  Gushing,  was  born  in  Boston,  March  13,  1813.  In  the 
spring  of  1830  he  removed  with  the  family  to  this  town  and 
resided  here  until  active  labor  in  the  ministry  influenced  a 
residence  in  other  places.  He  was  a  student  at  the  Wesleyan 
Academy  at  Wilbraham  nearly  three  years  and  subsequently 
he  pursued  a  partial  course  of  study  at  the  Wesleyan  Uni- 
versity at  Middletown,  Gonnecticut.  He  was  received  in  the 
New  England  Gonference  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Ghurch 
in  June,  1833,  and  for  the  ensuing  twenty-four  years  he 
completed  with  ability  and  taithfulness  various  pastoral 
charges.  Answering  the  demands  of  impaired  health  he 
rested  a  year,  and  from  1858  to  1880  he  supplied  the  pulpit 
in  many  churches.  His  pastorates  include  Marlboro', 
Winchendon,  Princeton,  Hubbardston,  Southbridge,  East 
Gambridge,  Newburyport,  Ipswich,  Lynn,  Wilbraham, 
Dorchester,  Holliston,  JSTahant,  Stoneham,  Maplewood, 
Reading  and  Needham  in  this  State,  and  Eastford  and  Staf- 
ford in  Gonnecticut. 

Mr.  Gushing  has  made  several  valuable  contributions  to 
the  general  and  local  history  of  JNIethodism  in  this  country. 
He  preached  the  semi-centennial  discourse  in  this  town  which 
is  mentioned  in  another  chapter,  and  in  1883  at  the  annual 
session  of  the  Gonference  in  Boston  he  delivered  an  address 
reviewing  the  progress  of  the  church  during  the  half  century 
since  his  admission  to  the  ministry.  For  man}'-  years  he  has 
efficiently  served  the  Gonference  as  secretary  and  trustee 
and  since  1881  he  has  been  its  treasurer.  In  these  varied 
and  responsible  employments  he  has  enjoyed  the  merited 
approbation  of  his  associates. 

Eev.  Andeew  Jaquith,  son  of  Benjamin  and  Eebecca 
(Spaulding)  Jaquith,  was  born  in  Ashby,  March  7,  1816. 
He  resided  several  years  in  the  north  part  of  this  town.  He 
33 


514  HISTORY    OF    ASHBURNHAM. 

attended  the  Oneida  Institute  three  years  beginning  in  1832, 
and  several  years  subsequently  he  pursued  a  course  of  theo- 
logical study  and  was  ordained  and  installed  over  the  Congre- 
gational church  in  Langdon,  New  Hampshire,  in  1860.  He 
was  devoted  to  the  duties  and  labors  of  his  profession  and 
was  held  in  high  esteem  by  his  parish.  He  died  August  27, 
1864. 

De.  George  Washington  Scollay,  son  of  Grover  and 
Sally  (Stowell)  Scollay,  was  born  in  this  town,  April  13, 
1819.  In  the  spring  of  1839  he  went  to  St.  Louis,  Missouri, 
and  in  the  autumn  of  that  year  he  entered  an  institution  of 
learning  in  Hillsboro',  Illinois,  where  he  remained  two  years 
and  subsequently  he  pursued  the  prescribed  course  of  study 
in  the  Medical  Department  of  Kemper  College,  St.  Louis, 
and  graduated  1843.  The  succeeding  ten  years  he  was 
engaged  in  the  practice  of  his  profession  in  Shelbyville, 
Illinois,  and  for  the  past  twenty-five  years  he  has  resided  in 
Washington,  D.  C,  and  the  city  of  New  York. 

Rev.  Aei  Eay]mond,  son  of  Daniel  and  Sally  (Green) 
Raymond,  was  born  in  Ashby,  May  7,  1820,  but  removed 
to  this  town  in  infancy.  He  prepared  for  the  ministry 
and  has  preached  and  resided  at  Oro,  Bell  Ewart  and  other 
places  in  Canada. 

De.  Aeiel  Ivees  Cummings,  son  of  Ariel  and  Malison 
(Currier)  Cummings,  was  born  in  this  town,  June  11,  1823. 
He  pursued  the  study  of  medicine  at  Dartmouth  Medical 
College  and  graduated  at  the  University  of  the  city  of  New 
York,  1851 .  After  a  brief  practice  in  Acworth,  New  Hamp- 
shire, Dr.  Cummings  removed  to  Roxbury  where  he  con- 
tinued in  active  and  successful  practice  until  1862.  In  the 
mean  thne  he  was  a  member  of  the  school  committee  and 
occupied  other  positions  of  trust.  Having  made  a  study  of 
law  in  the  office  of  Hon.  William  Gaston,  he  received  the 


PERSONAL   NOTICES.  515 

degree  of  Doctor  of  Laws  from  Harvard  University  1858, 
but  he  adhered  to  the  practice  of  his  chosen  profession.  The 
same  year  Dartmouth  College  conferred  the  honorary  degree 
of  Master  of  Arts. 

In  the  summer  of  1862  Dr.  Cummings  was  among  the 
volunteer  surgeons  who  went  to  the  relief  of  the  army  under 
General  McClellan.  Later  he  was  sent  from  Fortress  Monroe 
to  Portsmouth  Grove,  Ehode  Island,  with  two  ship  loads  of 
sick  and  wounded  soldiers.  From  this  service  he  was  sum- 
moned to  Boston  to  fill  the  appointment  of  surgeon  of  the 
Forty-second  Regiment.  This  regiment  left  Camp  Meigs 
November  21,  1862,  and  on  the  second  of  December  three 
companies  with  Colonel  Isaac  S.  Burrill,  Surgeon  Cummings 
and  other  officers  embarked  on  a  transport  for  New  Orleans, 
where  they  arrived  on  the  sixteenth.  Before  the  arrival  of 
the  remaining  companies  of  the  regiment.  Colonel  Burrill  and 
his  small  command  was  ordered  to  the  support  of  Galveston 
and  there  after  a  gallant  defence,  which  forms  a  thrilling 
incident  of  the  war,  the  command  became  prisoners  of  war. 
Dr.  Cummings  was  confined  within  the  rebel  lines  but  was 
allowed  to  attend  his  fellow  prisoners  and  to  visit  the  sick 
among  the  residents  of  the  surrounding  country.  He  died 
at  Hempstead,  Texas,  September  9,  1863. 

Professor  Levi  W.  Russell,  son  of  Ward  and  Mary 
A.  (Russell)  Russell,  was  born  in  this  town,  February  15, 
1831.  His  early  education  was  obtained  in  the  public 
schools  of  his  native  town,  of  which  he  was  subsequently  a 
popular  teacher  in  several  districts.  He  continued  his  ad- 
vanced studies  at  the  Appleton  Academy  in  New  Ipswich, 
and  .was  later  under  the  able  tuition  of  Prof.  William  Rus- 
sell, in  his  excellent  schools  at  Reed's  Ferry,  New  Hamp- 
shire, and  at  Lancaster.  For  more  than  twenty-five  years 
Mr.    Russell   has    been    an    efficient   instructor.      His   first 


516  HISTOEY   OF  ASHBURNHAM. 

continuous  field  in  the  calling  of  his  choice  was  in  the  High 
Street  Grammar  School  of  Fitchburg,  where  he  labored 
seven  years.  After  a  successful  management  of  the  Central 
Grammar  School  of  AYatertown,  early  in  1869  he  became 
principal  of  the  Bridgman  School  of  Providence,  Rhode 
Island.  During  his  able  management,  this  school  has 
graduated  over  one  thousand  pupils  and  every  year  has  con- 
tributed to  the  popularity  and  reputation  of  his  administra- 
tion. In  addition  to  his  uninterrupted  employment  as  an 
instructor,  Mr.  Eussell  has  delivered  many  addresses  at 
teachers'  institutes  and  at  other  educational  assemblies. 

Dr.  Leoxaed  AYoods,  son  of  Samuel  and  Mary  (Cald- 
well) Woods,  was  born  in  Ashburuham,  July  5,  1840. 
Graduated  at  Harvard  Medical  School  1868,  and  practised 
at  Maiden  until  1873,  when  he  removed  to  Pittsford,  Ver- 
mont, where  he  died  December  11,  1885.  A  man  of 
unblemished  character  and  fair  abilities,  he  won  the  merited 
confidence  and  esteem  of  the  community  in  which  he  lived 
and  labored. 

Dr.  Emily  jSIetcalf,  a  daughter  of  Joel  F.  and  Martha 
(Davis)  Metcalf,  was  born  in  Ashburnham,  May  25,  1841. 
Miss  Metcalf  pursued  a  full  course  of  professional  study  and 
graduated  at  the  Boston  University  School  of  Medicine  in 
1877.  In  the  same  year  she  removed  to  Waltham  where 
she  early  secured  a  large  and  lucrative  practice.  For  several 
years,  in  addition  to  professional  labor  in  Waltham,  Dr. 
Metcalf  was  a  member  of  the  Faculty  of  Lasell  Seminary 
at  Auburndale.  While  holding  this  position,  which  was 
interrupted  by  an  increasing  business  at  home,  she  visited 
the  school  almost  daily  and  delivered  frequent  lectures  upon 
subjects  allied  to  her  profession.  In  practice  Dr.  Metcalf 
has  adhered  to  the  theories  of  the  Eclectic  School  of  Medi- 
cine. She  has  been  eminently  successful  and  has  commanded 
the  respect  and  confidence  of  her  patrons. 


PERSONAL  NOTICES.  517 

Dr.  Charles  H.  Rice,  son  of  Silas  and  Almira  (Corey) 
Rice,  was  born  in  Ashburnham,  Februaiy  19,  1843.  In  his 
childhood  the  family  removed  to  Ashby.  He  attended  the 
public  schools  of  that  town  and  subsequently  graduated  at 
Appleton  Academy,  New  Ipswich,  1863.  Dr.  Rice  studied 
medicine  with  Dr.  Emerson  of  Ashby  and  graduated  at 
Dartmouth  Medical  College  1865,  and  at  Harvard  Medical 
School  1866.  He  immediately  located  in  Fitchburg  where 
he  continues  in  an  active  and  successful  practice  of  his  pro- 
fession. 

Dr.  Charles  A.  Bemis,  son  of  Albert  T.  and  Sarah 
(Hastings)  Bemis,  was  born  in  this  town,  September  22, 1843. 
He  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  Ashburnham  and 
pursued  the  prescribed  course  of  professional  study,  gradu- 
ating at  Jefferson  Medical  College  1872.  He  practised  in 
Spencer  two  years  and  removed  to  Medway  in  1874,  where 
he  remains  in  active  and  successful  practice.  Dr.  Bemis  is 
vice-president  of  the  Thurbur  Medical  Association  composed 
of  the  resident  allopathic  physicians  in  that  vicinity  and  is 
examining  surgeon  for  pensions.  For  several  years  he  has 
been  a  member  of  the  school  committee  of  Medway  and  an 
efficient  member  of  the  Board  of  Health. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

MISCELLANEOUS. 

PAUPERISM. TITHINGMEN. TOWN  HOUSE.  UNION   HALL. POST  OFFICES. 

LIBRARIES. FIRST  NATIONAL    BANK. SAVINGS  BANK. FARMERS*    CLUB. 

POUNDS.  BOUNTIES    ON    WILD  ANIMALS.  THIEF  DETECTING    SOCIETY. 

BRASS    BAND.  POWDER    HOUSE. POPULATION. 

Pauperism.  —  Very  meagre,  and  in  some  instances  no 
reference  to  the  public  support  of  the  poor  can  be  found  in 
the  early  history  of  the  towns  in  this  vicinity.  Aged  and 
infirm  people  were  not  invited  to  the  settlements  and  seldom 
removed  from  the  older  towns  unless  attended  by  children 
who  were  able  to  provide  for  them  a  comfortable  support. 
Only  the  industrious  husbandman,  the  mechanic  or  the  man 
of  business  was  welcomed  among  the  sturdy  toilers  of  a  new 
settlement.  If  any  came  presenting  doubtful  credentials  in 
regard  to  self-support,  he  was  summarily  warned  out  and 
sometimes  attended  by  the  constable  to  the  place  from 
whence  he  came,  or  to  the  town  in  which  he  had  previoush' 
gained  a  legal  settlement.  The  feeble-minded  were  often 
sufiered  to  wander  from  door  to  door,  obtaining  food  from 
the  open  hand  of  charity,  savored  with  words  of  kindness 
and  sympathy.  The  attentive  care  of  the  poor  by  the 
neighborhood  prevented  not  a  few  from  becoming  a  public 
charge,  which  accounts,  in  a  measure,  for  the  meagre  refer- 
ences to  this  subject  in  the  early  records. 


MISCELLANEOUS.  519 

If  there  is  miiiiliness  in  a  measure  of  selfishness  which 
leads  one  to  cherish  and  protect  his  own,  there  is  something 
higher  and  nobler  in  a  thoughtful  charity  that  lends  a  helping 
hand  to  want  and  suffering.  In  all  their  relations  to  one 
another  our  fathers  have  left  a  living  example  of  neighborly 
kindness  and  liberal  charity.  The  misfortunes  of  accident, 
damage  by  fire  or  the  loss  of  domestic  animals,  were  followed 
by  substantial  expressions  of  sympathy.  Not  infrequently 
these  friendly  oflerings  were  made  by  those  who  were  more 
impoverished  by  a  single  act  of  charity  than  had  been  the 
recipient  by  the  loss  which  had  suggested  the  generous 
measure  of  reparation.  If  a  farmer  was  sick  at  seed-time, 
his  fields  w^ere  planted  and  the  labor  of  the  season  was 
performed  by  the  cheerful  hand  of  attentive  neighbors.  If 
he  recovered  from  sickness  at  the  close  of  harvest,  he  found 
his  crop  secured  and  his  granaries  rejoicing  in  the  gathered 
product  of  his  farm.  In  every  misfortune,  in  every  bereave- 
ment, in  every  time  of  need,  with  eyes  suffused  with  the 
dews  of  thankfulness,  he  could  behold  the  thoughtful  deeds 
of  a  charitable  neighborhood. 

In  extreme  cases  of  poverty,  the  officers  of  the  town  for 
many  years  met  each  application  for  public  support  in  a 
temporary  and  individual  manner.  The  methods  adopted 
were  as  numerous  as  the  needy  individuals.  Sometimes  the 
selectmen  provided  a  cow  for  the  family,  sometimes  firewood 
and  a  stipulated  amount  of  provision.  Sometimes  the  abate- 
ment of  taxes  or  the  payment  of  house  rent  was  deemed 
sufficient,  but  always  there  was  extended  an  invitation  to  the 
needy  to  do  something  for  themselves.  These  customs  and 
methods  lead  to  the  conclusion,  which  is  verified  by  the  facts, 
that  the  first  permanent  paupers  were  those  who  had  grown 
old  or  infirm  in  the  town  upon  which  they  had  become 
dependent. 


520  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNIIAM. 

If  the  early  inhabitants  of  this  town  frowned  on  hiziness 
and  prodigal  husbandry,  if  to  charity  they  added  a  sermon 
on  industry  and  self-reliance,  there  is  no  evidence  or  tradition 
that  they  closed  "  their  hand  to  their  brother,  to  their  poor 
and  to  their  needy  in  the  land."  The  present  system  of 
public  charities,  fostered  by  the  Commonwealth,  has  sprung 
from  their  humble  yet  faithful  attention  to  the  wants  of  the 
poor.  Many  times,  unrestrained  by  law,  they  exhibited 
more  wisdom  and  humanity  than  can  now  be  done  under  a 
complicated  code  of  laws  that  restrains  in  rigid  lines  and 
clothes  in  the  uniform  of  a  system  every  form  of  procedure.- 

The  first  record  of  any  public  charity  in  the  town  of 
Ashburnham  occurred  in  1778  :  "To  see  if  the  town  will  do 
any  thing  for  Timothy  Johnson's  wife,  who  is  in  needy 
curcumstances."  "Voted  to  help  Timothy  Johnson's  wife 
so  that  she  may  be  comfortable."  The  husband  was  in  the 
army  and  the  wife  with  three  children,  the  eldest  not  five 
years  of  age,  was  entitled  to  receive  aid  with  a  mutual  feel- 
ing that  the  town  remained  the  delator. 

About  the  same  date  the  selectmen  were  instructed  "  to 
supply  Josiah  Dodge  with  fire  wood  as  they  think  proper," 
and  in  1786  the  town  granted  "  8  cords  of  wood  and  4  bushels 
of  Corn  and  Rie  to  be  given  to  the  widow  Ruth  Conant 
annually."  She  was  the  aged  widow  of  Ebenezer  Conant, 
who  died  October  24,  1784.  In  1792  the  town  "  voted  to 
pay  for  the  cow  that  was  bought  for  Daniel  Clark's  use," 
and  in  the  same  kine  spirit  the  town  refused  to  reconsider 
this  generous  action  when  it  was  proposed  at  a  subsequent 
meeting.  In  one  final  and  comprehensive  manner  the  town 
disposed  of  the  next  case  that  arose  :  "  Voted  to  vendue  the 
negro  boy,  brought  to  the  selectmen  for  the  town  to  main- 
tain, to  some  suitable  man,  the  lowest  bidder,  and  to  give 
him  for  maintaining  said  boy  one  seventh  part  of  the  sum 


MISCELLANEOUS.  521 

yearly  iintill  the  whole  is  paid ;  said  boy  was  struck  off  to 
Mr.  Jno.  Trask  at  twenty-four  pounds: — Voted  also  that 
the  selectmen  should  bind  said  boy  to  said  Trask  to  serve 
him  untill  he  arrives  to  the  age  of  21  years." 

The  widow  of  Andrew  Windrow,  or  Winter,  as  the  name 
was  written  in  later  years,  was  occasionally  assisted  at  her 
home  for  several  years.  Later  the  town  provided  support 
for  her  in  the  family  of  a  neighbor  where  she  died  March 
14,  1814,  aged  ninety-one  years.  The  town  also  provided 
board  for  the  eldest  daughter  of  Dr.  Peter  Brooks  in  the 
family  of  her  brother  for  many  years,  and  assumed  the  con- 
trol and  support  of  the  younger  children  of  Daniel  Clark 
during  their  childhood. 

In  the  considerate  care  of  others,  whose  names  we  need 
not  mention,  the  town  gradually  adopted  a  system  of  either 
providing  a  home  for  the  unfortunate  with  their  kindred  and 
friends  or  in  cases  where  this  course  was  impossible,  of  con- 
tracting their  support  to  the  lowest  bidder.  Upon  the 
vendue  list  for  many  years  appears  the  name  of  Ann  Hill,  a 
colored  woman,  who  died  November  5,  1821,  aged  seventy- 
six  years.  This  person  was  generally  called  Black  Ann.  It 
is  tradition  that  she  was  once  a  slave  and  that  she  came  to 
•this  town  with  the  family  of  Rev.  Jonathan  Winchester.  If 
a  slave  at  that  time,  she  was  soon  manumitted. 

For  many  years  a  man  Franklin  and  wife  Susan  resided 
here  and  in  their  old  age  were  supported  by  the  town.  It  is 
also  asserted  that  they  were  brought  to  this  town  as  slaves. 
On  this  point  tradition  needs  support.  It  is  easier  to  infer 
that  the  negroes  in  the  early  settlements  were  slaves  than  it 
is  to  establish  the  fact. 

The  traditions  of  this  town  are  not  agreed  either  upon  the 
condition  of  these  people  or,  if  slaves,  to  whom  they 
belonged.     In  fact,  the  most  careful   inquiry  generally  has 


522  HISTOEY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

been  met  by  the  honest  answer,  "I  do  not  know."  The 
opinion  of  the  majority  has  been  respected.  It  is  not  cer- 
tain that  there  ever  was  a  slave  within  the  town  of  Ash- 
burn  ham. 

Commencing  with  1821  and  continuing  until  the  town 
purchased  a  farm  and  established  an  almshouse,  the  support 
of  all  the  poor  was  awarded  to  the  lowest  bidder.  In  these 
contracts,  sometimes  for  one  year  and  sometimes  for  a  longer 
period,  it  was  stipulated  that  the  contractor  "should  board, 
lodge,  clothe,  doctor  and  nurse  them  in  a  comfortable  manner 
and  that  the  children  should  attend  school  in  the  district 
where  they  were  supported."  In  the  records,  the  person  who 
contracted  or  undertook  to  support  the  poor  was  invariably 
styled  the  "undertaker."  Such  employment  of  an  under- 
taker for  the  poor  was  innocent  and  proper,  but  some  other 
term  would  have  been  less  suggestive. 

The  purchase  of  a  farm  was  under  consideration  several 
years.  Committees  were  frequently  appointed  and  conflict- 
ing recommendations  followed  in  rapid  succession.  A  report 
made  in  1832  is  the  most  noticeable  of  any  on  the  subject : 

The  Committee,  appointed  to  take  into  consideration  the  best 
method  of  supporting  the  Poor,  have  attended  to  that  subject  and 
beg  leave  to  report :  As  we  shall  always  have  the  poor  with  us  it 
is  our  duty  iu  the  cause  of  supporting  that  ill-fated  class  to  adopt 
that  method  which  will  at  the  same  time  conduce  to  their  comfort 
and  make  our  burden  lighter.  In  accordance  with  these  views  we 
have  inquired  of  towns  which  have  in  former  years  let  them  out 
separately  or  the  whole  to  one  individual ;  in  this  mode  of 
supporting  their  poor  the}"  found  their  bill  of  expense  to  increase 
yearly  ;  in  consequence  of  which  they  purchased  a  farm  and  their 
expenses  are  now  one-third  less  and  the  poor  better  supported 
and  much  happier.  We  therefore  recommend  that  after  the 
expiration   of    the    time    for   which   Mr.    Woods   took   them,  to 


MISCELLANEOUS.  523 

purchase  a  farm  and  hire  a  suitable  man  with  a  wife  to  take  the 
oversight  of  the  poor  and  carry  on  the  farm,  which  we  beg 
leave  respectfully  to  submit. 

NATHANIEL   PIERCE, 
SILAS    WILLARD, 
EBENEZER   FROST, 
JOSEPH   JEWETT, 
ASAHEL   COREY. 

The  subject  continued  to  be  debated  with  various  degrees 
of  interest  until  March,  1839.  At  this  time  Ohio  Whitney, 
Joseph  F.  Burges  and  Elias  Lane  were  chosen  "to  buy  a 
farm  for  the  use  of  the  Poor."  Without  delay  in  1839  they 
purchased  the  farm  which  is  still  owned  and  occupied  by  the 
town.  Here  many  have  found  a  temporary  home  in  an  hour 
of  adversity  and  others,  less  fortunate,  have  here  passed  the 
remnant  of  their  earthly  career.  Under  the  direction  of  a 
board  of  Overseers  of  the  Poor  the  management  of  the  insti- 
tution has  tendered  a  comfoi-table  support  to  the  homeless 
and  the  general  system  for  the  maintenance  of  the  poor 
during  these  years  has  afforded  temporary  assistance  to 
others  who  w^ere  not  removed  to  the  almshouse.  The  annual 
exj^ense  attending  the  farm  wdth  an  average  of  ten  inmates 
for  the  past  ten  years  has  been  $1067.71  and  the  average 
annual  expense  incurred  in  temporary  relief  to  families  and 
individuals,  not  at  the  almshouse,  has  been  $713.65. 

TiTHiNGMEN  Were  annually  chosen  from  the  organization 
of  the  town  until  within  the  memory  of  many  now  living. 
The  manners  and  customs  of  the  times  are  reflected  in  these 
proceedings.  The  qualification  of  a  tithingman  was  a  solemn 
presence  and  great  acerbity  of  countenance.  Only  the  most 
sedate  and  dignified  were  considered  eligible  to  the  office. 
It  was  a  position  of  honor  and  this  officer,  armed  with  the 
tithing  pole,  commanded  the  respect  even  if  he  failed  to  win 


524  HISTORY  OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

the  admiration  of  his  townsmen.  In  character  and  ability 
Tristram  Cheney  and  John  Kiblinger,  the  first  tithingmen  of 
Ashburnham,  had  no  superiors  in  the  town.  If  in  the  light 
of  the  law  these  ofiicers  were  slightly  inferior  to  a  constable, 
both  in  the  care  exercised  in  their  selection  and  in  the  con- 
sideration shown  them,  they  were  among  the  dignitaries  of 
the  town.  They  were  a  sort  of  ecclesiastical  police  who 
were  enjoined  by  law  and  by  custom  to  secure  a  proper 
observance  of  the  Sabbath  and  to  restrain  the  youth  from 
frivolous  conduct  during  the  services  and  the  intermission. 

With  the  refining  influences  and  a  higher  standard  of 
personal  deportment  that  attended  the  progress  of  years  the 
duties  of  the  tithingmen  were  less  exacting  and  they  were 
accredited  with  a  depreciated  measure  of  importance  and 
respect.  Early  in  the  present  century  the  standard  of  quali- 
fication was  not  always  maintained.  The  increasing  amount 
of  travel  and  teaming  through  this  town  was  prompt  to  take 
advantage  of  a  waning  sentiment  on  the  subject,  until  open 
violation  of  the  Sabbath  laws  was  of  frequent  occurrence. 
In  1814,  for  the  purpose  of  creating  a  more  exacting  public 
sentiment,  several  conventions,  numerously  attended  by  the 
clergy  and  laity,  were  held  in  Eindge,  Phillipston  and  other 
towns  in  this  vicinity.  The  efi*ect  of  this  discussion  was 
immediate  and  quite  extended.  In  the  autumn  of  the  same 
year  and  immediately  following  the  convention  at  Phillips- 
ton  the  town  of  Ashburnham  "chose  Joshua  Smith,  Esq., 
William  J.  Lawrence,  Captain  Silas  Willard,  Captain  John 
Willard,  Captain  Moses  Lawrence,  Thomas  Hobart  and  John 
Caldwell  a  committee  to  ade  and  assist  the  tythingmen  and 
other  officers  in  putting  the  Laws  respecting  the  Lords  Day 
in  force." 

Thus  reenforced  and  encouraged  by  an  awakened  public 
sentiment    the    officers    arrested    many    persons    who    were 


MISCELLANEOUS.  525 

violating  the  law,  and  detained  them  until  INIonday  morning. 
The  following  year  the  town  chose  nine  tithingmen  and 
several  towns  in  this  vicinity  made  choice  of  an  equal  or  even 
a  greater  number.  Previous  to  this  date  only  two  had  been 
elected  in  any  one  year.  In  public  sentiment  a  reaction  soon 
followed.  The  next  year  the  town  was  satisfied  with  the 
election  of  the  conventional  number.  In  1827  only  one  was 
chosen,  while  in  1829  there  was  a  complacent  vote  "not  to 
choose  tythingmen"  and  the  following  year,  with  a  cumu- 
lative purpose,  it  Was  voted  "not  to  have  any  tythingmen 
this  year."  Again  in  1831  and  each  year  until  1836  these 
officers  were  chosen  in  accordance  with  the  laws  of  the 
State,  but  there  is  no  record  during  the  later  j^ears  that  the 
office  was  generally  accepted  or  the  oath  administered. 

Stocks,  for  the  temporary  confinement  of  any  who  defied 
at  once  the  commands  of  the  constable  and  the  solemn  pro- 
prieties of  the  Sabbath,  were  built  in  this  town  at  an  early 
date.  As  the  records  contain  no  reference  to  them,  it  is 
probable  the}^  were  constructed  liy  voluntary  eftbrt.  Sixty 
years  ago,  with  their  rusty  lock  and  aged  visage,  these  relics 
of  a  former  generation  were  to  be  seen  in  the  hearse  house 
on  the  old  common. 

The  Toavn  House  is  a  substantial  building  of  modest 
pretensions.  It  continues  to  meet  the  requirements  of  the 
town  in  a  reasonable  manner  and  probably  it  will  answer  the 
demands  of  another  generation  without  any  unusual  expense 
or  the  provocation  of  any  serious  expression  of  discontent. 
In  its  history  it  vividly  reflects  both  the  religion  and  the 
passions  of  a  former  generation.  Originally  built  and  occu- 
pied as  a  house  of  worship  it  is  an  agreeable  duty  to  surround 
its  existence  on  the  old  common  with  the  memories  of  the 
pastorate  of  Mr.  Gushing  and  an  era  of  peaceful  and  profit- 
able occupancy.     With  the  organization  of  the  first  parish 


526  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

and  the  loss  of  the  counsels  of  an  able  and  faithful  minister, 
the  trouble  between  the  new  parish  and  the  town,  concerning 
their  respective  property  rights  in  the  old  meeting-house, 
immediately^  began.  Strife  is  never  so  contagious  nor  con- 
tention so  speedily  fanned  into  flame,  as  when  war  is  waged 
between  an  ecclesiastical  and  a  secular  organization.  The 
conditions  suggested  a  conflict  and  the  invitation  was  openly 
accepted.  True,  the  members  of  the  parish  were  also 
citizens  of  the  town  and  in  this  dual  character  were  contend- 
ing with  themselves,  but  this  brought  the  parties  into  closer 
contact  and  provoked  a  more  animated  conflict. 

Having  completed  their  new  house  of  worship,  the  first 
parish  in  1836  abandoned  the  old  meeting-house  on  the  hill. 
The  town,  alleging  control  of  the  building,  at  once  began  to 
debate  the  expediency  of  removing  it  to  the  village  and  con- 
verting it  into  a  town  house.  The  parish,  continuing  to 
assert  a  property  right  in  it,  stoutly  resisted  and  holding  the 
key  to  the  building,  and  practically  the  key  to  the  situation, 
rallied  at  each  town  meeting  and  successfully  opposed  any 
encroachment  upon  their  real  or  assumed  rights  in  the 
premises.  The  town  called  many  meetings  to  determine 
what  was  expedient  to  be  done,  and  as  many  times  the  mem- 
bers of  the  parish,  reenforced  by  a  few  in  full  sympathy  with 
them,  secured  a  vote  that  it  was  decidedly  expedient  not  to 
do  anything. 

In  the  mean  time  the  parish  turned  a  cold  shoulder  to  the 
town  by  the  removal  of  the  stove  from  the  old  to  the  new 
meeting-house  and,  consequently,  in  cold  weather  town 
meetings  were  assembled  in  the  school-house  in  the  first 
district  and  in  the  churches  in  the  village.  After  a  pro- 
longed contention,  the  issues  involved  were  happily  com- 
promised in  December,  1837,  by  the  adoption  on  the  same 
day  by  the  town  and  by  the  parish  of  concurrent  votes,  "  that 


MISCELLANEOUS.  527 

the  parish  would  relinquish  their  right  in  the  old  meeting- 
house, provided  the  town  will  indemnify  the  parish  from  all 
claims  from  the  pew-holders." 

The  town,  having  secured  the  full  possession  of  the  build- 
ing, immediately  took  home  the  bone  of  contention  and, 
having  declared  a  peace  with  the  parish,  was  free  to  institute 
an  internal  strife  among  themselves  over  its  location. 

At  an  early  day  a  committee  of  five,  to  whom  the  subject 
had  been  referred,  presented  a  written  report  offering  the 
town  a  choice  of  five  locations ;  two  being  near  the  school- 
house  in  the  first  district,  two  near  the  armory  and  one  west 
of  the  Catholic  church.  Consistent  with  its  former  record, 
the  town  finally  decided  that  it  was  not  satisfied  with  any  of 
the  sites  proposed.  Another  meeting  was  immediately 
called,  at  which  ten  other  persons  were  joined  to  the  exist- 
ing committee  of  five.  The  united  wisdom  of  the  revised 
committee  was  reflected  in  three  reports  ;  eight  in  favor  of  a 
lot  on  land  of  Charles  Hastings,  Jr.,  and  substantiaUy  the 
site  finally  selected ;  four  recommended  a  site  on  land  of 
Samuel  Barrett,  near  and  probably  west  of  the  Armory,  and 
the  remaining  three  desired  the  town  to  select  a  lot  on  land 
of  William  J.  Lawrence,  near  the  store  of  Parker  Brothers. 

The  situation  was  critical.  Through  many  straits  the 
town  gained  possession  of  the  old  meeting-house  and  the 
question  of  its  removal  and  location  was  not  easily  decided. 
The  accumulating  recommendations  of  the  committee  now 
presented  a  choice  of  seven  lots  on  which  a  ballot  was  taken, 
"  and  the  spot  oflered  by  Mr.  Barrett  having  the  highest 
number  of  votes  was  decided  to  be  the  spot  on  which  to 
build."  Consistent  with  its  previous  record  on  this  subject, 
and  without  an  adjournment,  the  town  immediately  pro- 
ceeded to  reconsider  this  vote  and  then  decided  to  locate  the 
building  on  land  of  Charles  Hastings,  Jr.  The  records 
briefly  narrate  these  decisive  proceedings  : 


528  HISTOEY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

Sixty-two  voted  in  favor  of  said  spot  and  it  was  declared  to  be 
a  vote.  Mr.  Hastings  proposes  to  sell  his  spot  for  $200 ;  the 
town  house  to  stand  30  feet  west  of  the  west  end  of  his  house,  the 
front  to  range  with  the  front  of  the  Methodist  Meeting  House  and 
the  front  window  in  the  west  end  of  his  house,  to  be  sufficient  land 
to  set  the  house  upon  with  ten  feet  of  land  all  round  the  house  to 
lie  as  commons  land. 

Voted  that  the  building  committee  be  authorized  to  take  a  deed 
of  Mrs.  Charles  Hastings  and  make  payment  of  the  same. 

Voted  that  the  building  committee  be  instructed  to  let  out  the 
town  house  in  two  separate  lots ;  one  of  the  wood  and  one  of  the 
stone  work. 

Voted  that  the  committee  be  instructed  to  build  the  town  house 
of  the  present  size  of  the  old  meeting  house. 

At  a  meeting  held  the  following  month,  January,  1838, 
with  the  customary  honors  of  war,  the  town  fired  a  parting 
salute  at  the  receding  question  in  an  additional  vote  :  "  that 
the  committee  for  building  a  town  house  be  authorized  to 
build  the  same  on  either  part  of  the  lot  purchased  of  Charles 
Hastings,  Jr." 

These  contested  preliminaries  being  ended,  the  voice  of 
discord  is  succeeded  by  the  less  strident  noise  of  the  saw  and 
the  more  conclusive  arguments  of  the*  hammer.  The  old 
meeting-house  is  dismembered,  the  odor  of  sanctity  is 
brushed  from  its  timbers  and  in  a  new  place  it  again  assumes 
its  old  form  but  not  its  original  character.  The  ancient 
edifice  with  its  porches,  its  square,  pen-like  pews,  its  lofty 
pulpit  and  sounding-board  was  no  more. 

The  town  house  was  a  new  structure  erected  from  the 
material  of  the  old  but  retaining  none  of  its  sacred  memories 
and  hallowed  associations.  Degraded  from  the  sacred  uses 
to  which  it  had  been  solemnly  dedicated,  a  spirit  of  discord 
and  contending  passions  continued  to  hover  around  it.  Con- 
tention arose  with  John  Hastings  who  built  the  basement, 


MISCELLANEOUS.  529 

and  again  with  Artemas  Maynard  who  erected  the  fence  on 
a  contract  with  the  towm.  Legal  proceedings  were  insti- 
tuted and  the  disputes  were  transferred  from  their  familiar 
locality  to  the  courts. 

In  due  course  of  time  the  law-suits  were  adjusted  and 
every  one  concerned  was  invited  to  the  reflection  that  the 
general  affairs  of  the  tow^n  house  had  been  quite  thoroughly 
debated  and  permanently  settled.  Only  one  item  of  business 
remained  and  to  that  outstanding  question  the  attention  of 
the  town  was  promptly  directed,  whereupon  it  was  "voted 
that  the  selectmen  take  charge  of  the  key  to  the  town 
house." 

Union  Hall.  —  This  building  in  the  South  Village  was 
built  in  1860  and  the  cost  was  met  by  voluntary  subscrip- 
tions and  the  proceeds  of  several  public  entertainments. 
Commencing  with  January,  1860,  several  meetings  were 
held  which  made  known  a  strong  public  sentiment  in  favor 
of  the  erection  of  such  a  building  for  the  convenience  of 
that  portion  of  the  town.  Under  the  favorable  auspices  of 
unanimity,  the  preliminary  arrangements  were  quickly 
matured.  John  M.  Pratt,  Jonathan  H.  Piper  and  James  L. 
Worcester  were  chosen  trustees,  and,  subsequently,  Eeuben 
Puffer  was  chosen  to  succeed  Mr.  Worcester.  With  this 
exception,  the  board  of  trust  remains  unchanged  to  the 
present  time.  The  store  recently  finished  is  rented,  but  the 
remainder  of  the  building  is  reserved  for  the  use  of  the 
community  and  affords  convenient  accommodation  for  social 
and  religious  meetings. 

Post  Offices.  —  In  the  early  administration  of  the  postal 
system  of  the  United  States,  post  offices  w^ere  located  at 
accessible  points  and  on  the  lines  of  established  mail-routes 
without  much  regard  to  the  centre  of  population.  Fre- 
quently, small  villages  were  granted  postal  facilities  at  the 

34 


530  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

expense  of  more  populous  communities  less  fortunately 
situated.  In  1811  the  first  post  office  was  established  in 
this  town.  At  that  date  there  were  2403  post  offices  in  the 
whole  country  and  mails  were  transported  in  coaches,  in 
sulkies  and  on  horseback  about  one  hundred  thousand  miles. 
These  figures  are  exceedingly  small  when  brought  into  com- 
parison with  the  statistics  of  the  present  time,  but  they  con- 
stitute a  part  of  the  record  of  the  expansion  and  develop- 
ment of  the  United  States  and  the  multiplied  operations  of 
all  the  departments  of  Government. 

A  post  office  had  been  established  several  years  previously 
in  "Westminster,  and  from  that  office  were  received  the 
weekly  papers  and  the  few  letters  which  were  sent  through 
the  mails.  Joseph  Jewett  was  the  first  postmaster  in  this 
town,  his  appointment  being  dated  January  23,  1811.  The 
office  was  accommodated  in  the  store,  long  known  as  the 
Jewett  store,  a  building  now  owned  and  occupied  by  Charles 
Hastings.  The  next  postmaster  was  Samuel  Woods  who 
was  appointed  May  22,  1826,  and  he  was  succeeded  by  Dr. 
Otis  Abercrombie,  November  5,  1827.  Mr.  Woods  was 
also  a  merchant  in  the  same  store  and  Dr.  Abercrombie  lived 
near  by,  and  the  office  during  their  service  was  not  removed. 
Dr.  Abercrombie  was  not  long  a  resident  of  this  town  and 
his  official  career  was  still  more  limited.  Within  a  few 
weeks,  December  19,  1827,  Samuel  Barrett  was  appointed 
and  the  office  for  the  first  time  was  removed.  This  appoint- 
ment was  made  for  political  reasons,  but  he  made  an  excel- 
lent officer  and  was  continued  in  the  position  many  years. 
Mr.  Barrett  for  a  time  had  the  office  in  the  Deacon  Lawrence 
house,  more  recently  occupied  by  the  late  Ivers  White  and, 
subsequently,  removed  it  to  a  building  which  stood  many 
years  at  the  head  of  Central  street,  a  few  yards  west  of  the 
residence  of  Mrs.  J.  W.  Foster. 


MISCELLANEOUS.  531 

The  next  postmaster  M'^as  Ivers  White  who  was  appointed 
June  19,  1851  ;  he  was  succeeded  on  political  considerations, 
June  1,  1853,  by  Israel  W.  Knight,  wdio  removed  the  office 
into  the  hotel.     In  these  quarters  it  did  not  long  remain. 

December  15,  following,  Samuel  V.  Whitney  was  ap- 
pointed his  successor,  who  removed  the  office  to  a  store 
on  the  site  of  the  residence  of  George  C.  Winchester. 
Soon  after  the  present  post  office  w^as  built  and  Mr.  Whitney 
was  the  first  postmaster  in  the  building  where  the  office, 
through  several  appointments,  has  remained  to  the  present 
time. 

The  next  postmaster  was  Charles  Winchester  w^hose  com- 
mission was  dated  July  7,  1856.  He  was  succeeded,  March 
21,  1861,  as  an  inspiration  of  political  sagacity,  by  George 
C.  Winchester,  who  held  the  position  over  fifteen  years. 
Mrs.  Ermina  L.  Evans  was  appointed  August  7,  1876,  and 
Elliot  A.  Maynard,  the  present  incumbent,  was  commissioned 
January  2,  1886.  For  many  years,  commencing  in  1856, 
the  office  was  ably  conducted  by  Jerome  W.  Foster,  Esq. 

A  portion  of  the  early  records  of  the  Post  Office  Depart- 
ment at  Washington  vrere  burned  many  years  ago,  and  as  a 
continuous  record  is. inaccessible,  no  eflbrt  has  been  made  to 
procure  the  statistics  of  this  office.  The  revenue  for  the  year 
ending  July  30,  1883,  was  $1750.71.  The  mail  was  brought 
to  Ashburnham  Centre  many  years  on  the  Worcester  stage, 
owned  by  Charles  Stearns  and  later  by  Ivers  White  and 
others.  Upon  the  carriage  of  the  mails  by  the  railroads,  the 
Cheshire  Railroad  contracted  with  the  department  to  carry 
the  mail  between  the  depot  and  Ashburnham  Centre,  from 
July,  1849,  to  July,  1853,  at  ninety-four  dollars  per  annum. 
For  the  ensuing  ten  years  the  service  was  performed  by  C. 
Marshall  at  one  hundred  dollars  per  annum.  He  was 
succeeded  after  a  few  months  as  contractor  by  George  J. 


532  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

Metcalf.  From  December  15,  1863,  to  April  30,  1867,  the 
contractor  was  John  L.  Cook,  at  one  hundred  and  ten  dollars 
per  annum,  who  was  succeeded  by  Clarence  M.  Proctor,  who 
continued  in  contract  until  the  carriage  of  the  mail  was 
assumed  by  the  Ashburnham  Railroad,  receiving  for  the  last 
part  of  the  time  two  hundred  dollars  per  annum. 

The  Ashburnham  Depot  Post  Office,  with  John  M.  Frost, 
postmaster,  was  established  May  11,  1850,  and  was  accom- 
modated in  the  depot  for  several  years.  The  second  post- 
master was  Lewis  Howard  who  was  appointed  April  13, 
1857,  and  he  was  succeeded  October  25,  1860,  by  John  B. 
Day.  The  next  postmaster  w^as  David  E.  Poland,  appointed 
August  22,  1864.  Upon  the  appointment  of  Wilbur  F. 
Whitney,  Esq.,  April  1,  1872,  he  removed  the  office  to  the 
building  in  which  it  still  remains.  Miss  Amelia  J.  Cushing 
was  appointed  March  5,  1875,  and  Miss  Susan  C.  Rice,  the 
present  incumbent.  May  16,  1881.  The  revenue  for  the 
fiscal  year  ending  June  30,  1883,  was  $395.67. 

The  Burrageville  Post  Office  was  established  December 
12,  1854.  This  office  was  kept  in  the  Burrage  store  until 
about  the  time  William  F.  Burrage  removed  from  this  town. 
Later,  it  has  been  kept  in  the  depot.  The  succession  of  post- 
masters and  date  of  appointment  is  as  follows  :  Charles  W. 
Burrage,  December  12,  1854;  John  W.  Fay,  October  3, 
1859 ;  William  F.  Burrage,  June  24,  1861 ;  Jonas  W. 
Dwinnell,  October  29,  1867;  George  L.  Beals,  Jr., 
December  15,  1882.  At  the  time  of  the  appointment  of 
Mr.  Beals,  the  name  of  the  office  was  changed  to  North 
Ashburnham.  The  revenue  for  the  fiscal  year,  ending  June 
30,  1883,  was  $69.18. 

The  Ashburnham  Library  was  organized  in  1793.  It 
received  no  aid  from  the  town  and  was  dependent  upon 
voluntary  efibrt.     A  well  preserved  book  of  records  aflbrds 


MISCELLANEOUS.  533 

un  intelligent  account  of  its  proceedings.  The  rights  or 
shares  were  sold  at  two  dollars.  The  whole  number  issued 
was  fifty-five,  but  by  the  sale  and  transfer  of  shares  the  whole 
number  of  members  during  the  existence  of  the  organization 
was  ninety-eight.  In  addition  to  the  sums  received  from  the 
sale  of  shares  and  from  fines,  a  tax  was  frequently  assessed 
on  the  membership  for  the  purchase  of  books.  A  small  sum 
was  also  received  from  an  occasional  sale  of  books  which  had 
become  familiar  to  all  or  were  considered  undesirable. 
Among  the  books  sold  are  found,  "  Robinson  Crusoe,"  "  Child's 
Friend,"'  ''Devout  Exercises,"  "Seraphic  Shepherd,"  "Jockey 
Club,"  "Herlian  Miscellany,"  "Pilgrim's  Progress,"  "Fool 
of  Quality,"  and  others  familiar  to  the  times.  At  an  auction 
sale  in  1806,  Rev.  Mr.  Cushiug  purchased  "  Cardephoria " 
in  two  volumes  for  fl.lO  ;  for  the  sum  of  twenty-one  cents 
Calel)  Ward  transferred  "  Saunders'  Travels  "  to  North  Ash- 
burnham  ;  the  "  Duke  of  Marlborough  "  was  sold  for  twenty- 
one  cents,  while  the  "Vicar  of  Wakefield"  was  struck  off  at 
sixty-eight  cents  ;  both  were  safely  lodged  in  the  house  of 
Captain  J.  Willard  ;  Cyrus  Fairbanks  invested  thirty-nine 
cents  in  "Religious  Courtship,"  and  on  the  payment  of  forty- 
three  cents  "Family  Instructor"  was  carried  to  the  home  of 
Elisha  White. 

After  an  existence  of  forty  years,  in  1833  the  organization 
was  dissolved  by  mutual  consent.  The  books  were  divided 
into  fifty-five  parcels  and  distributed  by  lot  among  the  owners 
of  the  shares.  The  sale  of  the  empty  book-case  to  pay  any 
outstanding  debt  and  a  vote  to  donate  the  balance  if  any  to 
the  library  of  the  Sabbath-school  are  the  closing  entries  in 
the  records.  The  several  librarians  were  Rev.  John  Cushing, 
Joseph  Jewett,  Abraham  Lowe,  David  Cushing,  William  J. 
Lawrence,  Ivers  Jewett,  Doddridge  Cushing  and  Samuel 
Woods.     The  constitution,   which   with   slight  changes   re- 


534  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

mained  in  force  during  the  existence  of  the  organization,  was 
probably  drafted  by  jMi'.  Gushing.  It  is  a  phiin,  comprehen- 
sive instrument,  and  in  a  provision  that  the  penalty  for  "everj^ 
drop  from  a  candle  shall  be  one  penny  for  every  shilling  in 
the  value  of  the  book,"  it  suggests  the  changes  which  have 
marked  the  progress  of  years. 

About  1850  the  Ladies' Library  Association  was  organized 
and  a  limited  collection  of  books  of  approved  character  was 
continued  by  renewals  until  1884.  The  volumes  then  re- 
maining in  possession  of  the  organization  were  donated  to 
the  town  and  became  the  nucleus  of  the  present  Public 
Library.  Upon  the  acceptance  of  the  donation  the  town 
appropriated  three  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  for  new  books, 
and  an  increasing  interest  in  the  library  has  been  manifested. 
The  present  number  of  volumes  is  1700.  In  1885  and  again 
in  1886  the  town  has  donated  three  hundred  dollars  to 
sustain  and  enlarge  the  library.  The  Executive  Committee 
are  George  W.  Eddy,  George  M.  Munroe,  Nathan  Eaton, 
Mary  S.  Barrett  and  Mortimer  M.  Stowe. 

The  First  National  Bank  of  Ashburnham  was  organized 
April  3,  1873,  and  commenced  business  in  August  following. 
The  capital  stock  is  fifty  thousand  dollars.  From  the  first 
an  able  and  prudent  management  has  secured  the  merited 
confidence  of  the  community.  Giving  preference  to  local 
business  the  bank  has  been  of  essential  service  to  the  business 
interests  of  the  town.  The  original  board  of  directors  were 
Dr.  A.  T.  Lowe  of  Boston,  George  W.  Eddy,  George  H. 
Barrett,  Walter  R.  Adams,  George  C.  Winchester,  Addison 
A.  Walker,  John  L.  Cummings,  Ohio  Whitney,  Ivers 
Adams  and  Elbridge  Stimson.  The  four  first  named  are 
members  of  the  present  board  with  whom  has  been  joined  at 
several  annual  elections  George  F.  Stevens,  Moses  P. 
Greenwood,  Marshall  Wetherbee,  Wilbur  F.  Whitney  and 


MISCELLANEOUS.  535 

Walter  O.  Parker.  For  several  years  George  C.  Winchester 
was  president,  George  W.  Eddy  cashier  and  George  F. 
Stevens  teller.  Since  1879  Mr.  Eddy  has  been  president 
and  Mr.  Stevens  cashier. 

The  Asiiburnham  Savings  Bank  was  organized  1871 
and  closed  business  1879.  The  institution  was  conducted 
prudently  and  for  the  accommodation  of  home  deposits. 
During  the  depression  in  business  which  cast  a  gloom  over 
this  town  in  1878  and  1879  the  deposits  were  withdrawn  to 
such  an  extent  and  the  future  was  attended  with  so  much 
uncertainty  that  the  loans  were  collected  and  every  depositor 
paid  in  full.  The  bank  was  continued  eight  years  and 
reasonable  dividends  were  paid  on  all  deposits.  The  presi- 
dents of  the  institution  were  George  C.  Winchester  and 
Captain  Addison  A.  Walker  ;  George  W.  Eddy  was  the  only 
treasurer ;  the  secretaries  were  Colonel  George  H.  Barrett 
and  George  F.  Stevens. 

The  Farmers'  and  Mechanics'  Club  was  organized  in 
January,  1878.  During  the  winter  season  the  club  has  held 
frequent  meetings  for  conference  and  a  discussion  of  subjects 
connected  with  their  calling.  These  meetings  are  well  sus- 
tained and  have  been  of  mutual  interest  and  benefit  to  the 
members.  Under  the  auspices  and  direction  of  this  organi- 
zation, the  town  has  held  eight  agricultural  fairs  and  all  of 
them  have  been  successful.  The  presidents  of  the  club  in- 
clude Francis  A.  Whitney,  two  years  ;  Walter  R.  Adams, 
two  years  ;  Charles  E.  Woodward,  three  years,  and  George 
C.  Foster.  The  secretaries  have  been  Walter  H.  Laws, 
Charles  T.  Litch,  George  F.  Corey,  Charles  E.  Woodward, 
Walter  B.  Whitney  and  Francis  A.  Whitney.  Walter  O. 
Parker  has  been  treasurer  from  the  beginning.  The  organi- 
zation holds  property  and  money  to  the  amount  of  about  five 
hundred  dollars. 


536  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

Pounds.  —  The  restraint  of  domestic  animals  and  an 
equitable  adjustment  of  the  rights  of  the  public  and  of 
individuals  were  fruitful  topics  of  legislation  in  every  new 
settlement.  The  annals  of  Ashburnham  inform  us  that, 
for  fifty-four  years,  or  until  1818,  the  town  annually  ''voted 
to  let  swine  run  at  large  this  year,"  and  in  faithful  recogni- 
tion of  the  rights  of  the  public,  a  goodly  number  of  hog 
reeves  were  chosen  each  year  to  see  that  vagrant  swine  were 
ringed  and  yoked  according  to  law.  Pounds  for  the  confine- 
ment of  domestic  animals  are  a  precautionary  measure. 
Like  some  of  our  criminal  laws,  their  chief  use  is  in  the 
prevention  of  ofiences.  The  prudent  citizens  of  Ash- 
burnham favored  the  erection  of  a  pound  more  as  a  threat 
or  warning  against  trespass  than  in  the  expectancy  of  its 
frequent  use.  The  first  pound  was  built  in  1772.  Twenty- 
one  years  later  a  new  one  was  erected  in  the  southwest 
corner  of  the  common,  which  was  thoroughly  repaired  in 
1819.  At  this  date  an  unsightly  heap  of  ruins  remains  as  a 
witness  to  the  truth  of  this  narrative,  and  vividly  reminding 
the  present  generation  of  an  ancient  prophecy,  "  For  the 
stone  shall  cry  out  of  the  wall,  and  the  beam  out  of  the 
timber  shall  answer  it." 

Bounty  on  Wild  Animals.  —  Proximity  to  the  moun- 
tains, the  great  number  of  ponds  and  streams  and  the  broad 
expanse  of  the  original  forest  continued  to  attract  wild 
animals  to  this  vicinity  after  their  disappearance  from  less 
inviting  haunts.  The  ravages  of  wolves  upon  the  sheepfold 
and  the  frequent  depredation  of  other  tenants  of  the  forest 
are  the  theme  of  the  early  traditions  of  the  town.  In  the 
petition  of  Joshua  Henshaw,  recited  in  another  chapter,  is 
the  declaration  that  the  value  of  young  cattle,  sheep  and 
swine  annually  destroyed  was  greater  than  the  province 
tax.  A  few  of  the  many  measures  adopted  for  the  extermi- 
nation of  wild  animals  are  transcribed. 


MISCELLANEOUS.  537 

1779.  "Voted  to  give  us  a  bounty  thirty  pounds  for  ever}' 
wolf  that  shall  be  killed  in  this  town  before  the  last  day  of  May 
next." 

Thirty  pounds  at  that  time  in  depreciated  paper  money 
would  be  a  fair  compensation  for  ten  days'  labor  and  the 
bounty  was  subsequently  increased  to  compensate  for  the 
continued  depreciation  of  the  currency. 

1818.  "  Voted  to  give  a  bounty  on  Wild  Cats,  viz  :  one  dollar 
for  Old  Cats  and  fifty  cents  for  Kittens. 

"  Voted  that  the  selectmen  be  the  committee  for  examining  the 
Cats,  when  brought  in  for  bounty." 

The  selectmen  are  not  complimented  in  this  use  of  capital 
letters,  yet  they  could  view  the  record  and  consider  its  im- 
port with  greater  complacency  than  could  the  cats.  This 
bount}^  was  continued  several  years  and  either  because  a 
scarcity  of  the  wild  cats  made  their  capture  more  difficult  or 
their  increasing  numbers  made  them  more  troublesome,  the 
bounty  was  increased  to  twice  the  amount  first  proposed. 
Letters  of  marque  and  reprisal  were  issued  for  one  year  on 
foxes,  and  at  intervals  of  time  extending  to  a  comparatively 
recent  date,  the  town  has  offered  a  bounty  on  crows.  This 
bounty  was  first  proposed  in  1789  : 

Voted  to  give  each  person  one  shilling  and  six  pence  for  each 
old  crow  killed  in  this  town  and  nine  pence  for  a  young  one.  The 
birds  heads  to  be  brought  to  the  selectmen  and  their  bills  cut  off. 

All  the  foregoing  were  town  bounties.  Fifty  years  ago 
the  Commonwealth  authorized  the  selectmen  of  towns  to  pay 
a  bounty  on  foxes.  During  the  early  existence  of  the  law, 
about  one  fox  a  week  was  the  death  rate  in  the  persecuted 
family  of  Eeynard.  Within  two  years  the  accomplished 
hunters  of  Ashburnham  laid  at  the  feet  of  the  selectmen 
ninety-six  foxes  and  with  their  trophies  carried  away  as  many 
half  dollars. 


538  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

The  Thief  Detecting  Society  is  a  mutual  organization 
for  home  protection.  It  is  a  lock  upon  the  stable  door  and 
its  chief  office  is  the  prevention  of  crime.  It  is  a  living 
presence  armed  with  law,  and  a  perpetual  terror  to  every 
class  of  thieves  and  kleptomaniacs.  The  organization  is 
voluntary  and  the  enthusiasm  in  which  it  has  been  main- 
tained is  spontaneous  and  perennial.  Except  the  annual 
meetings  for  the  choice  of  officers  and  an  occasional  supper 
at  the  public  inn  the  only  history  connected  with  the  organi- 
zation is  found  in  its  origin.  More  than  fifty  years  ago,  in  a 
single  night,  a  horse  was  stolen  from  Colonel  Charles  Bar- 
rett, a  chaise  from  Rev,  George  Goodyear,  and  when  the 
returns  were  all  in,  it  was  found  that  a  harness  had  been 
purloined  from  Samuel  Woods.  It  is  probable  that  the 
thieves  had  previously  obtained  possession  of  a  whip,  and  if 
human  slavery  had  been  perpetuated  in  Ashburnham,  it  is 
easy  to  presume  that  they  would  have  stolen  a  coachman. 
The  stolen  horse  was  valuable,  the  chaise  was  the  accustomed 
vehicle  of  communication  between  the  pastor  and  his  flock, 
and  the  harness  had  aided  the  successful  issue  of  the  robbery. 
This  compound  felony  and  trespass  upon  the  rights  and 
property  of  the  inhabitants  occurred  in  1834,  and  imme- 
diately the  Thief  Detecting  Society  was  organized.  The 
by-laws  exact  a  modest  admission  fee  and  in  this  wise  pro- 
vision the  organization  renews  its  youth  and  continues  a 
vigorous  existence.  The  society  lost  its  first  case,  for  those 
early  thieves  escaped  detection  ;  but  as  a  preventive  measure, 
the  history  of  the  town  asserts  its  success.  The  illustrated 
hand-bills  issued  by  the  society  is  a  significant  proclamation 
to  thieves  and  a  special  terror  to  those  on  horseback. 

The  South  Ashbuenham  Military  Band  was  organized 
in  1885.  There  are  twenty  members  including  a  few  who 
reside  in  Ashburnham  Centre.     Thomas  Edwards  is  leader, 


miscellanp:ous. 


539 


and  the  band,  containing  several  experienced  musicians,  has 
become  an  efficient  organization.  At  different  times  for 
nearly  fifty  years,  there  have  been  several  good  bands  and 
orchestras  at  the  Centre,  but  death,  removal  from  town  and 
the  retired  list  have  usurped  the  names  of  the  skilful  players 
of  a  former  and  a  more  musical  period. 


The  Powder  House,  with  a  serene  yet  solemn  counte- 
nance, overlooks  the  village  of  Ashburnham.  Through 
three  generations  it  has  been  a  trustworthy  custodian  of  the 
inflammable  material  committed  for  safe  keeping  to  its 
gloomy  recesses.  It  was  erected  and  has  been  maintained 
by  the  unanimous  voice  of  the  town.  Concerning  its  erec- 
tion, only  a  single  reference  is  found  in  the  records  :  "Voted 
to  build  a  powder  house  of  brick,  and  set  it  so  as  to  convene 
Col.  Jewett  for  the  safe  keeping  of  his  powder,  he  giving  ten 
dollars  extraordinary  towards  l^uilding  the  house."  "Chose 
Esq.  Wilder,  Col.  Jewett  and  Capt.  Cushing  a  committee  to 
build  said  house."  It  was  built  in  1798.  Mr.  Jewett  died 
before  the  building  was  erected  and  Lieutenant  John  Gates 
was   chosen  to  supply  the  vacancy.     As  a  work  of  art  the 


540  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

powder  house  suggests  no  enthusiasm,  and  as  an  object  of 
utility  its  loss  could  be  easily  supplied.  But  the  village  has 
become  accustomed  to  its  presence,  and  to  all  it  remains  a 
familiar  object  in  the  landscape.  If  removed  the  local  asso- 
ciations of  many  years  would  be  broken  and  the  vision  would 
rest  upon  the  hillside  unsatisfied.  Like  many  objects  and 
landmarks  familiar  to  our  daily  lives  or  to  the  recollections 
of  youth,  the  powder  house  is  not  so  fully  prized  in  its  con- 
tinued presence  as  it  would  be  deplored  in  its  loss. 

The  accompanying  illustration  will  lend  assurance  to  the 
absent  sons  and  daughters  of  Ashburnham  that  the  old 
powder  house  still  remains  on  the  hillside  and  in  the  presence 
of  the  soldiers  they  will  read  the  prophecy  that  it  will  not 
be  left  without  defence.  The  soldiers  seen  in  the  accom- 
panying engraving  are  Lieutenant  Charles  H.  White, 
Sergeants  Freeman  and  Willard,  Corporals  Howe  and 
Young  and  Private  Whipple  of  Company  E. 

Population. —  The  population  of  this  town  reached  the 
highest  point  in  1855.  The  loss  shown  by  the  census  of 
1880  was  only  temporary,  and  was  occasioned  by  the  absence 
of  many  mechanics  during  the  suspension  of  business  at  the 
chair  factory  in  the  central  village.  The  following  record 
of  the  population  of  Ashburnham  includes  the  colonial  census 
of  1776,  the  United  States  census  for  every  tenth  year  since 
1790,  and  State  census  for  every  tenth  year  since  1855. 


1776 

551 

1855 

2211 

1790 

951 

1860 

2108 

1800 

994 

1865 

2153 

1810 

1036 

1870 

2172 

1820 

1230 

1875 

2141 

1830 

1402 

1880 

1666 

1840 

1652 

1885 

2058 

1850 

1875 

CHAPTER   XXII. 

MORTUARY  RECORDS. 

THE    EARLY    BURIALS.  DEATH    OF    MR.    HASKELL.  GERMANS     BURIED    ELSE- 
WHERE.  THE  OLD  AND  THE    NEW  CEMETERIES. SUICIDES. ACCIDENTAL 

DEATHS. RECORD    OF    DEATHS  OF    AGED    PERSONS. LIST    OF    AGED    PER- 
SONS   NOW    LIVING    IN    ASHBURNHAM. 

The  Churchyard.  —  The  proprietors  of  Dorchester 
Canada  reserved  ten  acres  on  "the  hill  with  a  very  fair 
prospect "  for  a  common  and  a  cemetery.  In  this  measure 
they  fomid  many  precedents  in  the  proceedings  of  the  older 
towns.  Yet  seldom  was  a  site  selected  with  equal  unanimity 
of  sentiment  or  at  an  earlier  date  in  the  progress  of  a  settle- 
ment. It  was  presumed  that  the  common  set  apart  in  1736 
was  to  include  a  liurying-ground,  and  the  dead  were  buried 
in  the  northwest  portion  of  it  without  the  intervention  or 
permission  of  the  authorities.  In  1760  the  proprietors  gave 
Mr.  Winchester  permission  to  occupy  and  improve  the  whole 
square,  "provided  he  doth  not  obstruct  nor  hinder  the  bury- 
ing of  the  dead  ;  the  burying-place  being  in  that  lot."  With 
the  exception  of  this  incidental  reference,  it  was  many  years 
before  the  proprietors,  or  the  town  by  any  official  act, 
recognized  the  existence  of  a  cemetery  within  the  township. 
It  was  unnecessary.  It  was  an  edict  of  the  age  more  potent 
than  any  formal  proceeding,  that  the  dead  should  repose 
beneath  the  shadow  of  the  meeting-house. 

It  is  safe  to  consider  the  cemetery  coeval  with  the  common 
and  that  both  were  established  by  a  single  proceeding.     The 

541 


542  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

name  of  the  occupant  of  the  first  grave  and  the  date  of  the 
burial  are  not  recorded,  but  we  have  the  statement  of  Mr. 
Cushmg  that  a  Mr.  Haskell  from  Lancaster  was  accidentally 
shot  in  this  town,  and  that  an  aged  woman  was  drowned  and 
both  buried  in  the  old  cemetery  at  an  early  date.  Mr. 
Winchester  was  buried  1767,  and  Mr.  Gushing  was  of  the 
opinion  that  no  other  grown  persons  had  been  buried  here  at 
the  time  of  his  settlement.  The  family  registers  record  the 
death  of  several  children  previous  to  that  date,  but  do  not 
present  any  evidence  of  the  death  of  any  additional  adults. 

A  few  of  the  Germans  who  died  in  the  early  history  of  the 
town  were  buried  near  the  school-house  in  the  second 
district  and  there  are  two  family  burial-grounds,  but  the 
vast  congregation  of  the  dead  are  sleeping  in  the  old  church- 
yard or  in  the  new  cemetery. 

From  the  first  the  original  burying-ground  has  remained 
under  the  control  of  the  town  and  frequent  votes  for  the 
repair  of  the  fences  and  the  removal  of  stone  and  brush 
attest  a  reasonable  stewardship  of  a  sacred  trust.  As  in 
other  ancient  cemeteries,  which  were  not  allotted  at  the 
beginning,  the  ties  of  kindred  and  family  associations  are  the 
only  suggestion  of  an  orderly  arrangement,  while  the  varied 
sculpture  and  inscription  assert  the  age  of  the  several 
memorials.  The  crowded  condition  and  irregular  arrange- 
ment of  the  graves  admit  of  little  future  adornment,  but  the 
3^ard  will  not  be  neglected.  Here  repose  the  remains  of  the 
early  settlers  and  of  many  of  the  fathers  and  mothers  who 
have  succeeded  them.  The  ground  is  hallowed.  Pious  care 
will  renew  the  fading  inscriptions  and  repair  the  waste  of 
time  as  long  as  good  works  and  well-ordered  lives  command 
the  dutiful  reverence  of  mankind. 

The  new  cemetery,  controlled  by  an  association,  was 
opened  1858.     Eight  years  later  an  additional  tract  of  land 


MORTUARY   RECORDS.  543 

was  joined  to  the  original  purchase.  The  present  area  is  six 
and  live-eighths  acres.  The  association  has  made  liberal 
expenditure  in  opening  avenues  and  in  improving  the 
natural  surface  of  the  ground.  Lots  have  been  sold  at  a 
reasonable  price  and  in  number  sufficient  to  leave  the 
association  free  of  debt.  The  remains  of  many  have  been 
removed  from  the  old  cemetery  and  nearly  all  who  have  died 
in  this  town  for  the  past  twenty-five  years  have  been  buried 
here.  The  cemetery  is  conveniently  located  and  pleasantly 
situated,  and  it  contains  many  chaste  and  substantial  works 
of  monumental  art. 

Mortuary  Record.  —  The  altitude  and  excellent  drain- 
age of  the  town  have  been  conducive  to  health  and  longevity. 
Malarial  disease  and  seasons  of  prevailing  sickness  have  been 
of  rare  occurrence.  Previous  to  1768  no  complete  record 
of  deaths  has  been  found,  but  the  number  was  small.  The 
hardy  settlers  were  in  the  prime  and  strength  of  manhood. 
The  feeble  and  the  aged  did  not  come  hither  in  the  early 
progress  of  the  settlement. 

From  his  ordination  until  his  death,  Mr.  Gushing  made  an 
accurate  record  of  deaths  in  this  town,  and  from  1839  until 
the  present  time,  the  town  record  of  deaths  is  complete.  A 
record  kept  a  few  years  by  Doddridge  Gushing  and  one  by 
Rev.  George  Perkins  are  continuous  from  1823  until  1835. 
The  remaining  time  from  1835  to  1839  is  supplied  from 
partial  entries  by  the  town  clerk  and  from  records  of  the 
sexton.  It  is  believed  that  the  folio wino;  ago-reo-ate  is 
approximately  correct. 

XUMBER  OF  DEATHS  IX  TELE  TOWN  OF  ASHBURNHAM  FROM  1736  TO 
JANUARY  1,  1886. 

Previous  to  January  1,  1770  8 

From  January,  1770,  to  January,  1780  74 

"           "          1780,             "          1790  92 

"           1790,             "          1800  105 


544  HISTORY  OF  ASHBURNIIAM. 

From  January,  1800,  to  January,  1810  101 

"     "     1810,      "    1820  118 

"     "     1820,      "    1830  156 

"     "     1830,      "    1840  228 

"     "     1840,      "    1850  342 

"    "    1850,     "    1860  298 

"     "     1860,      "    1870  488 

"    "    1870,     "    1880  398 

"    "    1880,     "    1886  218 

Total       2576 

It  is  probable  there  were  more  than  eight  deaths  in  the 
first  period  of  time,  but  the  number  was  certainly  small  and 
greater  accuracy  w^ould  not  materially  affect  the  aggregate. 
In  1769  and  1772  there  were  only  two  deaths  each  year,  and 
only  six  in  either  of  the  years  1811  and  1812.  The  canker 
rash  prevailed  in  1794  and  the  number  of  deaths  was  twenty, 
a  number  not  exceeded  until  1823.  In  1848  consumption 
and  dysentery  swell  the  register  to  sixty-three.  The 
greatest  number  of  deaths  in  any  year  was  sixty-six  in  1863 
when  diphtheria  made  desolate  many  homes.  The  smallest 
number  within  the  past  forty  years  was  twenty-three  in 
1851,  and  the  average  for  the  past  ten  years  has  been  thirty- 
seven.  Since  1800  the  average  annual  death  rate  has  been 
15^  for  each  1000  of  population.  The  aggregate  number 
of  deaths  since  the  settlement  of  the  town  equalled  the  popu- 
lation of  the  town  for  the  first  time  in  1874,  and  since  that 
date  the  congregation  of  the  dead  has  exceeded  the  number 
of  the  living. 

Suicides.  —  There  was  a  time  when  the  suicide  was  denied 
the  rites  of  Christian  burial  and  his  memory  was  a  reproach 
to  his  kindred.  Perhaps  in  every  instance,  certainly  in 
nearly  all,  the  taint  of  insanity  has  been  manifested  in  the 
families  in  which  self-destruction  has  occurred.     With  the 


MORTUARY   RECORDS.  545 

gift  of  life,  Infinite  Wisdom  bestows  an  instinct  of  self- 
preservation.  Intuitively  life  shrinks  from  danger  and  is 
swift  in  the  defence  of  its  existence.  While  reason  hold  its 
sway  over  the  minds  of  men,  it  is  attended  by  a  living  im- 
pulse of  self-protection.  The  number  who  have  fallen  by  the 
cruelty  of  their  own  hands  is  fourteen. 

Alice  Stearns,  daughter  of  Isaac  Stearns,  aged  15  years. 

Ezra  Hastings,  aged  43  years. 

Mary  (Winship)  Brooks,  wife  of  .Jonathan  Brooks,  aged 

about  45  years. 
Samuel  Wilder,  son  of  Caleb  Wilder,  aged  15  years. 
Sarah  (Whitney)  Wilder,  wife  of  Caleb  Wilder,  aged  39 

years. 
Elias  Blodget,  aged  42  years. 
Levi  Corey,  aged  47  years. 
Jonas  Rice,  aged  62  years. 

Catherine  Brown,  wife  of  George  Brown,  aged  43  years. 
John  W.  Wallace,  aged  53  years. 
Miss  Jerusha  Dunham,  aged  43  years. 
John  Cain,  aged  43  years. 
Francis  Sackett,  aged  55  years. 
August  Jagodynsky,  aged  41  years. 

Deaths  by  Accident.  —  While  there  is  no  statement  in 
this  paragraph  not  sustained  by  some  authentic  record,  it  is 
believed  that  the  following  list  of  casualties  is  substantially 
complete.  The  death  of  Mr.  Haskell,  who  was  accidentally 
shot,  and  of  the  aged  woman  who  was  drowned,  have  been 
mentioned  in  another  connection. 

1775.  Jan.        3.     Samuel  Stone,  aged  24  years.     Left  his  home 

December  30,  was  bewildered  in  a  violent 
storm  and  was  not  found  and  brought  home 
until  January  2. 

1776.  Feb.        8.     Sarah   Phelps    Russell,    infant   daughter   of 

Moses  Russell,  "burned  to  death;"  aged 
7  months. 
35 


1812. 

May  24. 

1815. 

Feb.  14. 

1816. 

Aug.  22. 

1817. 

June  11. 

1820. 

June  14. 

1825. 

June  24. 

1854. 

May  3. 

1854. 

Nov.  26. 

1856. 

Nov.  4. 

1862. 

April  19. 

1862. 

June  29. 

1869. 

June  3. 

1873. 

Nov.  25. 

1876. 

May  27. 

546 


HISTORY    OF    ASHBURNHAM. 


1795.  Aug.  9.  Azubah  Gibbs,  iufant  daughter  of  Joseph 
Gibbs,  scalded;  aged  18  months. 

1804.  March  8.  John  Shaw,  aged  about  55.  Found  dead  on 
the  snow  ;  ' '  having  lost  his  way  and  no 
doubt  greatly  fatigued,  he  laid  down  and 
died." 

1814.  March     8.     Jacob    Constantiue,   aged   61.     "In   conse- 

quence of  his  horse  going  off  a  high  bridge 
in  Ashby."  The  accident  occurred  March 
4;  he  lived  four  days.  "He  fell  eleven 
feet  and  eight  inches.  His  wife  was  with 
him  in  the  sleigh  but  not  seriously  injured." 

1815.  Aug.      12.     Betsey  Corey,   daughter  of   Stephen  Corey, 

drowned  in  a  tan  vat ;  aged  4  years. 

1816.  March  25.     Caleb    Wilder    drowned    while    temporarily 

absent  In  Douglas ;  aged  75  years.  He 
was  a  brother  of  Samuel  Wilder,  Esq.  He 
had  been  insane  several  years. 
1819.  March  28.  Nancy  Eice,  daughter  of  Levi  Rice,  aged  3 
years,  "  scalded  by  a  swallow  of  hot  tea; 
she  lived  about  seven  hours." 

1823.  March  11.     Edwin   Eaton,  aged  about  18  years.     "His 

death  was  occasioned  by  a  part  of  a  head 
of  herds-grass  being  taken  into  the  wind- 
pipe." 

1824.  July      21.     BeulahMossmau,  daughter  of  Matthias  Moss- 

man,  aged  44  years.  Thrown  from  a 
carriage  in  Fitchburg. 

1825.     Oliver  Marble,  aged  69  years ;    drowned  in 

Lyndeboro,  N.  H. 
1825.     Sept.       1.     Ebenezer  Jones,  aged  36  years. 
1825.     Sept.       1.     Jonathan  Wood,  aged  52  years. 

These  meu  were  suJffocated  in  a  well. 
The  house  of  Mr.  Jones  was  burned.     After  the  fire  he 
descended  the  well  to  recover  a  bucket.     The  only  persons 


MORTUARY   RECORDS.  547 

near  by  at  the  time  wore  a  boy  and  Mr.  Wood,  a  neighbor. 
Mr.  Wood  heard  Mr.  Jones  fall  into  the  water,  and  in  ffoino; 
to  his  relief  he  also  fell.  An  alarm  was  given  by  the  boy 
and  after  several  hours  the  bodies  were  recovered. 


1828.  Aug.       8.     A  son  of  Rev.  Thomas  Skeltou,  aged  7  years. 

He  fell  upon  the  ground  and  received  a 
fatal  wound  from  a  small  stub  which 
entered  his  side. 

1829.  March  20.     Joseph  Gibbs,  aged  73,  was  killed  by  a  fall- 

ing tree. 

1835.  Sept.  5.  William  Locke,  aged  37  years,  fell  from  a 
pear  tree,  near  the  house  now  of  Nahum 
Wood. 

1837.  April  10.  Levi  Warren  Wetherbee,  son  of  Josiah 
Wetherbee,  of  Rindge,  aged  17  years. 
Killed  in  the  mill  of  Eliphalet  Eddy,  now 
of  Robert  W.  Mclntire. 

1839.  July  18.  William  Gipson,  aged  about  50  years,  was 
killed  instantly  by  a  falling  tree. 

1847.  June  10.  Austin  Whitney,  aged  15  years,  son  of  Mer- 
rick Whitney,  drowned  in  a  small  pond 
near  the  Poor  Farm. 

1850.     May      30.     George  Eaton,  aged  25  years,  killed  on  rail- 
road. 
22.     William  Whitney,  aged  67  ;  kicked  by  a  colt. 
8.     Elliot  Ward,  aged  17  years,  son  of  Benjamin 

Ward,  drowned  in  Ward  pond. 
29.     Patrick  CoUecten,  aged   35,  killed   by  acci- 
dental discharge  of  a  gun. 
8.     John  Wilson,  aged  80,  by  a  fall  from  a  build- 
ing. 
13.     Col.   Enoch    Whitmore   died    from   injuries 
received  from  a  block  of  wood  thrown  from 
a  saw  in  his  mill.     Aged  64  years. 


1852. 

July 

1857. 

Aug. 

1858. 

Aug. 

1859. 

May 

1860. 

Sept. 

548  HISTORY   OF  ASHBURNHAM. 

1861,  Oct.  8.  Amos  K.  Avery,  aged  30,  died  from  injuries 
received  from  a  block  thrown  from  a  saw 
in  Winchester's  chair  shop. 

1861.  Nov.  17.  William  D.  Stearns,  aged  33  years,  from 
wounds  received  by  accidental  discharge  of 
a  gun. 

1863.  June  4.  Frank  A.  Day,  aged  7  years,  son  of  John  B. 
Day,  kicked  by  a  horse. 

1867.  Feb.      25.     Bradford  Britton,  aged  48  years,  killed  in  the 

mill  of  Horace  W.  Houstan. 

1868.  Sept.     12.     Mary  E.  Wood,  aged  13  years,  killed  by  an 

accidental  discharge  of  a  gun.  She  was  a 
visitor  in  the  family  of  George  Howard. 

1871.  Sept.  1.  Paul  Sibley,  aged  35  years,  killed  by  an  earth 
slide  while  repairing  the  dam  or  bridge 
above  the  chair  factory  in  the  Central 
village. 

1873.  May  16.  Mrs.  Sarah  (Mower)  Jewell,  widow  of 
Dexter  Jewell,  aged  65  years.  Fracture 
of  skull  b}'  being  thrown  from  a  carriage. 

1876.  May      19.     Mary  and  Sarah  Eiley  were  drowned  while 

visiting  at  Fall  River. 

1877.  Sept.       2.     Oscar  M.  Lane,  aged  26  years,  killed  on  rail- 

road. 

1877.  Dec.  9.  Reuben  H.  Lawrence,  aged  33  years.  Brake- 
man  on  Fitchburg  R.  R.,  was  thrown  from 
a  train  and  instantly  killed. 

1879.  March  31.  Josiah  Thomas,  colored,  aged  57  jears, 
perished  while  riding  to  his  home  in  North 
Ashburnham  over  a  winter  road  across 
"  Stearns'  Meadow."  His  horse  also 
perished  in  the  cold  and  storm. 

1883.  Sept.  2.  Hosea  D.  Wallace,  aged  47  years,  was 
killed  by  a  passing  train  at  a  railroad 
crossing  in  Nashua.  In  the  carriage  was 
another  man  who  was  also  killed. 


MORTUARY   RECORDS. 


549 


1884.  May  13.  Willie  H.  Raymond,  aged  18  years,  son  of 
Heni-y  M.  Raymond,  and  Frank  R.  Hoar, 
aged  17  years,  son  of  John  Hoar,  were 
drowned  in  Lake  Naukeag.  The  bodies 
were  recovered  the  following  day. 

Longevity. — In  proportion  to  the  population,  a  large 
number  of  the  inhabitants  of  Ashburnham  have  lived  to  an 
advanced  age.  The  following  record  of  the  deaths  of  per- 
sons, eighty  or  more  years  of  age,  includes  none  who  were 
not  residents  of  this  town,  although  a  few  died  in  other 
places  while  temporarily  residing  with  their  kindred. 


DATE  OF  DEATH. 

AGE. 

Jan.      15,  1778 

Mr   Tyler                    

83 

Jan.      19,  1779 

84 

Jan.        2,  1783 

John  Oberlock 

80 

Oct.      24,  1784 

Ebenezer  Conant  ...... 

86 

July  9, 
Oct.  17, 
March  8, 
March  20, 
Nov.  9, 
May  3, 
Oct.  14, 
Nov.  28, 
Nov.  19, 
Feb.  20, 
March  26, 
Nov.  9, 
March  16, 


1785 
1785 
1788 
1789 
1789 
1790 
1794 
1794 
1797 
1798 
1802 
1802 
1803 


April    20,  1805 

July 

Aug. 

Sept. 

May 

Dec. 


10,  1805 
29,  1807 

11,  1807 
7,  1809 

21,  1811 
March  21,  1812 


Mrs.  Coddington 85 

Dea.  Moses  Foster 94 

Abigail  Willard,  widow  of  Henry  Willard       ....  80 

Widow  Rebecca  Davis 83 

Ephraim  Stone 85 

Mrs.  Bush 90 

Henry  Hall S3 

Widow  Gates about  82 

Ruth  (Pierce)  Conant,  widow  of  Ebenezer  Conant  .     .  85 

Lydia  Brooks,  widow  of  Amos  Brooks 80 

Elizabeth  (Sanders)  Adams,  wife  of  Thomas  Adams  .  — 

Thomas  Adams 89 

Sarah  (Prentice)  Brigham,  widow  of  Colonel  Timothy 

Brigham,  formerly  of  Southboro' 88 

Joseph  Whitmore 86 

Mary  (Marion)  Whitmore,  widow  of  Joseph  Whitmore  87 

Elisha  Coolidge 87 

Sarah  Salter,  widow  of  Samuel  Salter 83 

Elizabeth  Haven,  widow  of  Jonathan  Haven  ....  80 

Mary  (Jones)  Taylor,  wife  of  Jonathan  Taylor  .     .     .  80 

Hannah  (Barron)  Spaulding,  widow  of  James  Spaulding  85 


550 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


DATE  OF  DEATH. 


Oct.  21, 
Oct.  23, 
March  14, 


Jan.  13, 

June  2, 

Nov.  3, 

Feb.  20, 

Oct.  23, 

Oct.  22, 

Dec.  31, 

Dee.  17, 

Nov.  29, 

Dec.  29, 
March  12, 
March  2, 

Sept.  13, 

Nov.  9, 

Feb.  27, 

Jan.  1, 

Sept.  11, 

Sept.  16, 

Feb.  7, 

Feb.  11, 

March  22, 

Dec.  — 

Aug.  12, 

May  15, 

May  18, 


July  15, 

Oct.  23, 

Nov.  20, 

April  10, 

April  26, 

Oct.  17, 


1813 
1813 
1814 
1886 
1816 
1816 
1817 
1818 
1821 
1822 
1823 
1824 
1824 
1825 
1826 
1827 
1827 
1828 
1829 
1830 
1830 
1831 
1831 
1831 
1832 
1833 
1834 
1834 
1834 
1834 
1834 
1836 
1836 


March  22,  1837 


Oct. 

Sept. 

Aug. 

June 

June 


31,  1839 

22,  1840 
30,  1840 
11,  1841 

23,  1841 


Jonathan  Taylor 84 

Simon  Rodamel 93 

Mary  Winter,  widow  of  Andrew  Winter 91 

Peter  Hunt 86 

Miss  Merriam 86 

Jacob  Wilker 85 

Widow  Hannah  Shaw about  83 

Hezekiah  Corey 82 

Joseph  Steele 85 

Jesse  Ellis 80 

Susannah  (Allen)  Rice,  widow  of  Zebulon  Rice      .     .  91 

Sarah  (Leighton)  Hunt,  widow  of  Peter  Hunt    ...  93 

Enos  Jones 83 

Sarah  (Parkman)  Gushing,  widow  of  Rev.  John  Gushing  82 

Joshua  Smith,  Esq 81 

Susan  Franklin  (colored) 90 

Isaac  Brooks — 

Hannah  ( Whitcomb)  Pollard,  widow  of  William  Pollard  90 

Joseph  Burgess 84 

Widow  Burgess 88 

Amos  Davis 80 

Moses  Tottingham 84 

Miriam  (Hill)  Ellis,  widow  of  Jesse  Ellis 80 

Rebecca  (Foster)  Ward,  widow  of  Caleb  Ward      .     .  81 

Rhoda  (Randall)  Willard,  widow  of  Jacob  Willard      .  — 

Solomon  Manning 80 

Oliver  Green SI 

Persis  Blodgett 80 

John  Hall 81 

Dr.  Abraham  Lowe SO 

Sarah  (Willard)  Willard,  widow  of  Dea.  John  Willard  88 

Mr.  Reed — 

Jonas  Rice 82 

Hannah  (Adams)  Jones,  widow  of  Enos  Jones    ...  03 
Persis    (Whitmore)   Winchester,  widow  of  Jonathan 

Winchester 82 

Reuben  Rice SO 

Susanna  (Woods)  Foster,  widow  of  Samuel  Foster     .  89 

Lemuel  Stimson 82 

Rebecca  (Foster)  Whitmore,  wife  of  Isaac  Whitmore  SO 

Thomas  Gibson 86 

Eunice  (Brooks)  Metcalf ,  widow  of  Ezekiel  S.  Metcalf  82 


MORTUARY   RECORDS. 


551 


DATE 

OF  DEATH. 

June 

27, 

1841 

July 

o. 

1841 

Jan. 

12, 

1842 

May 

1, 

1842 

Sept. 

21, 

1842 

Nov. 

3, 

1842 

March  20, 

1843 

April 

li, 

1843 

May 

29, 

1843 

July 

29, 

1843 

Nov. 

1, 

1843 

Dec. 

23, 

1843 

Jan. 

u, 

1844 

March  25, 

1844 

Feb. 

20, 

1845 

Dec. 

22 

1845 

March 

26, 

1846 

May 

3, 

1846 

July 

22 

1846 

Oct. 

22 

1846 

Nov. 

2, 

1846 

Dec. 

3, 

1846 

Dec. 

9, 

1846 

March  20, 

1847 

May 

2, 

1847 

Dec. 

27 

1847 

April 

4, 

1849 

Oct. 

20, 

1849 

July 

30, 

1850 

Nov. 

28, 

1850 

Feb. 

2, 

1851 

April 

29, 

1851 

Oct. 

25, 

1851 

Feb. 

23 

1852 

March  25 

1852 

June 

18 

1852 

Jan. 

17 

1853 

July 

20 

1854 

Aug. 

12 

1854 

June 

U 

1855 

Olive  Manning,  widow  of  Solomon  Manning       ...  83 

David  Clark 83 

David  Wallis 81 

Susannah  (Todd)  Stowell,  Avidow  of  John  Stowell       .  81 

Miss  Rachel  Gates 84 

Mary  (Proctor)  Sanderson,  widow  of  Moses  Sanderson  83 
Tamezin  (Felton)  Benjamin,  widow  of  Daniel  Ben- 
jamin       84 

Joshua  Fletcher 83 

Susannah  Hobart,  widow  of  Shebuel  Hobart      ...  84 

Widow  Taylor 83 

Timothy  Crehore 89 

Jabez  Marble 87 

Keziah  (Wesson)  Hobart,  widow  of  Daniel  Hobart     .  94 

Copia  (Rice)  Ward,  widow  of  John  Ward      ....  98 

Dorothy  (Hildreth)  Green,  widow  of  Oliver  Green      .  88 

Mary  (Salter)  Marble,  widow  of  Jabez  Marble  ...  83 

Deborah  (Hunt)  White,  widow  of  Elisha  White     .     .  83 

Joseph  Jewett,  Esq 85 

Zilpah  (Townsend)  Rice,  widow  of  Jonas  Rice  ...  89 

John  Bowman 88 

Dorothy  (Garfield)  Hunt,  widow  of  Sherebiah  Hunt  .  83 

William  Ward 90 

Jonathan  Samson 87 

Margaret    (Metcalf)    Townsend,    widow    of    Reuben 

Townsend 84 

Isaac  Whitmore 93 

Phebe  (Wright)  Hawkes,  widow  of  Benjamin  Hawkes  84 

Joseph  Merriam 86 

Relief  Gibson,  widow  of  Thomas  Gibson 85 

Susannah  (Rice)  Samson,  widow  of  Jonathan  Samson  91 

Charles  Hastings 90 

George  R.  Gushing,  Esq 82 

Martlia  (Maynard)  Crosby,  widow  of  Frederick  Crosby  82 

Nathan  Taylor 80 

Sarah  (Woods)  Jewett,  widow  of  Joseph  Jewett,  Esq.  89 

Deborah  (Chittenden)  Barrell,  wife  of  William  Barrell  82 

Cyrus  Fairbanks 100 

Edmund  Jones 83 

Simon  Willard 84 

Margaret  (Adams)  Russell,  widow  of  Thomas  Russell  84 

Silas  Willard,  Esq. 86 


552 


HISTORY  OF  ASHBURNHAM. 


DATE  OF  DEATH 

Jan. 

13 

1856 

Jan. 

27 

1856 

June 

6 

1856 

Nov. 

9 

1857 

May 

8 

1859 

Nov. 

4 

1859 

Jan. 

29 

1860 

Feb. 

23 

1860 

Aug. 

14 

1860 

April 

5, 

1861 

Nov. 

3, 

1861 

Feb. 

18, 

1862 

Sept. 

3, 

1862 

June 

21, 

1863 

April 

14, 

1863 

Sept. 

13, 

1863 

Sept. 

5, 

1864 

Aug. 

2, 

1864 

April 

15, 

1865 

June 

10, 

1865 

Jan. 

12, 

1866 

Jan. 

12, 

1866 

Dec. 

11, 

1867 

Dec. 

15, 

1867 

May 

16, 

1868 

Aug. 

4, 

1868 

Sept. 

22, 

1868 

Nov. 

18, 

1868 

Feb. 

15, 

1869 

Dec. 

2, 

1869 

March  30, 

1870 

May 

14, 

1870 

June 

20, 

1870 

July 

17, 

1870 

Oct. 

24, 

1870 

Nov. 

14, 

1870 

Oct. 

24, 

1871 

June 

12, 

1871 

Aug. 

18, 

1871 

Aug. 

24, 

1871 

Oct. 

21, 

1871 

Hepsebeth  (Smith)  Pierce,  widow  of  Amos  Pierce  .     .  94 

William  Gates 80 

Achsah  (Pollard)  Bemis,  widow  of  Stephen  Bemis      .  85 

Sally  Angier 89 

John  Wilson 80 

Eliakim  Russell 89 

Nancy  (Getting)  Willard,  widow  of  Simon  Willard     .  90 

Jonas  Gorey 84 

William  Barrell 84 

Elizabeth  (Getting)  Brooks,  widow  of  Jacob  Brooks  .  84 

Thomas  Howard 82 

Elizabeth  (Griffin)  Lawrence,  widow  of  Dea.  Wra.  J. 

Lawrence 87 

Dr.  Nathaniel  Pierce 83 

Sarah  (Converse)  Russell,  widow  of  Eliakim  Russell  .  87 

Lois  (Billings)  Burgess,  widow  of  Joseph  F.  Burgess  85 

Polly  Brood 84 

Sarah  Gilbert 82 

Jonas  Davis 83 

Anna  Howard 80 

Daniel  Benjamin 82 

Doddridge  Gushing 86 

Sally  (Lane)  Kibling,  widow  of  John  Kibling      ...  82 

Lucy  (Townsend)  Gorey,  widow  of  Hezekiah  Corey  .  99 

Esther  Aldrich 84 

Samuel  Keyes S3 

Jesse  Holbrook S3 

Walter  Russell  Adams 85 

Joanna  (Adams)  Gorey,  widow  of  Stephen  Corey  .     .  93 

Lucy  (Getting)  Davis,  widow  of  Jesiah  Davis    ...  84 

Jonathan  Samson 82 

Ohio  Wliitney 81 

Ellen  Corcoran 80 

Moses  Stowell 80 

Jesse  Ellis 81 

Jonathan  Winchester 83 

Hannah  (Wilder)  Howard,  widow  of  Thomas  Howard  87 

Jesiah  White 89 

Mary  (Gushing)  Rand,  wife  of  Rev.  Asa  Rand  ...  89 

Sarah  (Billings)  Mclntire,  widow  of  Daaiel  Mclntire  85 

Rev.  Asa  Rand 88 

John  Caldwell 89 


MORTUARY   RECORDS. 


553 


DATE  OF  DEATH. 

March  29,  1872 

April 

1,  1872 

July 

22,  1872 

Aug. 

12,  1872 

Aug. 

22,  1872 

Dec. 

2,  1872 

Jan. 

3,  1873 

Feb. 

24,  1873 

March  24,  1873  | 

Oct. 

11,  1873 

Oct. 

11,  1873 

March    8,  1874 

April 

9,  1874 

Aug. 

14,  1875 

Aug. 

14,  1875 

March  21,  1876 

Feb. 

5,  1877 

March    5,  1877 

March  12,  1877 

April 

27,  1877 

July 

9,  1877 

Aug. 

18,  1877 

Sept. 

22,  1877 

April 

2,  1878 

May 

11,  1878 

May 

27,  1878 

Feb. 

23,  1879 

Aug. 

25,  1879 

Oct. 

29,  1879 

April 

29,  1880 

July 

8,  1880 

Oct. 

18,  1880 

Nov. 

26,  1880 

April 

1,  1881 

May 

12,  1881 

May 

29,  1881 

Nov. 

3,  1881 

June 

13,  1882 

Aug, 

2,  1882 

Oct. 

20,  1882 

Nov. 

18,  1882 

John  Thompson 86 

Samuel  Brooks 80 

Stephen  Gushing 88 

Mary  (Reed)  Eaton,  widow  of  Josiah  Eaton  ....  82 

Betsey  Hosley 80 

William  Richardson 81 

Rhoda  (Marble)  Taylor,  widow  of  Nathan  Taylor  .     .  89 

Persis  (Winchester)  Heraenway 82 

Lucy  (Lane)  Jones,  widow  of  Jolin  Jones      .     .     -     .  89 

Eliab  Knapp 84 

Dolly  (Samson)  Gipson,  widow  of  Henry  Gipson    .     .  88 

Elijah  Brooks 87 

Nancy  Clark 85 

Hannah  (Marble)  Miller,  widow  of  Joseph  Miller  .     .  80 

Lydia  (Stineker)  Davis,  wife  of  Adam  Davis     .     .     .  100 

Samuel  Randall 91 

Eliza  Thompson 89 

Pitt  Moore 89 

Charlotte  (Lowe)  Goodwin,  widow  of  David  Goodwin  84 

Mary  (Brigham)  Herrick,  widow  of  Zimri  Herrick     .  82 

Sally  (Chesmore)  Stowell,  widow  of  Moses  Stowell     .  84 

Lucretia  (Wilkins)  Caldwell,  widow  of  John  Caldwell  91 

Betsey  (Haven)  Ward,  widow  of  Nathaniel  D.  Ward  .  84 

Elisha  Crosby 88 

Widow  Ruth  (Bowen)  Paine 80 

Elizabeth  Atwell 84 

John  Murray .  85 

John  Hastings 92 

Anna  (Hastings)  Sawtell,  widow  of  Asa  Sawtell     .     .  89 

Philip  Russell  Merriam 96 

Joshua  Stowell 91 

Benjamin  Lane 8.5 

Asa  Tottingham 87 

Elvira  (Willard)  Crosby,  wife  of  Rev.  Josiah  D.  Crosby  80 

Adam  Davis 81 

Silas  Ward 89 

Emma    (Willard)   Skelton,   widow   of   Rev.    Thomas 

Skelton,  died  in  Boston 103 

Priscilla  (Earle)  Watkins,  widow  of  Jehiel  Watkins  .  83 

Lydia  A.  (Cowdin)  Howard,  widow  of  Wm.  H.  Howard  83 

Gamaliel  Hadley 85 

Antipas  Maynard 80 


554 


HISTORY    OF    ASHBURNHAM. 


DATE  OF  DEATH. 


Nor.  22, 

Feb.  9, 

Feb.  13, 

April  9, 

June  19, 

July  18, 

Aug.  29, 

Oct.  17, 

Jan.  19, 
March  7, 

June  18, 

June  26, 


Aug.  12 

Dec.  23 

Feb.  22 

Feb.  22 

June  8 

Sept.  2 

Oct.  26 


1882 
1883 
1883 
1883 
1883 
1883 
1883 
1883 
1884 
1884 
1884 
1884 
1884 
1884 
1885 
1885 
1885 
1885 
1885 


Miss  Dorothy  Hunt 85 

Nancy  W.  Bruce 86 

Visa  (Clark)  Pierce,  widow  of  Dr.  Nathaniel  Pierce  .  92 

Abel  Sawyer 84 

Dea.  John  Gushing  Davis .  82 

Eliza  (Adams)  Stearns,  widow  of  Timothy  Stearns     .  86 

Anna  (Sawyer)  Rice,  widow  of  Levi  Rice      ....  92 

Phebe  Peterson 80 

Angeline  Lashua  (Canadian) 90 

Edward  Sawyer 80 

Hannah  Wetherbee 91 

Ivers  White 80 

Sarah  H.  Warren 92 

Sally  (Bell)  Newton,  widow  of  Giles  Newton     ...  87 

Daniels  Ellis 85 

Joshua  B.  Burgess 84 

Col.  Charles  Barrett 97 

Edward  Smith 82 

Martha  T.  (Knight)  Hadley,  widow  of  Gamaliel  Hadley  84 


The  following  persons,  eighty  or  more  years  of  age,  were 
residing  in  Ashburnham  January  1,  1886  : 

Miss  Charlotte  Davis,  daughter  of  Ebenezer  Bennett 
Davis,  born  June  11,  1797  ;  Hosea  Green  born  September 
22,  1797  ;  Miss  Ruth  Hunt,  daughter  of  Deacon  Sherebiah 
Hunt,  born  June  3,  1799  ;  Lucy  (Stimson)  Davis,  widow  of 
Deacon  John  C.  Davis,  born  August  20,  1799  ;  Melinda 
(Bolles)  Hastings,  widow  of  John  Hastings,  born  February 
16,  1800;  Charles  Hastings  born  June  16,  1800;  Clarissa 
(Willard)  Whitmore,  widow  of  Colonel  Enoch  Whitmore, 
born  June  30,  1800 ;  Rebecca  (Green)  Green,  wife  of 
Hosea  Green,  born  March  5,  1801  ;  Rebecca  (Robbins) 
Stearns,  widow  of  Charles  Stearns,  Esq.,  born  February  9, 
1802 ;  Phebe  (Danforth)  Taylor,  widow  of  Elijah  Taylor, 
born  February  9,  1802  ;  George  A.  Willard  born  February 
28,   1803  ;  Harvey  M.  Bancroft  born  May  1,  1803  ;  Louisa 


MORTUARY  RECORDS.  555 

(Kinsman)  Sheldon,  widow  of  Flint  Sheldon,  born  May  20, 
1803  ;  Betsey  (Bly)  White,  widow  of  Josiah  White,  born 
August  27,  1803  ;  William  Bartlett  born  January  31,  1804  ; 
Zoa  A.  (Lawrence)  White,  widow  of  Ivers  White,  born 
April  21,  1804;  Nathan  Taylor  born  May  11,  1804;  Lucy 
(Kinsman)  Wilder,  wife  of  Jonathan  P.  Wilder,  born 
September  4,  1804  ;  Silas  Willard  born  December  8,  1804  ; 
Jonathan  P.  Wilder  born  February  19,  1805;  Betsey  M. 
(Glazier)  Bancroft,  wife  of  Harvey  M.  Bancroft,  born 
November  17,  1805  ;  Margaret  Nash,  widow  of  John  Nash, 
born  December  28,  1805. 


CHAPTER   XXIII. 

GLEANINGS. 

A     PRESENT     TO     EEV.    JOHN     CUSHING.  SEATING     THE      MEETING-HOUSE.   

MINOR    TOPICS.  A    NEW    TOWN    PROPOSED.  A    NEW    NAME    SUGGESTED 

FOR    ASHBURNHAM.  A    WAR    CLOUD. SICKNESS. —  A    SEVERE    WINTER. 

A   VARIETY.  THE    GREAT    GALE.  THE    FIRST    FIRE    ENGINE.  TEMPER- 
ANCE.   MILLERITES.  THE    GREAT    FRESHET.  MISCELLANEOUS    TOPICS. 

Conspicuous  in  the  life  of  an  individual  or  in  the  history 
of  a  community  will  appear  many  incidents  which  form  no 
part  of  a  connected  narrative,  and  in  such  isolated  events, 
frequently,  are  discerned  vivid  pictures  of  the  manners  and 
customs  of  the  times.  In  this  chapter  will  be  found  many 
threads  and  fragments  that  refused  to  weave  into  the  fabric 
of  the  preceding  chapters,  yet  some  of  the  facts  here  col- 
lected are  of  interest.  The  modest  gleanings  of  the 
Moabitish  maiden  contained  as  good  wheat  as  was  garnered 
in  the  fatter  sheaves  of  the  reapers,  and  in  these  unpreten- 
tious gleanings  are  found  suggestions  of  the  habits  and 
surroundings  of  our  fathers.  A  few  of  the  incidents  here 
recited,  from  1780  to  1800,  are  copied  from  the  journal  of 
Isaac  Stearns.  They  are  given  in  his  own  language  and  his 
name  is  appended  to  each  extract.  The  numerous  votes  of 
the  town  on  a  variety  of  subjects  are  copied  from  the  records. 

1769.  The  town  presented  Eev.  John  Cushing  two  and  a 
half  acres  from  the  east  side  of  the  common.  This  was  one- 
fourth  of  the  area  reserved  for  public  purposes.     This  record 

556 


GLEANINGS.  557 

accounts  for  the  fact  that  the  common  is  longer  from  north 
to  south  than  from  east  to  west. 

1771.  This  year  the  town  chose  Deacon  Fellows, 
Ephraim  Stone  and  Samuel  Wilder  "  to  seat  the  meeting- 
house according  to  age  ;ind  pay  ;  the  fore  seats  by  age  and  the 
rest  by  pay."  The  following  year  Samuel  Wilder,  William 
Whitcomb  and  John  Willard  were  selected  to  perform 
this  delicate  duty.  The  custom  of  assigning  a  seat  in  the 
meeting-house  to  each  family  was  universal  at  this  time.  In 
many  towns  the  committees  were  instructed  to  take  into 
account  the  character  and  standing  of  the  man  as  well  as  his 
age  and  amount  of  taxes  paid. 

1776.  The  town  "  voted  to  buy  a  burying  cloth  and  chose 
Samuel  Wilder  to  get  the  same  and  ofler  it  to  the  selectmen 
for  acceptance."  None  of  that  board  of  selectmen  were 
elected  the  following  year,  yet  the  vote  might  have  been  an 
honest  expression  to  accomplish  a  desired  and  commendable 
purpose. 

1778.  The  summer  of  this  year  was  exceedingly  dry  and 
the  labor  of  the  husbandman  was  poorly  repaid. 

1780.  The  winter  was  one  of  unusual  severity.  The 
deep  snow  and  cold  weather  continued  late  in  the  spring. 
May  19  was  the  memorable  dark  day.  Here  for  the  first 
time  shines  the  light  of  Isaac  Stearns'  diary  :  "  Friday  it  was 
extraordinary  dark  from  nine  o'clock  to  one  and  the  night 
was  as  surprising."  A  few  days  later  Mr.  Stearns  says,  "I 
went  to  father's  pasture  and  skinned  some  sheep  killed  by 
the  wolves." 

July  20.  This  day  "was  observed  as  a  public  fast.  For 
the  first  time  a  sexton  was  included  in  the  list  of  town 
officers  and  one  was  annually  chosen  for  many  years. 

Thursday,  December  7.  This  day  was  observed  through- 
out the  colonies  as  a  day  of  thanksgiving.     Mr.   Gushing 


558  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

preached  from  the  text,  "Salvation  belongeth  unto  the  Lord. 
Thy  blessmg  is  upon  thy  people." 

1781,  April  18.  "I  went  to  chase  after  a  bear,"  says 
Isaac  Stearns.  Tradition  often  asserts  that  the  early  settlers 
sometimes  met  a  bear.  In  his  choice  of  words,  Mr.  Stearns 
more  clearly  defines  the  habits  of  the  animal. 

The  town  for  the  first  time  legislates  concerning  the  ob- 
servance of  the  Sabbath  in  these  explicit  terms  :  "  Voted  that 
it  is  the  town's  mind  to  put  a  stop  to  unnecessary  travelling 
on  the  Sabbath  and  that  the  town  will  support  the  officers  in 
the  execution  of  their  office." 

1782,  May  2.  Under  this  date  Isaac  Stearns  says,  "I 
went  to  help  fetch  in  to  Mr.  Taylor's,  Capt.  Solomon  Woods 
who  was  wounded  by  the  foil  of  a  pine  and  he  died  the  follow- 
ing morning." 

May  3.  "I  went  to  carry  the  corpse  to  Groton." 
It  is  probable  that  this  fatal  accident  occurred  in  New 
Ipswich.  Thaddeus  Taylor  lived  in  the  southwest  corner  of 
that  town  and  the  home  of  Isaac  Stearns  was  where  Edwin 
J.  Stearns  now  resides.  It  was  the  custom  of  Mr.  Gushing 
to  record  all  the  deaths  that  occurred  in  this  town,  but  he 
makes  no  mention  of  the  death  of  Captain  Woods. 

1785,  April  22.  "A  severe  snow  storm  —  two  feet  of 
snow."  —  Isaac  Steaens. 

1786,  May  24.  "I  went  to  the  raising  of  Captain  Francis 
Lane's  mill."  —  Isaac  Stearns. 

1787,  January  22.  "I  went  to  town  meeting,"  says  Isaac 
Stearns,  and  the  following  entry  three  days  later  announces 
the  subject  of  the  meeting.  "  I  went  to  town  to  see  about 
getting  men  to  go  against  the  insurgents."  This  refers  to 
Shays'  rebellion.  There  was  no  legal  town  meeting  on  the 
day  named  and  the  one  referred  to  by  Mr.  Stearns  was 
probably  an  informal  conference  of  the  loyal  citizens. 


GLEANINGS.  559 

1790.  The  town  "voted  to  sell  their  old  paper  money.'* 
No  record  concerning  the  amount  nor  the  proceeds  of  the 
sale  has  been  found. 

1791,  April  15.  "I  went  to  town  meeting  which  was 
called  to  see  if  the  town  would  reconsider  a  former  vote  and 
set  the  meeting-house  in  the  centre  of  the  town."  —  Isaac 
Stearns. 

This  refers  to  an  efibrt  made  by  a  portion  of  the  town  to 
secure  the  location  of  the  meeting-house  at  some  point  north 
of  the  old  common,  and  as  the  advocates  claimed,  nearer  the 
geographical  centre  of  the  town.  The  town  heard  the  peti- 
tion and  by  a  vote  of  77  to  33  decided  to  build  the  new 
house  on  the  old  common. 

June  9 .  "I  went  to  a  meeting  at  my  brother's  to  see  if 
we  could  agree  for  a  new  town  taking  a  part  of  Ashburnham, 
Kindge  and  New  Ipswich."  —  Isaac  Stearns. 

This  proposition  was  mentioned  in  the  other  towns  named 
but  early  failed  for  want  of  suppoi-t. 

Nov.  10,  Thursday.  "I  went  to  the  dedication  of  the 
new  meeting-house.  Mr.  Gushing  preached  from  the  text  : 
'  But  will  God  indeed  dwell  on  the  earth  ?  Behold  the 
heaven  and  heaven  of  heavens  cannot  contain  thee  :  how 
much  less  this  house  that  I  have  builded.'"  —  Isaac 
Stearns. 

1794,  March  3.  The  tow^i,  probably  influenced  by  some 
prominent  citizen  who  desired  to  honor  Hon.  Moses  Gill  of 
Princeton,  "Voted  to  petition  the  General  Court  to  have  the 
town's  name  altered  to  the  name  of  Gill." 

The  town  of  Gill  in  Franklin  county  was  incorporated  a 
few  months  previous  to  this  vote,  and  no  petition  was  ever 
presented  to  the  Legislature.  It  is  probable  that  the  am- 
bition of  Mr.  Gill  was  satisfied  with  one  namesake,  and  that 
when  the  town  heard  of  his  contentment   the  matter  was 


560  HISTORY  OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

suffered  to  rest.  Happily  the  good  substantial  name  of 
Ashburnham  was  preserved.  This  year  the  town  "Voted 
that  if  the  government  does  not  give  the  soldiers  forty  shil- 
lings per  month  the  town  will  make  it  up  to  them,  provided 
they  are  called  into  actual  service  in  defence  of  the  United 
States." 

Nearly  every  town  in  this  vicinity  about  this  date  passed 
a  vote  to  the  same  effect.  The  purport  of  these  votes 
frequently  has  been  misunderstood  and  many  false  inferences 
have  been  drawn  from  them.  The  vote  was  a  sequence  of 
the  action  of  Congress  in  calling  upon  the  several  States  to 
hold  in  readiness  a  certain  proportion  of  the  militia  in  the 
event  of  a  war  with  England.  Following  the  peace  of  1783, 
the  United  States  and  Great  Britain  each  incessantly  com- 
plained that  the  other  was  violating  the  stipulations  of  the 
treaty.  These  complaints  and  the  excitement  produced  in 
the  public  mind  were  rife  at  this  time.  They  were  quieted 
for  a  season  by  the  ratification  of  the  Jay  treaty  but  were 
not  removed  until  after  the  war  of  1812. 

1795.  The  records  of  Mr.  Gushing  note  the  prevalence 
of  an  unusual  amount  of  sickness  in  1794  and  the  early 
months  of  1795.  Of  this  season  Isaac  Stearns,  under  date 
of  March  16,  1795,  says,  —  "Now  it  is  a  day  of  trouble 
wish  us  in  our  neighborhood  and  in  our  town.  The  Lord  in 
his  righteous  judgment  has  sent  or  permitted  a  grievous  dis- 
temper to  prevail.  It  is  the  rash  and  canker.  I  suppose  it 
is  the  old  throat  distemper.  It  has  swept  off  a  great  number 
in  this  town." 

Wednesday,  March  18.  "I  attended  the  funeral  of  Mr. 
Lemuel  Stimson's  son  and  Mr.  Stephen  Randall's  child  and 
likewise  of  Col.  Lane's  wife  where  I  was  called  to  be  one  of 
the  bearers.  These  three  and  a  child  of  Thomas  Laws', 
Jun.,  which  was  his  only  child,  and  the  third  he  had  been 


GLEANINGS.  561 

called  to  part  with  in  six  months  —  these  four  were  all 
carried  into  the  meeting-house  at  one  time,  A  sermon  was 
preached  by  Rev.  Mr.  Gushing  from  Isaiah,  xxv.  8  :  '  He 
will  swallow  up  death  in  victory  :  and  the  Lord  God  will 
wipe  away  the  tears  from  off  all  faces.' " 

December  6.  The  town  "Voted  that  Dr.  Abraham  Lowe 
be  a  committee  to  return  the  thanks  of  the  town  to  Messrs. 
Willard  for  their  generous  present  of  a  time-piece  to  the 
town."  The  clock  presented  to  the  town  was  in  the  old 
meeting-house  many  years,  and  is  remembered  by  many 
now  living. 

1796.  The  town  "chose  Dr.  Abraham  Lowe,  Samuel 
Wilder,  Esq.,  and  Col.  Joseph  Jewett  a  committee  to  invite 
a  certain  number  of  families  belonging  to  Westminster,  to 
join  this  town."  These  proceedings  eventually  resulted  in 
the  annexation  to  this  town  of  the  farms  of  John  Ward  and 
William  Barrell. 

1797.  The  selectmen,  to  whom  the  subject  had  been 
referred,  "  reported  a  recommendation  that  the  town 
straighten  the  walls  of  the  grave  yard ;  make  and  hang 
two  gates,  each  ten  feet  long,  one  at  each  end  of  the  meet- 
ing-house, and  cut  and  clear  off  the  brush,  and  wall  in  both 
places  where  there  are  now  bars." 

1798.  "Voted  that  Samuel  Wilder,  Esq.,  Dr.  Abraham 
Lowe  and  Capt.  David  Gushing  be  a  committee  to  remon- 
strate the  general  court  against  the  erection  of  a  new  court 
house  in  Worcester." 

Friday,  May  10.  "  I  attended  the  funeral  of  Esqr. 
Samuel  Wilder.  He  died  very  suddenly  in  his  bed  Fast 
day  morning  May  9.  Mr.  Gushing  preached  a  sermon  in 
the  meeting-house  from  the  text,  —  '  Blessed  is  that  servant 
whom  his  Lord  when  he  cometh  shall  find  so  doing.'  A 
great  number  both  in  the  town  and  from  a  number  of  towns 

36 


562  HISTORY   OF  ASHBURNHAM. 

attended  the  funeral.     This  is  a  great  loss  to  the  church  and 
town  for  he  was  a  serviceable  man."  —  Isaac  Stearns. 

1799.  Another  winter  of  unusual  severity  lingered  intO' 
the  months  of  spring.  In  the  annals  of  other  towns  there  are 
many  references  to  this  season  and  the  prevailing  scarcity  of 
forage  for  cattle  and  horses.  Under  date  of  May  15,  when 
he  had  substantial  reason  to  presume  that  the  worst  was 
over,  Isaac  Stearns  says,  —  "Here  it  may  be  worth  while  to 
take  notice  of  the  extraordinary  season  through  the  winter 
and  spring.  The  winter  set  in  about  the  middle  of  Novem- 
ber—  we  did  not  have  any  very  large  snow  at  a  time,  but 
there  fell  a  great  deal  in  the  course  of  the  winter.  And  it 
was  remarkable  for  cold,  here  the  sledding  held  out  about 
five  months  and  it  is  said  they  went  into  Boston  by  sledding 
eighteen  weeks.  The  spring  has  been  very  cold  and  back- 
ward and  snow^ed  repeatedly  and  one  considerable  snow  May 
12.  People  then  almost  despaired  of  seed  time.  It  has 
been  a  winter  much  to  be  remembered.  A  great  number  of 
cattle  died  in  this  town  and  elsewhere  by  reason  of  the 
severity  of  the  winter  and  the  sickness  that  was  on  them. 
There  died  out  of  the  stock  of  the  widow  of  Silas  Whitney 
eighteen  head  of  horned  cattle." 

A  few  days  later  Mr.  Stearns  chronicles  the  loss  of  three 
of  his  cows  and  soliloquizes  as  follow\s  :  "This  is  a  frown  in 
Providence.  I  desire  to  submit  calmly  without  a  murmuring 
thought,  though  it  is  distressing  in  such  a  family  as  mine  to 
lose  three  good  cows  at  this  time  of  the  year.  May  I  be 
brought  to  set  my  affections  less  on  the  creatures  and  more 
on  the  Creator.  Blessed  be  God  who  is  teaching  me  the 
fading  nature  of  earthly  enjoyments." 

1800,  Saturday,  February  22.  "I  went  to  the  meeting- 
house to  hear  a  eulogy  on  account  of  the  death  of  General 
Washino;ton . "  —  Isaac  Stearns  . 


GLEANINGS.  563 

Of  these  services  Dr.  Abraham  T.  Lowe  recently  gave  the 
followmg  account:  "Washington  died  in  December,  1799. 
There  was  a  general  observance  of  his  funeral  rites  through- 
out  the  countr}'.  In  many  parts  of  the  United  States,  these 
services  were  held  in  the  subsequent  February.  This  com- 
memoration service  of  our  first  President,  in  Ashburnham, 
was  reserved  for  the  twenty-second  of  February,  the  anni- 
versary of  his  birth.  The  Rev.  Dr.  Gushing  addressed  a 
crowded  congregation,  and  concluded  the  service  by  reading 
an  acrostic,  presenting  the  name  in  capitals,  —  George 
Washington, — written  by  my  father;  a  copy  of  which, 
having  been  found  among  papers  left  by  my  sister,  I  here 
subjoin.'" 

"  Gone?     Yes,  forever!     Washington  has  fled! 
Entered  death's  gate,  and  mingled  with  the  dead ; 
On  pinions  as  a  dove,  has  winged  his  way. 
Rising  from  earth  to  everlasting  day  : 
Glad  angels  stand  with  harps  attuned  to  sing, 
Enter,  great  Chief,  the  glories  of  thy  King ! 

"  While  God,  benignant,  from  his  throne  above, 
A  welcome  tenders,  fraught  with  life  and  love, 
Since  such  the  mandate  is,  our  tears  we  dry  : 
He  lives  again !  to  dwell  with  God  on  high. 
Illustrious  Chief!  whose  virtues  were  our  guide; 
Nor  shall  the  tomb  his  goodness,  greatness,  hide,  — 
Great  in  defence  of  rights  vouchsafed  to  man ; 
Truth,  kindness,  justice,  through  his  being  ran. 
O  tyrant  Death  !  thou  layest  the  highest  low ; 
Nor  fearest  to  startle  millions  at  a  blow." 

1801.  "  Voted  to  git  a  good  new  carriage  and  harness  for 
to  carry  corpses  on  and  build  a  house  for  to  keep  the  same 
in." 

1803.  "  Voted  not  to  get  a  cushion  and  trimmings  for  the 
pulpit." 


564  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

1804.  "Voted  to  get  a  new  burying  cloth  and  that  the 
selectmen  be  a  committee  to  get  the  same." 

1805.  "Voted  to  cut  the  trees  and  bushes  in  the  grave 
yard." 

1806.  "  Voted  to  build  two  horse  blocks  at  the  meeting- 
house, one  at  each  end." 

1807.  Monday,  January  26.  "  This  was  supposed  to  be 
about  as  cold  as  ever  was  known."  — Isaac  Stearns. 

1808.  "Voted  to  get  a  cushion  and  other  trimmings  for 
the  pulpit  in  the  meeting-house." 

"  Voted  to  petition  the  general  court  to  have  the  taking  of 
fish  in  the  ponds  in  Ashburnham  regulated.'' 

1812.  This  was  a  cold,  wet  summer.  A  snow-storm 
began  May  24  and  continued  twenty-four  hours. 

1814.  "  Voted  to  get  a  new  hearse  and  harness  and  that 
it  be  a  four-wheeled  one  and  that  the  selectmen  do  procure 
one  accordingly." 

1815.  In  September  there  was  a  remarkable  gale  that 
caused  great  damage  in  this  town.  A  wind  from  the  south- 
east of  unprecedented  velocity  continued  with  slight  abate- 
ment from  nine  to  eleven  o'clock  in  the  forenoon.  Fences, 
trees  and  in  some  localities  whole  forests  were  prostrated. 
Its  greatest  force  was  from  Maine  to  New  York  and  inland 
from  sixty  to  eighty  miles.  The  great  blow  of  1815  for 
many  years  was  a  subject  of  frequent  remark. 

1816.  The  summer  was  exceedingly  wet  and  cold.  Frost 
occurred  every  month,  and  from  June  6  to  June  11  the  fi'osts 
were  severe. 

The  public  well  on  the  common  was  dug  this  year. 

1817.  The  town  voted  not  to  purchase  a  stove  for  the 
meeting-house.  At  several  subsequent  meetings  a  similar 
vote  was  passed,  A  stove  was  finally  procured  through 
individual  efibrt  about  1825. 


GLEANINGS.  565 

This  year  the  town  "  Voted  that  the  selectmen  do  their 
duty  and  enforce  the  hiws  respecting  tavern  haunters." 

1825.  "Voted  to  choose  two  agents  to  each  pond  to  put 
the  hiw  in  force  concerning  fishing." 

1829.  A  few  enterprising  citizens  having  purchased  and 
brought  to  this  town  a  fire  engine,  a  proposition  was  made 
to  sell  a  rioht  in   it  to  the  town  on  these  terms  :  "  To  see 

o 

if  the  town  will  pay  a  i)art  towards  the  Ingine  that  is  pur- 
chased provided  the  proprietors  will  give  it  up  for  the  use  of 
the  inhabitants  of  said  town."     The  vote  was  in  the  negative. 

1830.  In  accordance  with  the  requirements  of  a  com- 
pulsory statute  the  town  was  surveyed  by  Enoch  Whitmore 
and  Jesse  Stearns. 

1832.  The  temperance  crusade  early  found  supporters  in 
Ashburnham.  This  year  the  town  gave  warning  of  a  deter- 
mined purpose  by  a  vote  "  that  whenever  the  selectmen  see 
or  know  of  any  person  or  persons,  inhabitants  of  this  town, 
to  git  drunk  or  intoxicated  with  ardent  spirits  to  take  notice 
of  the  same  and  to  deal  with  them  as  the  law  in  such  cases 
has  provided." 

1835.  A  road  case  being  under  consideration  the  declara- 
tion of  a  vote  in  the  premises  was  disputed.  On  a  division 
of  the  town  to  make  the  vote  certain,  there  were  sixty-three 
in  the  affirmative  and  sixty-three  in  the  negative,  whereupon 
the  town  "  Voted  that  the  inhabitants  form  two  lines  on  the 
common  to  determine  this  question."  The  two  lines  were 
then  formed,  the  files  counted  and  the  advocates  of  the  road 
prevailed. 

1836.  The  town  appropriated  fifty  dollars  to  procure 
buckets  for  the  engine  company. 

1837.  The  town  voted  to  excuse  the  engine  men  from  the 
payment  of  a  poll  tax. 

1838.  In  former  years  the  town  had  refused  to  pay  for 
ringing  bells  at  noon  and  at  nine  o'clock  in  the  evening. 


566  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

This  year  it  ordered  that  the  two  bells  in  the  village  be  each 
rung  at  these  hours  six  months  at  the  expense  of  the  town. 
The  custom  was  continued  many  years. 

1842.  The  Miller  delusion  caused  considerable  excite- 
ment and  found  several  adherents  in  this  town.  This  move- 
ment, supported  more  by  prophecy  than  fulfilment,  extended 
with  unequal  fervor  through  two  or  three  years.  It  accom- 
plished no  good  and  frequently  left  its  temporary  adherents 
in  an  unsettled  state  of  mind.  Many  characteristic  incidents 
attended  the  preaching  and  the  experience  of  the  disciples  in 
this  town,  but  they  are  attended  by  no  profitable  or  pleasing 
memories.  Over  this  exhibition  of  human  weakness  and 
folly,  charity  proffers  the  friendly  mantle  of  silence. 

1850,  May  6.  The  dam  at  Rice  pond  broke  away  and 
great  damage  ensued  in  the  valley  below.  The  freshet,  as  it 
is  ever  called,  is  a  memorable  event  in  the  annals  of  Ash- 
burnham.  Many  are  now  living  who  witnessed  the  anger 
of  the  deluge  and  surveyed  the  ruin  wrought  by  the  seething 
current.  So  vivid  remains  the  picture  of  the  scene  in  their 
memory  that  to  them  words  can  convey  no  intelligence  nor 
fitly  express  the  portentous  character  of  the  flood.  The 
thought  and  experience  of  the  multitude  collected  near  the 
scene  would  fill  a  volume,  but  only  the  cause  and  the  visible 
results  are  left  for  record.  For  many  years  previous  to  the 
freshet,  a  dam  had  been  maintained  at  Rice  pond  and  during 
the  greater  part  of  the  year  the  water  was  maintained  several 
feet  above  the  original  level  of  the  pond.  In  the  sjn-ing  of 
1850  two  feet  of  clay  soil  had  been  placed  on  top  of  the  dam 
without  a  sufficient  support  of  stone  and  spiles.  During  the 
days  immediately  preceding  the  catastrophe  the  pond  was 
full  and  was  two  feet  higher  than  ever  before.  Sunday  was 
a  rainy  day  and  during  the  night  the  rain  fell  copiously. 
The  clouds  lifted  Monda}^  morning  and  a  high  wind  set  in 


GLEANINGS.  5G7 

from  the  northwest  sweeping  across  the  pond,  and,  little  by 
little,  Avearing  the  crown  of  the  dam  with  the  waves.  Soon 
a  small  but  continuous  stream  flowed  over  the  top  increasing 
with  every  moment.  The  current  plowed  deeper  and  deeper, 
until  the  dam  yielded  to  the  force  of  the  escaping  water. 
When  the  first  breach  was  made  an  alarm  was  raised  and  a 
number  of  men  hastened  to  the  rescue,  but  they  were  too 
late  and  the  maddened  flood  came  dashing  onward  to  its 
work  of  destruction. 

The  mighty  volume  of  water,  with  anger  written  on  the 
crest  of  every  wave,  swept  away  every  dam  and  every 
bridge  spanning  the  river  between  the  reservoir  and  Fitch- 
burg.  At  the  Naukeag  cotton  mill  which  sturdily  withstood 
the  shock,  the  dam  was  suddenly  removed  and  the  mill  was 
an  island  in  the  sea  of  foam  and  waves  that  beat  and  surged 
around  its  base.  Baflled  in  a  first  assault,  the  wrathful  cur- 
rent dashed  on  to  an  easy  conquest  at  the  tannery  of  Fletcher 
and  Warren.  The  buildings  were  suddenly  lifted  to  the 
summit  of  the  waves  and  scattered  in  the  fury  of  the  flood. 
In  its  onward  course  the  tub  shop  of  Caldwell  and  Ellis, 
protected  by  a  pile  of  logs,  and  the  grain-mill,  now  of 
Colonel  George  H.  Barrett,  were  not  seriously  injured. 
Then  fell  the  morocco  shop  and  the  furniture  shop  which 
stood  near  the  bridge.  With  force  unal^ated  and  with  bil- 
lows bristling  with  the  trophies  of  conquest  and  huge 
boulders  rolling  along  in  the  current  or  hurled  to  the  shore 
and  sweeping  the  bridge  into  the  basin  below,  the  flood 
dashed  into  a  more  capacious  channel.  The  mills  of  Charles 
and  George  C.  Winchester  were  not  destroyed,  but  a  great 
quantity  of  stock  and  lumber  was  swept  away.  In  Factory 
Village  the  damage  was  renewed.  The  cotton  factory  was 
spared  to  feed  the  flames  at  a  subsequent  time,  l)ut  the 
property  was   greatly  injured.     The  old  Dunster  saw-mill 


568  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

was  overthrown  and  sad  havoc  was  made  of  the  morocco 
shop  of  Luther  B,  and  Andrew  J.  Adams.  On  Mill  street 
the  chair  factory,  formerly  of  Corey,  Barrett  and  Kibling, 
was  undermined  and  fell  after  a  sturdy  resistance  of  the 
sweeping  force  of  the  first  assault,  and  many  smaller  build- 
ings were  floated  on  the  surfoce  of  the  waves. 

In  the  midst  of  the  excitement  attending  the  approach  of 
the  flood,  George  Rock  wood  started  down  the  river  to  warn 
the  people  of  the  approaching  danger.  He  swiftly  rode  to 
West  Fitchburg  and  from  that  place  other  messengers  con- 
tinued the  alarm.  It  is  said  that  many  did  not  heed  the 
warning  of  the  Ashburnham  prophet,  but  when  the  hour  of 
danger  came  they  found  ample  occasion  for  returning  grate- 
ful acknowledgments  for  the  hour  of  preparation  which  his 
kindness  had  granted  them.  Beyond  the  limits  of  this  town 
the  damage  was  considerable,  but  the  sweeping  fury  of  the 
current  was  lessened  in  its  onward  progress. 

A  few  days  after  the  catastrophe,  an  informal  meeting  of 
the  citizens  of  Ashburnham  was  assembled  and  the  situation 
was  calmly  reviewed.  In  a  summary  of  the  losses,  it  was 
stated  at  this  meeting  that  twelve  dams,  a  chair  shop,  a 
cabinet  shop,  an  extensive  tannery,  a  saw-mill,  a  morocco 
shop  and  several  store  and  dry  houses  had  been  swept  away. 
The  remaining  buildings  were  injured,  and  for  miles  along 
the  margins  of  the  stream  were  large  quantities  of  hides, 
cotton  yarn,  chair  material  and  finished  wares.  At  this 
meeting  a  committee,  consisting  of  Rev.  Josiah  D.  Crosby, 
Rev.  Elnathan  Davis,  George  G.  Parker,  Charles  Stearns, 
George  Rockwood,  Colonel  Enoch  Whitmore  and  Dr.  John 
Petts,  were  selected  to  solicit  and  distribute  the  donations  of 
the  charitable  in  the  surrounding  towns.  About  twelve 
hundred  dollars  was  promptly  collected  and  awarded  in 
various  sums  to  the  most  needy  of  the  sufierers. 


GLEANINGS.  569 

In  connection  with  any  reference  to  the  flood  the  following 
report  preserved  among  the  papers  of  Charles  Stearns,  Esq., 
preserves  a  semi-official  account  of  the  losses  sustained.  It 
will  be  observed  that  the  report  was  made  only  four  days 
after  the  disaster. 

We,  the  subscribers,  residents  of  Ashburnham,  having  been 
chosen  by  the  inhabitants  of  said  town,  a  committee  to  ascertain 
the  amount  of  direct  damages  sustained  by  the  different  owners  of 
mills  and  other  property,  situated  upon  the  stream  issuing  from 
the  reservoir  in  said  town,  on  the  sixth  day  of  May,  have  attended 
to  the  business  assigned  us  and  submit  the  following  report : 


Reservoir  Dam,  No.  5 

$500 

David  R.  Marshall 

950 

Naukeag  Man'f'g  Co. 

2,500 

Amos  Taylor  —  Shop 

100 

E.  L.  Merrick — Machinist 

75 

William  Rice  —  Machinist 

100 

Fletcher  and  Warren  —  Tannery 

6,000 

Caldwell  and  Ellis 

550 

Mr.  Day —  Grist-mill  and  Saw-mill 

1,000 

Wheeler's  Chair  Factory 

1,000 

CM.  Proctor— Blacksmith 

600 

Horace  Black  —  Cabinet  Shop 

1,070 

Black  and  Wilder 

1,000 

Jonathan  P.  Wilder 

250 

Winchester  and  Barrett 

2,750 

C.  and  G.  C.  Winchester 

3,725 

Charles  Stoddard  —  Wheelwright 

400 

George  Blackburn  —  Cotton  Factory 

6,000 

S.  Knights  —  Saw-mill 

500 

L.  B.  and  A.  J.  Adams  —  Morocco 

1,525 

Ivers  Adams  —  Stock 

200 

Amos  Whitney  —  Farm 

500 

Samuel  Brooks  —  Farm 

250 

David  Whitney  —  Farm 

100 

Total  $31,645 


570  HISTORY    OF    ASHBURNHAM. 

The  committee  would  further  state  that  the  above  estimate  of 
losses  was  carefully  ascertained  by  personal  inquiry  of  the  different 
owners  of  the  property  lost  and  that  the  statement  as  above  is, 
as  we  believe,  under  rather  than  above  the  actual  losses  and 
damages. 

EUROPE   H.    FAIRBANKS,") 
ANTIPAS   MAYNARD,  V  Committee. 

STEPHEN   A.    MILLER,        ) 

ASHBURNHAM,    JuUC  10,   1850. 

With  a  hopeful  countenance  directed  to  the  future,  and 
with  the  sympathy  and  encouragement  of  the  community, 
the  dams  and  bridges  were  promptly  rebuilt  and  a  new  and 
more  substantial  dam  was  erected  at  the  reservoir  and, 
except  in  the  memory  of  men,  all  traces  of  the  flood  were 
soon  obliterated. 

1860.  This  year  the  town  voted  not  to  make  an  appropri- 
ation for  the  ringing  of  the  bell  at  noon  and  at  nine  in  the 
evening,  but,  missing  the  accustomed  sound  or  for  some  other 
cause,  the  motion  was  reconsidered  and  the  bell  was  rung  as 
usual. 

The  selectmen  were  instructed  to  prosecute  all  violations 
of  the  liquor  laws. 

1861.  A  proposition  to  change  the  time  of  holding  the 
annual  town  meeting  to  the  first  Monday  in  April  was 
defeated. 

The  engine  men  are  paid  two  dollars  each  and  the  abate- 
ment of  poll  tax.  The  same  remuneration  was  allowed 
before  and  after  this  date. 

1864.  The  public  hay  scales  were  purchased  this  year. 
Two  years  later  a  like  convenience  was  established  at  South 
Ashburnham  at  the  expense  of  the  town. 

Rev.  J.  D.  Crosby,  Reuben  Townsend,  Jerome  W.  Foster, 
Ohio  Whitney,  Jr.,  and  George  C.  Winchester  were  chosen 


GLEANINCxS.  571 

to  report  at  a  future  meeting  concerning  a  centennial  cele- 
bration of  the  incorporation  of  the  town.  On  the  report  of 
this  committee  the  town  "  voted  to  dispense  with  a  centennial 
celebration ybr  the  present." 

1866.  A  committee  of  twenty-five  was  chosen  to  enforce 
the  liquor  laws. 

1869.  Following  heavy  rains  in  October  great  damage 
was  done  by  a  freshet  in  many  parts  of  New  England.  In 
this  town  all  the  streams  were  swollen  and  the  highways 
were  injured  to  an  extent  unprecedented  in  the  history  of 
the  town.  The  greatest  damage  occurred  in  South  Ash- 
burnham  where  the  freshet  was  augmented  by  the  breakage 
of  the  dam  at  the  mill  on  the  site  of  the  chair  factories  of 
Wilbur  F.  Whitney.  All  the  dams  on  that  stream  in  this 
town,  except  the  dam  at  the  mill  of  E.  Gross  and  Son,  were 
broken  and  the  water  overflowing  the  banks  of  the  river 
made  havoc  with  movables  within  its  reach.  The  dam  at  the 
saw-mill  of  Horace  W.  Houston  was  swept  away  at  this  time 
and  visions  of  a  deluge  were  everywhere  visible.  Painful 
apprehensions  of  more  serious  consequences  were  enter- 
tained, but  the  bow  of  promise  again  appeared  and  tran- 
quillity returned  with  the  subsiding  waters. 

1870.  An  informal  vote,  in  the  nature  of  a  request,  concern- 
ing the  site  of  Gushing  Academy,  was  adopted.  This  measure 
recommended  that  the  buildings  be  erected  on  land  of  George 
C.  Winchester  and  north  of  his  residence.  William  P.  Ellis, 
Simeon  Merritt  and  Marshall  Wetherbee  were  selected  to 
communicate  to  the  trustees  the  desire  of  the  town. 

This  year  six  hundred  dollars  was  appropriated  for  the 
purchase  of  a  town  clock  to  be  placed  in  the  belfry  of  the 
new  Methodist  church.  By  the  conditions  of  the  vote  the 
clock  was  to  remain  under  the  control  of  the  town. 

1871.  A  hose  carriage  and  five  hundred  feet  of  additional 
hose  were  purchased  by  the  town. 


572  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

1872.  The  town  appropriated  one  thousand  dollars  for  a 
fire  engine  for  the  use  of  South  Ashburnhara  and  also  pur- 
chased a  site  and  built  an  eno-ine-house  in  that  villaoe. 

1874.  Upper  Naukeag  was  leased  for  the  propagation  of 
fish  and  Ohio  Whitney  was  chosen  agent. 

1875.  The  new  engine-house  in  central  village  was  built 
this  year.  The  committee  to  select  and  purchase  a  site  and 
to  superintend  its  construction  were  George  C.  Foster, 
George  G.  Kockwood  and  John  H.  Wilkins. 

1877.  Ward  pond  was  leased  for  the  propagation  of 
fish. 

1879.     A  new  hearse  was  purchased. 

Shade  Trees. — To  subdue  a  forest  was  the  mission  of 
the  early  settlers  of  Ashburnham.  The  planting  and  care  of 
shade  trees  is  an  impulse  of  succeeding  generations.  The 
appearance  of  the  streets  and  the  comfort  of  the  homes  of  the 
villagers,  and  at  many  homesteads  in  all  parts  of  the  town, 
are  indebted  to  the  enterprising  citizens  who  have  prose- 
cuted a  commendable  work.  It  will  be  kindly  remembered 
that  many  of  the  shade  trees  on  Lawrence  and  Chapel  streets 
were  planted  by  George  C.  Winchester.  And  in  all  parts 
of  the  village,  many  have  been  planted  by  the  Village  Im- 
provement Society,  while  the  Congregational  Society,  the 
trustees  of  Gushing  Academy  and  many  citizens  have  at- 
tended to  the  adornment  of  their  respective  lots. 

A  record  of  the  present  dimension  of  some  of  the  familiar 
trees  in  this  town  will  be  of  interest  in  the  future,  and  will 
afibrd  data  from  which  the  continued  growth  can  be  noted. 
In  the  summer  of  the  present  year  (1886)  the  following 
measurements  were  made  by  Deacon  William  P.  Ellis  and 
George  C.  Foster,  Esq.  The  several  measures  given  denote 
the  circumference  of  the  tree  at  a  distance  of  two  feet  from 
the  orround. 


(iLEANINGS.  573 

A  stately  elm  near  the  residence  of  Charles  Winchester 
measures  14^2-  feet.  Tradition  asserts  that  this  tree  was 
planted  1756.  An  English  linden  near  the  residence  of 
Mrs.  Ivers  White,  planted  over  eighty  years  ago,  measures 
S^  feet.  An  elm  on  the  grounds  of  Elbridge  Stimson,  and 
near  the  land  of  J.  L.  Cummings,  Esq.,  measures  5^  feet. 
This  tree,  then  two  inches  in  diameter,  was  planted  by  Pyam 
Burr  in  1857.  An  oak,  near  the  Congregational  church  and 
east  of  the  horse  shed  of  George  Clark,  was  planted  b}' 
Edward  Sawyer  about  thirty  years  ago.  It  measures  5if 
feet.  In  1847  Rev.  Elnathan  Davis  set  two  small  maples  in 
front  of  the  house  now  of  Martin  B.  Lane.  Each  measures 
b^  feet.  An  elm  planted  by  Walter  O.  Parker,  in  1880, 
then  less  than  three  inches  in  diameter,  now  measures  2^% 
feet.  An  elm  planted  by  George  C.  Foster,  in  1881,  has 
increased  in  circumference  15  inches  in  five  years.  An  elm 
at  the  corner  of  Main  and  Pleasant  streets  was  set  by  the 
Village  Improvement  Society  in  1881,  and  was  then  about 
two  inches  in  diameter.  It  now  measures  1^  feet.  Two 
elms  planted  about  one  hundred  years  ago  by  Deacon  Shere- 
biah  Hunt,  in  front  of  the  residence  of  Albert  T.  Bemis, 
measure  respectively  10  and  12  feet.  Two  elms  at  the  farm 
now  of  Joseph  H.  Harris,  which  were  planted  by  Samuel 
Wilder,  Esq.,  measure  respectively  12^  and  12|f  feet. 
Two  attractive  maples  at  the  residence  of  Dr.  L.  L.  Whit- 
more,  one  near  the  barn  and  one  at  the  other  side  of  the 
highway,  were  planted  1850.  They  now  measure  4  and 
4^  feet.  A  native  oak  in  the  yard  of  Joseph  E.  Clark 
measures  10^  feet.  The  stately  elm  near  the  residence  of 
Elijah  Gross  measures  13^^  feet.  This  tree  was  planted  b}' 
Asa  Brooks,  son  of  Simeon  Brooks,  about  ninety  years  ago. 
Near  by  stands  a  thrifty  elm  planted  1876,  by  Miss  Sarah 
W.  Gross,  measures  2y%  feet,  and  an  oak  planted  about 
1860  measures  bj^  feet. 


|)£n«al00ital  f^ 


t^i^Uv, 


Genealogical  Register 


THE  EARLY  FAMILIES  OF  ASHBURNHAM. 


INTRODUCTION. 


Those  who  assume  that  nothing  is  gained  from  a  study  of 
the  characteristics  of  their  ancestors  ignore  at  the  outset  that 
possibly  an  unfilial  nature  underlying  such  indifference  was 
inherited,  and  through  the  influence  of  transmitted  sentiment 
they  deceive  themselves  in  the  conclusion  that  there  is  no 
inheritance  in  manner  of  thought.  Under  the  equalities  of 
republican  institutions,  and  in  the  absence  of  laws  of  primo- 
geniture and  hereditary  distinction,  the  selfish  incentive  to 
genealogical  study  fails  and  only  a  filial  sentiment  and  an 
amiable  desire  lend  pleasure  and  encouragement  to  these 
researches.  The  familiar  type  of  character  which  has 
attended  many  of  these  families  through  successive  genera- 
tions and  the  influence  of  marriage  alliance  have  presented 
many  opportunities  for  a  study  which  has  enlivened  the  labor 

37  577 


578  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

involved  in  these  registers.  With  a  sympathy  akin  to  pity 
for  many  who  had  preserved  no  knowledge  of  their  ancestors, 
I  have  made  a  willing  effort  to  extend  and  complete  a  defective 
record.  In  gathering  the  material  for  the  following  registers, 
fifteen  hundred  letters  soliciting  information  have  been  written 
and  many  public  and  private  records  have  been  attentively 
perused.  The  records  of  the  older  towns,  the  former  homes 
of  the  early  settlers  of  Ashburnham,  have  afforded  valuable 
information,  while  cemeteries  and  probate  records  have 
supplied  many  deficiencies. 

To  present  the  record  of  the  generations  of  many  of  the 
families  previous  to  their  removal  to  this  town  has  invited 
research  and  labor  and  has  been  attended  with  a  regret  that 
of  a  few  of  the  early  families  such  a  record  could  not  be 
secured. 

If  it  is  presumed  by  any  that  too  little  attention  has  been 
bestowed  upon  those  families  who  have  recently  removed  to 
this  town,  or  to  the  younger  generation  of  the  present  in- 
habitants, the  compass  of  the  volume  will  plead  excuse,  and 
in  some  instances  a  failure  to  secure  the  record,  is  the  only 
reason  for  its  absence. 

Many  will  presume  that  they  discover  errors  in  the  multi- 
tude of  dates  contained  in  the  following  pages.  It  is  feared 
that  in  some  instances  such  conjecture  will  be  sustained  by 
the  facts,  but  it  should  be  borne  in  mind  that  frequently 
public  records  and  family  registers  present  contradictory 
dates  of  the  same  event.  The  record  which  has  passed 
through  the  least  number  of  copies  has  generally  •  been 
accepted.     I  am  aware  that  critics  too  hastily  will  assume 


GENEALOGICAL  REGISTER.  579 

that  records  in  their  possession  are  correct.  Experience  in 
these  pursuits  leads  one  to  presume  that  an  error  may  exist 
in  any  record.  Even  the  dates  carefull}'  chiselled  in  marble 
are  not  infallible.  In  one  instance,  at  least,  the  records  of 
this  town  demonstrate  that  a  former  worthy  citizen  paid 
taxes,  held  town  office  and  shared  the  vicissitudes  of  a  vigor- 
ous earthly  existence  several  years  after  the  date  solemnly 
attested  b}^  the  headstone  erected  to  his  memory. 

Referring  to  places  the  town  and  State  are  given,  but  in 
the  frequent  mention  of  towns  in  Massachusetts  and  the 
border  towns  of  Rindge  and  New  Ipswich,  the  State  is 
purposely  omitted. 

To  Charles  A.  Bemis,  author  of  the  History  of  Marl- 
borough, New  Hampshire  ;  Rev.  William  S.  Hey  wood,  who 
has  in  preparation  a  History  of  Westminster;  F.  E.  Blake, 
familiar  with  the  annals  and  traditions  of  Princeton ; 
Charles  F.  Packard  of  Ashburnham,  who  has  furnished 
several  registers,  and  Horatio  Hill,  Esq.,  of  Chicago, 
Illinois,  for  information  of  the  Hill  and  collateral  families, 
I  am  greatly  indebted  for  polite  favors  and  valuable  assist- 
ance. Other  favors  are  acknowledged  in  connection  with 
the  family  registers,  which  through  valuable  contributions 
are  rendered  more  complete. 


EXPLANATIONS. 


In  these  registers  the  parents'  name  standing  at  the  head 
of  a  paragraph  is  given  in  full,  and  printed  in  small  capitals. 
The  Christian  names  of  the  children  only  are  given,  and  are 
printed  in  Italic,  and  are  numbered  in  Eoman  numerals,  i, 
II,  III,  etc.  "Whenever  the  names  of  their  children  or  grand- 
children of  the  person  whose  name  introduces  the  paragraph 
appear,  they  are  indented,  printed  in  lower  case,  and  are 
numbered  in  Arabic  figures,  1,  2,  3,  4,  etc.  The  numbers 
in  the  margin  are  consecutive ;  persons  bearing  the  same 
family  name  are  numbered  in  the  order  in  which  they  are 
introduced.  The  character  +  after  a  person's  name  in- 
dicates that  the  name  is  thereafter  repeated,  and  can  be 
easily  found  by  following  down  the  margin  until  the  same 
number  appears  enclosed  in  parenthesis. 

Abbreviations.  —  b.  stands  for  born  ;  bap.  for  baptized  ; 
d.  for  died ;  md.  for  married ;  unmd.  for  unmarried ;  dau. 
for  daughter;  s.  p.,  or  sine  prole,  for  without  offspring; 
q.  V.  for  which  see,  or  see  the  name  of  the  person  to  whom 
the  letters  apply  in  the  register  of  that  family. 


Genealogical  Register. 


ABBOTT. 

In  the  early  history  of  the  town  there  were  two  families  bearing  this  name. 
They  were  influential  in  securing  the  annexation  of  a  part  of  this  town  to 
Ashhy  in  1792.  With  their  lands  and  earthly  possessions  they  subsequently 
constituted  a  part  of  that  town. 


10 


John  Abbott  settled  in  the  northeast  part  of  this  town 
about  1780.  The  farm  is  now  in  Ashby.  He  was  an 
ensign  in  the  militia,  and  while  he  remained  a  citizen  of 
this  town  he  was  frequently  named  in  the  records.  He 
md.  Nov.  28,  1782,  Martha  Whiting,  dau.  of  Samuel  and 
Sarah  (Stevens)  Whiting  of  Billerica.  He  d.  in  Ashby 
Aug.  16,  1805.  Five  children  b.  in  Ashburnham  and 
three  in  Ashby. 

I.  Patty,  b.  Aug.  30,  1783  ;  d.  1805. 
II.   Polly,  b.  April  23,  1785  ;  d.  1793. 

III.  Sally,  b.  May  27,  1787. 

IV.  Betsy,  b.  March  22,  1789. 

V.  Nancy,  b.  Jan.  7,  1791. 

VI.  John,  b.  Dec.  5,  1792. 
VII.  Polly,  b.  Jan.  29,  1795. 

VIII.   Charles,  d.  1805. 


Jeremiah  Abbott,  probably  a  brother  of  John,  resided 
here  several  years  and  was  also  annexed  to  Ashby  1792. 
He  md.  Nov.  26,  1789,  Patty  Jaquith  of  Wilmmgton. 
The  oldest  child  was  b.  in  this  town. 

I.  Patty,  b.  Aug  29,  1790. 

II.  Jeremiah,  b.  Feb.  15,  1792. 

III.  Benjamin,  b.  July  10,  1793. 

IV.  Doily,  b.  April  15,  1795;  d.  1801. 
V.  Betsey,  b.  Feb.  17,  1797. 

VI.   Obed,  b.  Sept.  3,  1799. 

581 


582 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBUENHAM. 


ADAMS. 

This  has  been  a  prominent  and  honored  name  in  the  annals  of  Ashburnham. 
There  are  several  distinct  families  of  Adams  in  New  England,  but  the  numer- 
ous families  bearing  the  name  in  this  town  have  a  common  lineage.  All  of 
them  belong  to  the  Cambridge  family  and  are  descendants  of  Capt.  Thomas 
Adams  who  was  b.  1713.  The  emigrant  ancestor  was  John  Adams,  a  son  of 
Henry  Adams  of  Devonshire,  England.  He  was  md.  in  England,  and  there  one 
or  more  of  his  children  were  b.,  but  he  was  residing  in  Cambridge  as  early  as 
16.i0,  where  several  other  children  were  b.  He  was  a  millwright  and  d.  1706, 
aged  85.  His  widow  Ann  was  living  1714.  Among  their  six  children  was 
Joseph  Adams,  who  in  1G07  received  from  his  father  a  deed  of  the  homestead 
which  was  near  the  present  railway  station  in  Arlington  Centre.  He  md. 
Feb.  21,  1687-8,  Margaret  Eames,  dan.  of  Thomas  and  Mary  (Blanford) 
Fames.  He  d.  July  20,  1701,  and  his  widow  md.  Dec.  27, 1705,  Daniel  Dean 
of  Concord.  There  appears  no  record  of  the  birth  of  the  children  of  Joseph 
and  Margaret  Adams,  but  there  appears  no  evidence  to  qualify  the  statement 
of  Cutter's  History  of  Arlington  that  they  had  a  son  Joseph  who  is  known  in 
Cambridge  records  as  Lieut.  Joseph  Adams,  and  who  was  b.  1688  or  1689. 
He  md.  Jan.  18,  1710-11,  Rebecca  Cutter,  dau.  of  William  and  Rebecca 
(Rolfe)  Cutter.  She  d.  Jan.  12,  1717-8,  leaving  four  children;  and  by  second 
wife,  Rachel,  there  were  five  children,  Lieut.  Adams  was  a  selectman  of 
Cambridge  several  years,  precinct  treasurer  fifteen  years,  and  in  1750  he  was 
one  of  a  committee  to  renew  the  bounds  of  Cambridge  farm  in  this  town. 
He  d.  Oct.  18,  1774,  aged  86. 


Capt.  Thomas  Adams,  of  the  fourth  generation,  a 
son  of  Lieut.  Joseph  and  Rebecca  (Cutter)  Adams,  was 
b.  in  Cambridge,  now  Arlington,  Aug.  20,  1713.  About 
1735,  he  removed  to  Worcester,  where  he  resided  until 
1752,  when  he  returned  to  Cambridge.  He  was  an  inn- 
holder,  an  active,  influential  citizen,  and  was  frequently 
chosen  to  positions  of  responsibility  and  trust.  In  the 
French  and  Indian  War  he  commanded  a  company  of 
men  enlisted  from  Cambridge  and  the  towns  in  that 
vicinit}'  which  was  in  the  service  eight  months.  Upon 
their  return  with  the  loss  of  only  one  man,  Eev.  Samuel 
Cook  preached  a  sermon  Nov.  12,  1758,  commemorating 
the  event. 

In  1764  Capt.  Adams  was  precinct  committee  man  and 
assessor,  and  the  same  year  he  was  one  of  a  committee 
chosen  to  sell  the  Cambridge  farm  in  Ashburnham,  of 
which  he  subsequently  owned  the  larger  portion. 

Capt.  Adams  removed  to  Ashburnham  in  1778  and  con- 
tinued a  residence  in  this  town  with  little,  if  any,  inter- 
ruption until  his  death.  He  occupied  a  part  of  Cambridge 
farm  in  the  southeast  part  of  the  town,  and  during  the 
later  years  of  his  life  his  son  Ebenezer  Thomas  resided 
with  him.  He  was  chosen  surveyor  of  the  highways  in 
1779  and  his  name  is  found  on  all  the  existing  tax  lists 
from  1778  to  1802.  The  fact  that  he  was  not  taxed  in 
Menotomy  after  1777  and  was  not  named  in  the  seating  of 
the  meeting-house  in  1781,  has  called  forth  an  expression 
of  surpt  ise  from  the  local  historians.     An  easy  explanation 


(4) 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  583 

is  found  in  the  fact  of  his  residence  during    these  years 
in  this  town. 

He  md.  Sept.  22,  1737,  Anna  Frost,  dau.  of  Ephraira 
and  Sarah  (Cooper)  Frost  of  Menotoniy.  She  d.  Oct. 
6,  1740.  He  md.  (2d)  Lydia  Chadwick,  dau.  of  John 
Chadvvick  of  Worcester  ;  she  d.  1748.  He  md.  (3d)  Sept. 
13,  1754,  Elizabeth  (Sanders)  Bowman,  widow  of 
Ebenezer  Bowman.  They  lived  to  advanced  age  and  d. 
the  same  year.  She  d.  March  26,  1802,  aged,  says  Mr. 
Cushing,  ''  between  80  and  90  years."  He  d.  Nov.  9, 
1802,  aged  89  years. 

I.  Joseph^  b.  Oct.  6,  1740  ;   d.  same  day. 
II.  Hannah,  b.  April  13,  1743;  md.  Walter  Russell, 
q.  v.;  md.  (2d)   Enos  Jones,  q.  v. 

III.  John,  b.  Jan   22,  1 744-5. -[- 

IV.  Lydia,  b.  Aug.  20, 1755  ;  md.  Lemuel  Blanchard, 

b.  in  Billerica  July  1,  1749  ;  son  of  John  and 
Elizabeth  (Richardson)  Blanchard.  They  re- 
sided in  Cambridge  where  he  was  styled  a 
trader,  and  where  he  d.  about  1790.  She  md. 
(2d)  July  30,  1795,  Joseph  Thorndike,  Esq.,  a 
prominent  citizen  of  Jaffrey,  N.  H.  He  d. 
June  25,  1814.  She  survived  him,  but  the  date 
of  her  death  is  unknown.  By  the  first  marriage 
she  had  two  children  and  perhaps  others. 

1.  Thomas,  b.  April  20,  1779. 

2.  Son,  b.  April  27,  1783. 

V.  Lucretia,  b.  Aug.  2,  1757  ;  md.  Ethan  Wetherbee. 

q.  V. 
VI.  Ebenezer  Thomas,  b.  Jan.  10,  1762.-|- 


JoHN  Adams  was  the  first  of  the  family  in  Ashburnham 
where  he  resided  over  seventy  years.  Vide  Chapter  XX. 
He  md.  July  9,  1770,  Joanna  Munroe,  b.  April  12,  1747, 
dau.  of  Jonas  and  Joanna  (Locke)  Munroe  and  a  sister 
of  Lieut.  Ebenezer  Munroe  who  subsequently  resided  in 
this  town.  She  d.,  leaving  nine  children,  Nov.  26,  1822. 
He  md.  (2d)  1826,  Lucy  (Simonds)  Munroe,  widow  of 
Lieut.  Ebenezer  Munroe.  He  d.  at  Harford,  Penn.,  Feb. 
26,  1849,  aged  104  years,  1  month  and  4  days. 

I.  John,  b.  April  27,  1771.+ 

II.  Levi,  b.  Dec.  31,  1773. + 

III.  Joanna,  b.  June  18,  1775;  md.  Stephen   Corey, 

q.  V. 

IV.  Jonas  R.,  b.  April  8,  1777. -|- 
V.  James,  b.  June  10,  1779. -f- 


584 


HISTORY    OF    ASHBURNHAM. 


15 

16 
17 
18 

(9) 


19 
20 
21 
22 

23 

24 

25 

26 

(10) 


27 

28 
29 

30 

31 

32 

(11) 


VI.  Rebecca,  b.    Feb.   22,  1781;  md.  May  28,  1807, 

Joel  Davis,  q.  v. 
VII.    Walter  Russell,  b.  April  5,  1783.-|- 
VIII.  Betsy,  b.  Oct.  30,  1785  ;  d.  unmd. 
IX.  Polly,  b.  Jan.  25,  1789  ;  md.  David  Gushing,  q.  v. 


Ebenezer  Thomas  Adams,  youngest  son  of  Capt.  Thomas 
Adams,  removed  to  this  town  with  his  father  and  settled 
on  Cambridge  farm  about  1778.  He  was  a  captain  of  the 
militia.  He  was  a  man  of  marked  ability  and  influence. 
He  md.  June  20,  1784,  Polly  Goodwin,  b.  1763,  dau.  of 
Thomas  and  Mary  (Miller)  Goodwin  of  Charlestown. 
He  d.  Aug.  6,  1804  ;  his  widow  d.  Feb.  24,  1815. 

I.  Ebenezer,  b.  May  16,  1785. + 
II.  Folly,  b.  Oct.  15,  1786  ;  d.  Nov.  16,  1786. 

III.  Stephen,  b.  Sept.  19,  1788.-f- 

IV.  Mary,  h.  March  17,  1791  ;  md.  Gen.  Ivers  Jewett,^ 

q.  V. 
V.  Hepsibah,  b.  Sept.  29,  1793  ;  md.  Thomas  Russell, 

q.  V. 
VI.  Eliza,   b.   Nov.    19,    1796 ;    md.    Capt.    Timothy 

Stearns,  q.  v. 
VII.   Thomas,  b.  Sept.  7,  1799  ;  d.  Jan.  2,  1801. 
VIII.  Lydia,  md.  Gen.  Ivers  Jewett,  q.  v. 


Ensign  John  Adams,  eldest  son  of  John  Adams,  the 
centenarian,  held  many  positions  of  trust.  He  was  aa 
ensign  in  the  militia,  and  by  this  title  he  was  distinguished 
in  the  records  from  his  father  and  his  eldest  son  who  bore 
the  same  name.  He  md.  Dec.  1,  1796,  Dolly  Gibson, 
dau.  of  Samuel  Gibson.  He  d.  Jan.  6,  1844 ;  she  d. 
May  20,  1835. 

I.  Infant,  b.  Jan.  25,  1799  ;  d.  same  day. 
n.  John,  b.  April  7,  1803. + 

III.  Cinderilla,  b.  July  25,  1806  ;  md.  Amos  D.  Scol- 

lay,  q.  v. 

IV.  Harriett,  b.  Feb.  16,  1809  ;  md.  Merrick  Whitney, 

q.  V. 
V.  Dolly   Gibson,  b.    June    25,    1811  ;    md.    Darwin 

Woods,  q.  V. 
VI.  Ja7ie  M.,h.  May  17,    1814;    d.   unmd.  Nov.    9, 
1838. 


Levi  Adams,  son  of  John,  md.  1798,  Deborah  Leland, 
b.  1778,  dau.  of  Caleb  and  Deborah  (Farrar)  Leland  of 
Leominster.  She  d.  1814;  he  md.  (2d)  Mrs.  Hannah. 
(Hale)  Adams.     He  was  a  farmer  and  a  tanner.     A  i'ew 


33 


41 


(13) 


42 


GENEALOGICAL   EEGISTER.  585 

years  after  his  first  marriage  he  removed  to  Leominster 
and  later  to  Townsend.  Late  in  life  he  removed  to  Har- 
ford, Penn.,  where  he  d.  Aug.  2,  1845.  Six  childreu  by 
first  and  one  by  second  marriage. 

I.  Deborah^  b.  Sept.  5,  1799  ;  md.  Asa  P.  Cowdin  of 

Fitehburg.     She  d.  his  widow  iu  this  town,  Jan. 
10,  1877. 

II.  Ifilton,  b.  1801. -f- 

m.  Caroline,  b.  Nov.  11,  1804;  md.  Feb.  21,  1826, 
Ezra  Baker,  a  worthy  citizen  of  Jaffrey,  N.  H. 
Two  children. 

1.  Milton,  b.  July  23,   1830;  resides  unmd. 

in  Jatfrey. 

2.  Mahala,  b.  Aug.  15,  1833  ;  md.  George  A. 

Underwood  of  Jaffrey. 

IV.  Levi,  b.  Sept.  18,  1806  ;  d.  July  19,  1825. 
V.  Mary,  b.  March   13,   1811 ;  resides  unmd.  in  this 
town. 

VI.  Nancy,  b.  March  17,  1813;  md.  May  1,  1833, 
George  W.  Hunt,  son  of  Joel  and  Clara  (Met,- 
calf)  Hunt.  They  resided  several  years  iu 
Fitehburg.  In  1856  they  removed  to  Lawrence, 
Kansas.  He  d.  March  22,  1870.  Six  children. 
VII.  Amos  H.,  b.  Aug.  11,  1824;  resides  in  Pennsyl- 
vania. 


Jonas  R.  Adams,  son  of  John,  was  twice  married,  but 
no  record  has  been  secured.  In  early  life  he  removed  to 
Pennsylvania,  and  in  1836  he  removed  with  his  family  lo 
Illinois  and  settled  about  twenty  miles  from  Chicago  in 
the  township  of  Lisle  and  near  the  post  office  of  Downer's 
Grove.  He  was  a  farmer.  About  1856  he  visited  his 
native  town  and  witnessed  with  mingled  pain  and  pleasui  e 
the  ravages  and  improvements  of  years.  He  d.  a  few 
years  later.  Only  an  imperfect  record  of  his  childreu  can 
be  given. 

I.  James  L.,  b.  1806  ;  resided  a  few  years  with  his 
father  and  returned  to  Pennsylvania.  He  was 
postmaster  at  Brooklyn,  Penn.,  many  yeais. 
He  d.  suddenly,  1885. 

11.   Nancy,  md.  Alexander  Foster. 

III.  Eliza,  md.  Race. 

IV.  Amos,  b.  1825  ;  in  1848  was  a  lawyer  iu  Chicago, 
subsequently  he  removed  to  California  and  h:is 

been    successful. 
46  j         v.  Albert,  b.  1827  ;  removed  to  California. 


586 


HISTORY  OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


47 
(14) 


VI.  Mary  E.,  b.  1834. 


James  Adams,  sou  of  John,  resided  in  Ashbiirnham 
until  1834,  when  he  removed  to  Harford,  Penn.  He  md. 
June  22,  1800,  Dolly  Dickerson,  dau.  of  Amos  Dickerson, 
q.v.;  she  d.  Jan.  18,  1818;  he  md.  (2d)  1819,  Lucy 
Savvtelle.  He  d.  April  30,  1855;  she  d.  Sept.  21,  1864. 
It  was  with  this  sou  that  the  aged  father  passed  the  de- 
cliuiug  years  of  a  prolonged  and  useful  life. 


OLD    ADAMS    HOJIESTEAD — EAST    PART    OF    TOWN. 


48 

49 

50 
51 
52 


53 
54 


55 


I.  Nancy,    md.    1819,    Loring    Gates,   son    of  John 

Gates,  q.  V. 

II.  Dolly,  b.  Sept.  5,  1802  ;  md.  1820,  Luther  Brooks. 

Jr.,  q.  V. 

III.  James,  b.  Nov.  24,  1804. + 

IV.  Elizabeth  D.,  md.  John  Boynton  of  Groton. 

V.  Jonas,    was    a  farmer    in    Harford,   Penn.  ;    md. 
Emeliue  Tiffiny.     He  d.  about  1877. 

1.  Elizabeth,  md.  Henry  Estabrook  ;  d.  1882. 

2.  Sumner,  md.  Barnard;    resides    on 

paternal  homestead. 

VI.  Joanna,  md.  Labau  Capron  ;  resided  in  Harford, 
Penn.  ;  d.  about  1865. 


56 
57 

58 
59 
60 

(16) 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  587 

Jb/i?i,  b.  about   1821  ;  md.  Peck;  resides  in 

Harford,  Penn. 
Andrew   Jaclson,    resided    in   Asbburnham  from 

1845  to  1850  ;  returned  to  Harford,  Penn.  ;  md. 

Sarah  Jane  Saw^yer,  dau.  of  Abel  Sawyer,  q.  v. 
Estella,  md.   Henry  Jetfers  ;  resides  in  Brooklyn, 

Penn. 
iSanih,  rad.  Hubbard  N.  Smith  ;  resides  in  Lenox, 

Penn. 
William,  resides  in  Hopbottom,  Penn. 


(53 
64 

<;5 


66 
67 

70 


(19) 


Walter  Russell  Adams,  youngest  son  of  John,  was  a 
prosperous  farmer  in  this  town.  He  was  an  ensign  in  the 
Ashburuham  Light  Infantry  when  the  company  was  in  the 
service  in  1814.  He  md.  Feb.  7,  1804,  Mercy  Fairbanks, 
dau.  of  Cyrus  Fairbanks,  q.  v.;  she  d.  March  7,  1853. 
He  md.  (2d)  1854,  Mrs.  Abigail  (Fairbanks)  Patch,  a 
sister  of  his  first  wife.  He  d.  Sept.  22,  1868  ;  his  wife  d. 
1866. 

I.    Walter,  b.  Nov.  4,  1807.+ 
II.  Mary,  b.  Oct.  29,  1808  ;  md.  May  19,  1836,  Asa 

Ames,  sou   of    Bulkley  and  L3'dia  (Prescott) 

Ames  of  Groton,   where  he  d.  April  14,  1846. 

She  md.  (2d)  1847,  Calvin  Childs  of  Groton  ; 

she  d.  June    19,  1864.     Two  children  by  first 

and  one  by  second  marriage. 

1.  Mary  Augusta,  b.  March  28,  1837  ;  resides 

in  Ashburnham. 

2.  Sarah    Jane,    b.    Oct.    12,    1842;    d.    at 

Groton  Sept.  22,  1848. 

3.  Calvin  Adams,  b.  June  12,  1848  ;  d,  June 

20,  1849. 

m.  Eliza,  b.  Aug.  26,  1810  ;  d.  June  10,  1815. 

IV.  Cyrus  Hale,  b.  June  6,  1812;  d.  unmd.  Nov.  22, 

1882. 

V.  Joseph,  b.  July  26,  1816  ;  d.  July  28,  1818. 
VI.  Joseph,  b.  Aug.  2,  1818.-(- 

VII.  Eliza  Elvira,  b.  March  3,  1823;  md.  April  24, 
1845,  John  M.  Dexter,  b.  1820,  son  of  Samuel 
Dexter  of  Franklin,  N.  H.  She  d.  at  Town- 
send,  s.p.,  Sept.  27,  1848. 
VIII.  Sarah  Jane,  b.  Oct.  6,  1826 ;  md.  George  G. 
Rockwood,  q.  v. 


Ebenezer    Adams,    son  of   Capt.    Ebenezer    Thomas 
Adams,  md.  July  13,  1806,  Peggy  Russell,  dau.  of  Thomas 


588 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


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(21) 


81 

82 

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85 

86 


and  Margaret  (Adams)  Russell,  q.  v.  He  was  a  farmer 
and  a  citizen  of  good  repute.  He  d.  Dee.  18,  1824.  Hi& 
widow  md.  (2d)  Ensign  Asa  Woods,  q.  v. 

I.   Catherine,  b.  and  d.  Nov.  11,  1807. 
II.  Ivers,  b.  Dec.  30,  1808. + 
m.    Thomas  Russell,  b.  Aug.  30,  1811.-}- 
IV.  James  Russell,  b.  March  23,  1814.     He  d.  unmd. 
Msij  4,  1847.     He  resided   in  Washington,  D. 
C,  and  in  Kentuck}'  where  he  was  known  as  a 
young  man  of  ability  and  scholarly  attainment. 

V.  Mary  Goochvin,  b.  April   13,  1817;  md.  June  27, 

1837,  Franklin  Mclutire,  b.  Jan.  30, 1813,  son  of 
David  Mclntire  of  Fitchburg,  and  subsequently 
of  Springfield,  Vt.  Mr.  Mclntire  was  engaged 
several  years  in  teaching  school,  residing  in  this 
town  and  in  Fitchburg.  She  d.  in  Fitchburg 
June  17,  1845.  He  md  (2d)  Elvira  Works  and 
was  an  extensive  farmer  in  Springfield,  Vt.  He 
d.  in  Charlestown,  N.  H.,  where  he  had  resided 
a  short  time,  March  26,  1886.  By  the  first 
marriage,  there  were  three  children. 

1.  Mary  Caroline,    b.    Dec.    28,   1837;    md. 

Lincoln  Whitney,  son  of  Merrick  Whit- 
ney, q.  V. 

2.  Catherine,  b.  April   14,  1839  ;  d.  Sept.  2, 

1847. 

3.  James  F.,  b.    1841  ;  d.  in  the  war  April 

20,  1864. 

VI.  Warren,  b.  Feb.  11,  1820  ;  removed  to  California  ; 

d.  unmd. 


Stephen  Adams,  son  of  Capt.  Ebenezer  Thomas 
Adams,  md.  Oct.  5,  1813,  Hannah  Wheeler,  dau.  of  John 
and  Hannah  Wheeler.  He  resided  in  Fitchburg  from 
about  1813  to  1820  and  subsequently  in  Ashby  where  he  d. 

I.  Laura  M.,  b.  July,  1814;  md.  1832,  William  Up- 

ton of  Townsend. 

1.  Stephen  W.  S.,  b.  1835  ;  resides  in  Town- 

send. 

2.  Sarah   Marion,    b.   1836 ;    md.   Amos    A. 

Green. 

3.  George,  d.  young. 

4.  George  A.,b.  1845  ;  resides  in  Townsend. 

II.  Hannah   E.,  b.   May,    1816;  md.  1837,   William 


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109 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  589 

Sheldon  of  Ashby.      She  d.  and  he  md.  (2d) 
Mrs.  Mary  (Perley)  French. 

1.  Mary  E.,  b.  May,  1842  ;  d.  unmd. 

2.  William  Sullivan,  b.  April,  1845. 

III.  Mary  J.,   b.   March,    1818  ;    md.   1844,  Stephen 

Wyman  of  Ashby. 

IV.  Stephen  S.,  b.   June,    1820  ;    md.   1844,  Martha 

Barrett. 

1.  Martha  F.,  b.  Oct.,  1846. 

2.  Mary  A.,  b.  April,  1849. 

3.  Stephen  F.,  b.  March,  1859. 

V.  Harriet    W.    (twin),   b.   June,   1820;    md.   1845, 
Ivers  Adams,  q.  v. 

VI.  Sophronia  E.,  b.  Oct.,  1822  ;  d.  young. 

VII.  George  L.,  b.  Feb.,  1825  ;  md.  Adaline  Andrews. 

He  resides  in  Ashby. 

1.  George  E.,  b.  April,  1851. 

2.  Addie  S.,  b.  May,  1854. 

VIII.  Martha  A.,  b.  Aug.,  1827  ;  d.  unmd. 
IX.  Sophronia  E.,h.  March,  1830;  md.  1858,  Henry 
A.  Woods. 

1.  Henry  R.,  b.  Aug.,  1856. 

2.  Guy,  b.  March,  1866. 


John  Adams,  son  of  Ensign  John  Adams,  md.  Oct.  4, 
1826,  Lucy  Caldwell,  dau.  of  John  Caldwell,  q.  v. ;  she  d. 
Aug.  18,  1845.  He  md.  (2d)  April  1,  1846,  Laura  (Con- 
stantine)  Bennett,  dau.  of  Jacob  Constantine,  g.  -v.,  and 
widow  of  Asa  Bennett,  q.  v.  He  d.  Jan.  27,  1881.  She 
d.  Nov.  14,  1878. 

I.  Lucy  Ann,  b.  April  22, 1827  ;  md.  April  13,  1847, 

John   H.   Danby ;    reside   in  Fitchburg.     Four 
children . 

II.  Infant,  b.  and  d.  May  31,  1829. 

III.  Ivfant,  b.  and  d.  July  4,  1831. 

IV.  George  Francis,  b.  Jan.  19,    1833  ;  md.  Jan.   1, 

1856,  Rebecca  Raymond.     Reside    at    Indian- 
apolis, Ind.     Two  children. 

V.  Mary   Avgusta,  b.  Jan.    22,   1835  ;    md.   Dec.  9, 

1860,  Mason  J.  Osgood ;  reside  at  Indianapolis, 
Ind.     Three  children. 

VI.  Ellen  Amelia,  b.  Dec.  8,  1837;  d.  Jan.  G,  1854. 
VII.  Harriet  Maria,  b.  Feb.  18,  1840  ;  md.   June  14, 


590  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


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112 

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116 
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(50) 


1860,  William  A.  Hardy  of  Fitchburg ;  she  d. 

Aug.  14,  1877.     Four  children, 
mi.  Sarah  Elizabeth^  b.  Aug.  14,  1842  ;  nid.  Nov.  20, 

1874,  Joseph   Lee   Heywood ;    he  was   killed, 

Sept.    7,    1876,  by  burglars,  in    First  National 

Bank,    Northfleld,    Minn.     She    d.    March  15, 

1884. 
IX.  Infant^  b.  and  d.  June  22,  1844. 
X.  John  Wesley,  b.  May  17,  1847  ;  md.  Ella  Stearns  ; 

reside  in  Wiuchendon.     One  child. 
XI.  Isabella  M.,  b.  April  25,  1849  ;  d.  June  3,  1850. 


Milton  Adams,  son  of  Levi  Adams,  resided  in  this 
town,  in  Danvers  and  Brighton,  and  in  the  State  of  New 
York.  He  md.  Esther  Gibson  of  Ashb}' ;  she  d.  Nov.  5, 
1833.     There  were  four  children. 

I.  Samuel  G.,  b.  Dec.  23,  1825.  He  md.  Martha 
Stoddard,  (2d)  Elvira  Warren  and  (3d)  Harriet 
A.  Patterson.  He  was  engaged  in  business 
until  1861,  when  he  was  appointed  on  the  police 
of  the  city  of  Boston.  P'rom  1878  to  1885,  he 
ably  and  faithfully  served  the  city  as  Superin- 
tendent of  Police,  and  when,  on  account  of  fail- 
ing health,  he  resigned,  the  Commissioners 
accepted  his  resignation  with  the  following  ex- 
pression of  their  appreciation  of  his  services  : 
"  Irreproachable  in  his  private  life  and  incor- 
ruptible in  the  performance  of  his  public  duties, 
Capt.  Adams  has  honored  his  chosen  profession 
and  retires  from  oflice  respected  and  esteemed 
by  the  community  which  he  has  served  for  sa 
many  years."     He  d.  May  15,  1886. 

II.  Esther  P.,  b.  June  20,  1828  ;  md.  Hosea  G.  Stone, 
q.  V. 

III.  Roxanna,  b.  July  25,  1832;  md.   Nov.   2,  1851, 

Lucius  H.  Sabin  of  Gardner. 

IV.  Elizabeth,  resides  unmd.  in  Ashburnham. 


James  Adams,  son  of  James  Adams,  md.  in  this  town 
Sept.  20,  1827,  Mary  B.  Whitney,  dau.  of  Ohio  Whitney, 
q.  V.  He  was  a  farmer  and  a  tann'er.  He  established 
the  business  in  tanning,  subsequently^  conducted  by  L.  B. 
and  A.  J.  Adams,  at  Factory  Village.  In  1849  he 
removed  with  his  family  to  Brooklyn,  Penn.  His  wife  d. 
Oct.  29,  1847.  He  md.  (2d)  April  12,  1848,  Mary  H. 
Smith  who  d.  in  Oct.,  1884.  He  d.  Dec.  25,  1880.  All 
of  his  children  were  b.  in  this  town. 


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GENEALOGICAL   KEGISTER.  59 1 

I.  Luther  B.,  b.  Feb.  16,  1829;  md.  Oct.  13,  1850, 
Maiy  B.  Samson,  dau.  of  Jonathan  Samson,  q.  v. 
He  resides  in  this  town  and  for  several  years 
was  local  superintendent  of  the  Boston  Chair 
Manufacturing  Company. 

1.  Flora   Luella,  b.  Aug.    12;    d.   Oct.    16, 
1857. 

II.  Dolly,  b.  Nov.  9,  1830;  d.  Aug.  31,  1833. 

III.  Ohio    Whitney,   b.   Jan.   9,    1833  ;    md.   May   26, 

1861,  L.  Angle  Harding.  He  is  a  locomotive 
engineer  and  resides  at  New  Hampton  Junction, 
N.J. 

IV.  Francis  A.,  b.  June  2,  1835  ;  md.  Dec.  22,  1860, 

Catherine  Rinehart.  He  is  a  locomotive  en- 
gineer and  resides  at  Lebanon,  N.  J. 

V.  James  TF.,  b.  Oct.  21,  1839  ;  md.  March  30,  1861, 
Sarah  J.  Perry.  He  is  a  farmer  at  Brooklyn, 
Penn. 

VI.  Joseph  Henry,  b.  Dec.  30,  1841  ;  drowned  Aug. 
4,  1845. 


Walter  Adams,  son  of  Walter  Russell  Adams,  was  a 
carpenter  in  this  town,  and  an  esteemed  citizen.  He  md. 
Jan.  1,  1834.  Sarah  Whitney,  dau.  of  Ohio  Whitney, 
q.  V.     He  d.  Jan.  7,  1876.     Six  children. 

I.  Ivers  Whitney,  b.  May  20,  1838. -|- 
II.  Walter  Russell,  b.  Feb.  7,  1840.  He  has  been 
much  employed  in  town  affairs  and  has  been 
actively  and  successfully  engaged  in  business 
pursuits.  For  several  years  has  been  a  merchant 
in  this  town  in  the  firm  of  Adams  &  Greenwood. 
He  md.  April  21,  1881,  Mary  Ella  Pillsbury, 
dau.  of  Dr.  Levi  Pillsbury  of  Fitchburg. 

III.  Sarah  Adelaide,  b.  Feb.  26,  1843  ;  md.  July  25, 

1877,    Charles    A.    Robbins,    son    of    Charles 
Robbins  of  Mason,  N.  H. 

IV.  Abbie  Augusta,  b.   Jan.    14,   1846  ;    d.  Aug.  27, 

1848. 
V.  Charles  Francis,  b.  Oct.  21, 1849  ;  d.  unmd.  Dec. 

19,  1876. 
VI.    Willis  Herbert,  b.  March  3,  1852;  d.  Aug.   27, 
1853. 


Joseph  Adams,  sou  of  Walter  Russell  Adams,  was 
formerly  engaged  in  the  morocco  business  in  this  town. 
He  is  the  only  grandson  of  John  Adams  the  centenarian 


592 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


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remaining  in  Ashburnham.  In  his  daily  life  he  manifests 
the  reliable  qualities  which  have  distinguished  his  family 
through  many  generations.  He  md.  July  22,  1841, 
Dolly  Winship  Whitney,  dau.  of  Ohio  Whitney,  q.  v. 

I.  Melvin  Ohio,  b.  Nov.  7,  1847.  He  is  an  attorney 
and  counsellor-at-law  in  Boston  and  assistant 
district-attorney.  Vide  Chap.  XX.  He  md. 
Jan.  20,  1875,  Mary  Colony,  dau.  of  Dr. 
George  Colony  of  Fitchburg. 
II.    Walter  Hale,  b.  Nov.  11,  1851 ;  d.  Oct.  6,  1852. 


IvERS  Adams,  for  many  j^ears,  was  actively  engaged  in 
the  morocco  business.  The  firm  of  Ivei's  &  Thomas  R. 
Adams  was  successful  and  maintained  a  good  record  and 
an  excellent  reputation  in  business  circles.  He  repre- 
sented the  town  in  the  Legislature  in  the  session  of  1851, 
and  in  the  conduct  of  town  affairs  he  has  been  a  useful 
and  reliable  citizen.  He  md.  July  21,  1845,  Harriet  W. 
Adams,  dau.  of  Stephen  Adams  of  Ashby,  g.  v.  She  d., 
leaving  one  child,  July  26,  1846. 

I.  Mary  Goodwin,  b.  May  21,  1846  ;  md.  March  31, 
1870,  Hosea  S.  Whitney,  son  of  Merrick  Whit- 
ney, q.  V. 


Thomas  R.  Adams,  of  the  firm  of  Ivers  &  Thomas  R. 
Adams,  was  a  man  of  unblemished  reputation.  He  md. 
1840,  Jane  Alona  Russell,  dau.  of  Walter  and  Alona 
(Lawrence)  Russell,  g.  v.  She  d.  Feb.  28,  1845.  He  d. 
Feb.  11,  1877. 


Tliomas  Benton,  b.  March  11,  1842. 
July  8,  1864. 


He  d.  unmd. 


IvERS  Whitney  Adams,  son  of  Walter  and  Sarah 
(Whitney)  Adams,  is  a  descendant  of  the  fifth  generation 
from  Capt.  Thomas  Adams  and  of  the  fourth  generation 
from  Silas  Whitney,  the  progenitors  of  two  prominent 
families  of  Ashburnham.  In  his  boyhood  and  youth  he 
attended  the  public  schools  of  this  town  and  supplemented 
these  limited  privileges  with  a  few  terms  at  the  academies 
in  this  vicinity.  In  the  meantime  he  found  a  more  rugged 
employment  on  the  farm  and  at  work  with  his  father  at 
his  trade.  To  train  the  son  in  the  arts  of  the  trade  of  a 
carpenter  was  the  honest,  yet  mistaken,  aim  of  the  father. 
The  youth,  however,  incited  by  an  honorable  ambition 
and  with  well-defined  dreams  of  the  future,  had  loftier 
aims  and  early  aspired  to  more  inviting  pursuits.     At  the 


^^^-^<^'^^^^ 


.:^.£^<C^t<? 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER. 


595 


age  of  nineteen  years  he  left  the  parental  roof.  His  only 
capital  was  good  health,  correct  habits,  a  laudable 
ambition  and  the  blessing  of  his  parents.  He  found 
employment  with  Houghton,  Sawyer  &  Co.,  a  leading 
dry-goods  house  of  Boston,  and  was  assigned  to  the 
carpet  department  of  their  business.  The  first  year  he 
received  for  his  service  one  hundred  dollars,  the  second 
year  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars,  and  the  third  year  two 
hundred  dollars.  With  little  assistance  from  his  parents 
he  supported  himself  without  indebtedness.  It  was  a 
modest  beginning,  but  in  it  appears  the  pivotal  point  in 
the  life  of  Mr.  Adams.  In  these  years  of  toil  and 
self-denial  he  found  a  perpetual  incentive  to  broader 
pursuits.  The  force  of  will  which  has  guided  his 
subsequent  career  restrained  the  warm  activities  of  youth 
and  tutored  him  in  the  mastery  of  every  detail  of  the 
business.  He  remained  with  his  early  employers  until 
the  carpet  department  of  their  business  was  suspended. 
Immediately,  in  1860,  he  entered  the  employ  of  John  H. 
Pray,  Sons  &  Co.  In  this  house  he  was  rapidly  advanced 
through  successive  positions,  until  he  became  the  active 
member  of  this  firm.  The  succeeding  years  of  close 
application  and  sagacious  management  developed  marked 
ability  in  building  up  and  in  the  general  direction  of  an 
extensive  business.  In  1882  he  retired  from  the  firm 
with  a  competence.  It  could  hardly  have  been  expected 
that  a  young  and  active  merchant  would  long  remain  in 
an  idle  enjoyment  of  the  substantial  rewards  of  success. 
He  was  soon  enlisted  in  other  pursuits.  He  purchased  a 
large  interest  in  the  American  Net  and  Twine  Company, 
a  corporation  of  solid  fame  and  established  reputation. 
From  a  director  he  soon  became  president  of  the  board 
and  general  manager  of  a  corporation  that  gives  employ- 
ment to  five  hundred  persons  and  produces  a  larger 
annual  product  than  that  of  any  kindred  manufactory  in 
the  world. 

Not  yet  fifty  years  of  age,  it  may  safely  be  assumed 
that  the  measure  of  his  success  in  business  is  not  complete, 
and  that  years  are  remaining  for  the  enjoyment  and 
improvement  of  the  rewards  of  untiring  labor.  The 
activities  of  Mr.  Adams  have  not  been  exhausted  in 
business  pursuits.  His  ardent  enthusiasm  attends  him  in 
the  hours  of  recreation.  For  many  years  he  has  been 
interested  in  the  propagation  of  fish  and  he  was  the 
original  purchaser,  from  the  town  of  Ashburnham,  of  the 
lease  of  Lake  Naukeag.  He  owns  extensive  salmon 
fisheries  in  New  Brunswick  and  shooting  grounds  in 
Virginia.     He  is  familiar  with  the  rod  and  the  gun  and 


594 


HISTORY  OF  ASHBURNHAM. 


135 


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137 
138 
139 

140 
141 
142 


finds   rest    aud   healthful   exercise   in   cougeuial   sports. 

E'or  mauy  years  Mr.  Adams  was  connected  with  the 
church  aud  parish  of  Rev.  A.  A.  Miner,  D.  D.,  and  is 
now  a  member  of  the  Grove  Hall  church,  Dorchester. 
He  is  chairman  of  its  board  of  trustees  and  chairman  of 
the  board  of  directors  of  the  Universalist  Club  of  Boston. 

Mr.  Adams  is  a  man  of  genial  manners  and  a  ready 
appreciation  of  the  demands  of  friendship  and  society. 
He  combines  quahties  often  found  apart,  —  an  ardent 
temperament  aud  a  steady  purpose.  lu  business,  in  the 
family  and  in  societ}',  his  impulses  are  warm  yet  steady, 
and  his  friendship  is  strong  and  enduring.  His  residence 
is  in  Dorchester  district,  Boston.  He  md.  Oct.  4,  1866, 
Sarah  Elizabeth  Shepard,  dau.  of  James  and  Mary  (Bel- 
cher) Shepard  of  Canton.  Five  of  their  six  children  are 
living. 


Nathaniel  Adams,  born  about  1745,  with  his  wife 
Lucy  and  three  children,  removed  from  Stow  to  this  town 
1775.  If  he  was  related  to  the  other  families  of  Adams 
in  this  town,  the  fact  does  not  appear.  His  wife  d.  May 
23,  1819,  aged  71.     He  md.  (2d)  Nov.  17,  1822,  Abigail 

Winchester,  widow  of Winchester;  she  d.  May  22, 

1823  ;  he  d.  Nov.  28,  1823. 

I.  Lucy. 
II.  Nathaniel. 

III.  Betty,  bap.  1776  ;  md.  Jonas  Merriam,  q.  v. 

IV.  Samuel,  bap.   1779  ;  md.  March  19,  1809,  Mercy 

Sherwin,  dau.  of  Capt.  Asa  Sherwin  of  Rindge. 
V.  JoTm,  bap.  1781. 
VI.  Folly,  bap.  1783. 

VII.  Patty,   bap.  1789  ;  md.   Dec.   12,  1805,  Sylvanus 
Boynton  of  Winchendon. 

Ebenezer  Ager,  son  of  Ebenezer  Ager  of  Rindge, 
resided  in  this  town  a  few  years,  early  in  the  present  cen- 
tury. The  name  of  his  wife,  probably,  was  Polly  Howe. 
Two  children  were  b.  in  this  town.  He  d.  in  Rindge  about 
1810. 

I.  Mary  Hoive,  b.  March  5,  1804. 
11.  Soplironia,  b.  Sept.  24,  1807. 


Dea.  Zenas  Allen,  son  of  Benjamin  and  Asenath 
(Coleman)  Allen,  was  b.  in  Ashby  Nov.  4,  1805,  His 
mother,  Asenath  Coleman,  was  a  dau.  of  Benjahain  and 
Susannah  (Martin)  Coleman.  Vide  Coleman  and  Martin 
registers.     He  removed  to  this  town  in  early  manhood  and 


GENEALOGICAL  REGISTER.  595 

here  md.  Sept.  11,  1827,  Caroline  Randall,  dau.  of  David 
and  Betsey  (Hastings)  Randall,  q.  v.  In  1836  he  removed 
to  Boston.  He  now  resides  in  Hyde  Park.  He  was  a 
deacon  of  the  Berkeley  Street  Congregational  church  and 
now  of  Hvde  Park  Congregational  churcli.  Caroline 
(Randall)  Allen  d.  March  23,  1869.  Dea.  Zenas  Allen 
md.  (2d)  Mrs.  Charlotte  (Clark)  Sanders  of  New  Ipswich, 
N.  H.     Two  children. 

I.  Charles  Hastings,  b.  June  14,  1828. -|- 
II.  George  Henry,  b.  Nov.  22,  1832  ;  md.  1854,  Emily 
A.  Boj'den,  dau.  of  Samuel  and  Roxanna  Boy- 
den  of  Boston  ;  md.  (2d)  1864,  Sarah  E.  Syl- 
vester, dau.  of  Robert  and  Sarah  Sylvester  of 
Hanover. 


Hon.  Charles  Hastings  Allen,  a  prominent  citizen 
of  Boston,  continues  a  successful  and  honorable  career  in 
business  and  municipal  affairs.  In  early  life  he  was  of 
the  firm  of  Francis  Skinner  &  Co.,  and  later  of  the  firm  of 
Leland,  Allen  &  Bates.  In  1880,  retiring  from  commer- 
cial pursuits,  he  was  chosen  president  of  the  Home 
Savings  Bank  and  remains  at  the  head  of  that  well-known 
and  prosperous  institution.  In  municipal  and  State  aff'airs 
he  has  found  frequent  employment  and  has  served  the  city 
and  the  State  with  ability  and  distinction.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  Common  Council,  1867  and  1868,  and  of 
the  Board  of  Alderman,  1885  and  1886.  He  was  Presi- 
dent of  the  Council  1868,  and  is  now  Chairman  of  the 
Board  of  Aldermen.  In  1878,  1879,  1880,  he  was  a 
representative,  and  in  1881  and  1882  a  member  of  the 
Senate.  He  md.  July  2,  1849,  Caroline  F.  Sanders,  dau. 
of  George  Sanders  of  New  Ipswich,  N.  H. 


Stephen  Ames  and  wife,  Abigail,  are  found  residing  in 
this  town  as  early  as  1761.  He  was  an  innholder  in  1766, 
and  resided  near  Rice  pond.  In  1776  he  removed  to 
Cockermouth  Grant.  This  grant  included  the  present 
town  of  Groton  in  New  Hampshire,  and  a  part  of  some 
of  the  surrounding  towns. 

I.  Stephen,  b.  Oct.  16,  1762. 
II.  Jeremiah,  b.  April  25,  1765. 

III.  Abigail,  b.  Nov.  8,  1767. 

IV.  Abel,  b.  May  8,  1770. 

V.  Sarah,  b.  Dec.  23,  1772. 


Timothy  Angier  removed  to  this  town  about  1780.     He 
was  a  son  of  Benjamin  and  Sarah  Angier  and  a  grandson 


596 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


4 
5 
6 

(4) 


of  Joseph  and  Elizabeth  Angier  of  Framingharn,  where  he 
was  b.  Feb.  28,  1740.  He  md.  1766,  Merc}^  Haven,  b.  in 
Hopkinton,  Nov.  3,  1746,  dan.  of  Joshua  and  Mary 
Haven.  She  d.  in  this  town  Oct.  3,  1805  ;  he  md.  (2d) 
April  16,  1807,  Molly  (Ames)  Clark,  widow  of  Daniel 
Clark,  q.  v.  There  is  no  reason  to  presume  that  all  the 
children  are  named  in  the  following  register. 

I.  Sally,  b.   1769;    d.  in   this  town  unmd.  Nov.  9, 

1857. 
11.  Patty,  md.  Lemuel  Kelton,  q.  v. 

III.  Benjamin.-\- 

IV.  Elijah,  b.  about  1775  ;  d.  March  12,  1800. 
V.   Obadiah,  b.  1784;  d.  April  26,  1795. 


Benja^hn  Angier  resided  in  this  town  until  1810.  By 
wife  Anna,  he  had  three  children,  all  of  whom  d.  in  this 
town. 

I.  Elijah,  b.  March  5,  1802;  d.  Sept.  21,  1805. 
II.  Hollis,  b.  Aug.  25,  1804;  d.  Sept.  22,  1805. 
III.  Azebath,  b.  June  30,  1806  ;  d.  June  10,  1808. 


George  Baker,  b.  in  Westminster  Aug.  27,  1808,  re- 
moved to  this  town  about  1835.  He  was  a  carpenter  but 
was  in  the  employ  several  years  of  C.  and  G.  C.  Win- 
chester, in  the  manufacture  of  chairs.  He  md.  April  27, 
1736,  Cyrene  Kibling,  dan.  of  Henry  Kibling,  q.  v.  He 
d.  of  cancer  Jan.  28,  1881.     She  resides  in  Lane  Village. 

I.   Charles  A.,  b.  July  4,  1838  ;  d.  June  3,  1854. 
II.  Mary  S.,  b.  Oct.  20,  1848  ;  d.  same  day. 


Bradish  Baker,  b.  in  Roxbury  Oct.  10,  1808,  md. 
May  14,  1833,  Achsah  (Bemis)  Hart,  widow  of  Lincoln 
Hart  and  dau.  of  Stephen  Bemis,  q.  v.  They  resided  in 
Dover  and  in  Needham  and  since  1855  have  lived  in  this 
town. 

I.  George  L.,  b.  Feb.  17,  1834.  Conductor  on  Bal- 
timore and  Ohio  R.  R.  ;    resides  in  Chicago. 

II.  Eliza  J.,  b.  Feb.  28,  1836;  md.  April  27,  1874, 
Shubael  Ross  Herrick,  q.  v. 

III.  John  L.,  b.  April  13,  1839  ;  d.  Jan.  18,  1853. 

IV.  Ecliuin  Thompson,  b.  Oct.  20,  1843;  a  machinist; 

d.  in  Fitchburg,  Feb.  12,  1882. 

Danforth  N.  Baker,  son  of  Stephen  and  Desire 
(Davis)   Baker,  was    b.  in  Woodstock,  Conn.,  June  6, 


GENEALOGICAL    REGISTER 


597 


12 


1828,  aud  removed  in  early  life  to  this  town  where  he  md. 
May  29,  1860,  Salura  Brooks,  dau.  of  Ira  Brooks,  q.  v. 
Resides  in  Chapel  street. 

I.  Addie,  b.  Jan.  29,  1863. 
II.  Ida  E.,  b.  March  28,  1866  ;  d.  Sept  16,  1869. 

E.  J.  BoAUDJiAN  Baker,  son  of  Jacob  and  Nabby  (Per- 
kins) Baker,  was  b.  in  Euosburg,  Vt.,  Feb.  27,  1821.  He 
md.  in  Fitchburg,  Dec.  3,  1846,  Martha  A.  (Kinsman) 
Peikins,  widow  of  William  Perkins.  At  that  time  they 
removed  to  this  town  where  she  d.  Sept.  9,  1882.  There 
were  four  children  of  William  and  Martha  A.  Perkins, 
and  one  of  E.  J.  B.  and  Martha  A.  Baker. 

I.   Harriet  (Perkins),  b.  May  18,  1835. 
11.  Everett  W.  (Perkins),  b.  Aug.  26,  1837. 

III.  Eviily  M.  (Perkins),  h.  Jan.  27,  1840. 

IV.  Frances  H.  (Perkins),  d.  Jan.  3,  1871. 

V.  Eva  E.,  b.  July  28,  1854  :  resides  with  her  parents. 


Barnard  Baldwin  resided  in  the  north  part  of  the 
town.  In  1818  he  removed  to  Rindge  where  he  d.  June 
4,  1830.  He  was  a  farmer  and  a  blacksmith  and  had  a 
shop  near  the  house  where  Aaron  B.  Bixby  resides. 
The  name  of  his  wife  was  Mary,  but  no  record  of  his 
marriage  has  been  found.  Perhaps  all  the  children  are 
not  named. 

I.  Elizabeth,  b.  Feb.  8,  1795  ;  md.  Benjamin  Hart- 
well,  son  of  Benjamin  and  Sarah  (Sanderson) 
Hartwell. 

II.  Sarah,  b.  Jan.  23,  1797. 

III.  Samuel,  b.  Feb.   11,  1800;   md.  Mary  F.  Cook, 

dau.  of  John  Cook,  q.  v.  He  resided  several 
years  on  the  Frederick  Crosby  place.  He  d. 
Aug.  6,  1862  ;  she  d.  April  27,"  1875.  A  dau., 
Abigail,  md.  1854,  Luther  P.  Reed  of  Littleton  ; 
md.  (2d)  1877,  John  Q.  Kinson  of  this  town. 

IV.  Josexih. 


BANCROFT. 

The  Bancrofts  of  this  town  were  from  Gardner.  The  name  appears 
continuously  in  the  records  since  1828.  Harvej^  M.  Bancroft  and  his  cousin, 
Jonathan  0.  Bancroft,  are  of  the  seventh  generation  of  tlieir  family  in  this 
country.  The  emigrant  ancestor,  Lieut.  Thomas  Bancroft,  was  b.  in 
England  1622.  In  1647,  then  a  resident  of  Dedham,  he  md.  Alice  Bacon, 
who  soon  d. ;  he  md.  (2d)  Sept.  15,  1648,  Elizabeth  Metcalf,  and  removed 
about  IGoO  to  Reading,  and  subsequently  to  Lynnfield,  where  he  d.  Aug.  19, 
1691.     He  was  a  prominent  man  of  his  time,  and  the  records  bear  frequent 


598 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


and  honorablfi  mention  of  his  name.  The  eldest  son,  Dea.  Thomas  Bancroft, 
was  b.  in  Dedhnm,  Sei)t.  24,  1049.  He  removed  to  Reading,  where  he  md. 
April  10,  1673,  Sarah  Poole,  dau.  of  Jonathan  Poole.  He  was  a  lieutenant, 
and  is  mentioned  in  "Mather's  Mngnolia"  as  having  saved  the  garrison  at 
Exeter  from  an  assault  by  the  Indians.  He  d.  July  12,  1718;  his  widow  d. 
May  20,  1723.  Their  second  son,  Raham  Bancroft,  was  b.  in  Reading  Feb. 
14,  1684.  He  md.  Abigail  Eaton,  and  (2d)  Ruth  Kendall.  He  was  a 
prominent  citizen  and  a  deacon  of  the  church.  He  d.  1758,  aged  74  years, 
and  to  the  record  of  his  death  his  pastor  appends  —  "That  good  man, 
my  friend.  Dea.  Bancroft."  Of  his  eight  children,  David  Bancroft,  a  son 
by  first  wife,  was  b.  in  Reading  Aug.  2,  1718.  About  1740  he  removed  to 
Ward,  now  Auburn.  He  served  in  the  French  and  Indian  War,  was  a 
deacon,  also  a  representative  in  the  Provincial  Congress  1774.  He  md. 
Eunice  Bancroft,  dau.  of  John  and  Mary  (Clark)  Bancroft  of  Lynnfield. 
He  d.  at  Auburn  April  16,  1782.  Jonathan,  the  sixth  child  of  David  Ban- 
croft, was  b.  in  May,  1750.  He  removed  to  Templeton,  now  Gardner,  1772, 
and  there  md.  Aug.  30,  1774,  Sarah  Case  of  Sutton,  who  was  the  mother  of 
all_  his  children.  She  d.  Feb.  17,  1816,  and  he  md.  (2d)  1817,  Widow 
Elizabeth  Bancroft  of  Phillipston.  He  served  in  the  Revolution  and  was  in 
the  battles  of  Stillwater  and  Saratoga  1777.  He  d.  .suddenly  Sept.  25,  1826. 
Smyrna  Bancroft,  son  of  Jonathan  and  Mary  (Case)  Bancroft,  was  b.  May  15, 
1776.  He  was  nine  years  of  age  when  Gardner  was  incorporated,  and  was 
subsequently  a  selectman  and  assessor  of  that  town.  He  md.  Sarah  Whitney, 
dau.  of  William  and  Mary  (Mansfield)  Whitney  of  Winchendon.  He  d.  in 
Gardner  Aug.  5,  1818.  His  son  Harvey  M.  Bancroft  for  many  years  has 
resided  in  this  town.  Jonathan  Bancroft,  Jr  ,  a  brother  of  Smyrna,  was  b. 
in  Templeton,  now  Gardner,  •  Feb.  7,  1775.  He  md.  Betsey  Parker  of 
Westford.  He  resided  in  Gardner,  but  his  farm  extended  over  the  line  into 
this  town.  He  d.  1840.  Three  of  his  children  have  resided  in  this  town. 
His  son,  Jonathan  O.  Bancroft,  is  number  4  in  the  following  register. 
Another  son.  Dr.  Jesse  P.  Bancroft,  for  many  years  the  able  superintendent 
of  the  Asylum  for  the  Insane  at  Concord,  N.  H.,  resided  with  his  brother  a 
few  years  and  from  this  town  entered  upon  the  active  labors  of  a  viseful  life. 
Sophia  Bancroft,  the  wife  of  John  C.  Glazier,  was  a  sister  of  Jonathan  0. 
and  Dr.  Jesse  P.  Bancroft. 


Harvey  M.  Baxckoft,  son  of  Sm^Tiia  and  Sarah 
(Whitney)  Bancroft,  was  b.  May  1,  1803.  He  md.  May 
1,  1828,  Betsey  C.  Glazier,  dau.  of  Lewis  and  Luc}^ 
(Kej'es)  Glazier.  Tlie  same  3'ear  he  removed  to  this 
town.  Through  a  prolonged  and  blameless  life  he  has 
lived  in  peace  and  has  had  no  contention  with  his  fellow- 
men. 

I.  James  iJ.,  b.  April  1,  1829;  md.  May  29,  1855, 
N.  Eebecca  Laws  of  Westminster  ;  she  d.  Nov. 
1,  1879.  Mr.  Bancroft  is  a  lawyer  in  Worcester. 
II.  Sorali  W..  b.  Sept.  1,  1831  ;  md.  April  13,  1852, 
Samuel  G.  Piper  of  Lynn,  wbere  she  d.  July  13, 
1861. 


Jonathan  O.  BAi^fCuoFT,  son  of  Jonathan,  Jr.,  and 
Betsey  (Parker)  Bancroft,  was  b.  Sept.  12,  1806.  For 
a  few  years  he  was  associated  with  his  biother-in-law, 
Jolin  C.   Glazier,   in  the  manufacture  of  chairs  at   the 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  599 

South  Village,  and  subsequently  removed  to  the  Centre 
Village  and  became  a  partner  in  the  chair  business 
conducted  by  Woods,  Stevens  &  Co.  In  1833  he  removed 
to  Boston  and  was  there  engaged  in  the  furniture  trade. 
He  md.  Sept.  15,  1830,  Liicinda  Core}-,  dan.  of  Stephen 
Corey,  q.  v. 


William  Barkkll,  b.  in  Scituate  Feb.  5,  1776,  nid. 
April  18,  1802,  Deborah  Chittenden,  and  very  soon  after 
his  marriage  he  removed  to  the  north  part  of  Westminster. 
A  few  years  subsequently  his  farm  was  annexed  to 
Ashburniiam  and  he  remained  in  this  town  until  his  death 
Oct.  5,  1860  ;  she  d.  March  25,  1852.  Her  name  was 
written  Abigail  in  the  records  and  also  Deborah. 

I.    William,   b.  July  7,  1803  ;  d.  unmd.  in  Ashburn- 

ham  Feb.  7,  1850. 
11.  Maria,  h.  Nov.  12,  1804 ;  md.  May  5,  1828, 
Nathan  Wood  of  Westminster;  she  d.  April  8, 
1850. 
HI.  Mihum,  b.  April  9,  1807;  md.  Dec.  3,  1835, 
Martha  A.  Hinds.  He  resided  in  Westminster 
where  he  d.  Dec.  20,  1874. 

1.  Lucy,   b.    Aug.    4,    1840;   md.    Nov.  21, 

1861,  George  Dalrymple  ;  md.  (2d)  Oct. 
13,  1878,  H.  E.  Smith;  reside  in 
Granby. 

2.  Ruana,  b.   Nov.   7.   1842;  md.  Chas.  W. 

Whitney,  2d,  q.  v. 

3.  William,   b.  Oct.   5,   1850;    d.  April   23, 

1864. 

IV.  Betsey,  b.  March  6,  1810  ;  d.  unmd.  May  6,  1847. 
V.  Lucy,  b.  Jan.  10,  1812;  d.  April  9,  1814. 
VI.  James,  b.  June  11,  1817;  md.  Mrs.  Abbie  Smith 
of  Leominster. 


John  Barrell,  son  of  John  Barrell  of  Westminster, 
md.  Oct.  21,  1829,  Caroline  Crosby,  dan.  of  Frederick 
Crosby,  q.  v.,  and  from  that  date  he  resided  in  this  town 
until  he  d.  Aug.  22,  1841,  aged  36  years. 

I.  Nelson,  b.  Dec.  9,  1830;  resides  in  Fitchburg. 
II.  John  Francis,  b.  July  23,  1832. 
III.    Otis,  b.  Feb.  23,  1835  ;  md.  1857,  Elvira  L.  Pratt; 

resides  in  Westminster. 
IV.  Elmer,  b.  May  16,  1837. 


600 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


16 


Joseph  Benson  Barrell,  son  of  Dea.  Luther  Barrell 
of  Westminster,  was  b.  Dec.  28,  1822  ;  md.  Nov.  4, 
1845,  Harriet  Elmira  May,  dau.  of  Sumner  Ma5%  q.  v. 
Thej'  resided  in  south  part  of  the  town  and  also  in  Westmin- 
ster.    He  d.  Oct.  22,  1881  ;  she  resides  at  South  Village. 

I.    Tyler,  b.  May  26,  1847  ;  d.  1848. 

II.  Jose2)h  R.,  b.  April  13,  184rj ;  md.  Nov.  28,  1871, 

Rosetta  Petts  of  Westminster  ;  resides  at  South 
Village. 

III.  Herman,  b.  April  5,  1851  ;  md.  Sevrina  N.  Hill; 

resides  in  Iowa. 

IV.  Frank,   b,   July   26,   1853;    md.   Nov.   27,   1878, 

Nellie  Whitney,  dau.   of  Jonas  M.  Whitney  of 
Westminster;  resides  at  South  Village. 

V.  Minnetta  E.,   b.    Nov.   29,   1855;    md.   John  H. 

Alcott  of  Waltham.     She  d.  July  19,  1882. 

VI.  Hattie  Flora,    b.    March    8,    1857;    md.   Charles 

Wood,  son  of  Stephen  Wood,  g.  v. 


BARRETT. 

Early  in  the  present  century,  the  brothers  Benjamin,  Charles  and  Oliver 
Barrett  removed  to  this  town.  They  were  b.  in  Ashby.  About  1808  Joel 
Barrett,  a  distant  relative,  removed  from  Townsend.  Their  descendants  are 
numerous  and  merit  honorable  mention  in  the  annals  of  Ashburnham.  In  the 
following  record  of  the  lineage  of  the  Barrett  families,  I  am  indebted  to  J. 
H.  Potter  of  Concord. 

In  1640  Humphrey  Barrett,  with  three  sons,  came  from  England  and  settled 
in  Concord.  He  d.  1662,  aged  70;  his  wife  Mary  d.  Aug.  15,  1663.  Hum- 
phrey Barrett,  Jr.,  b.  in  England  1630,  md.  in  Concord  July  17,  1661, 
Elizabeth  Payne  who  d.  Dec.  21,  1674;  he  md.  (2d)  March  23,  1675,  Mary 
Potter,  dau.  of  Dea.  Luke  and  Mary  Edmands  Potter.  He  was  a  deacon  of 
the  church  in  Concord  and  d.  Jan.  3,  1716,  aged  86.  Mary,  his  wife,  d. 
Nov.  17,  1713,  aged  58.  Benjamin,  the  second  son  of  Dea.  Humphrey  and 
Mary  (Potter)  Barrett,  b.  May  7,  1681,  md.  Jan.  3,  1705,  Lydia  Minot;  he  d. 
Oct.  25,  1728,  and  she  md.  (2d)  Sanmel  Stow.  Benjamin,' tlie  oldest  of  the 
eight  children  of  Benjamin  and  Lydia  (Minot)  Barrett,  b.  Nov.  15,  1705.  md. 
Rebecca  Jones.  He  d.  Oct.  23,  1738,  and  she  md.  (2d)  Dec.  22,  1740,  Jonas 
Prescott  of  Westford.  Of  tlie  four  children  of  Benjamin  and  Rebecca 
(Jones)  Barrett,  Benjamin  and  Jonas  settled  in  Ashby.  Benjamin,  b.  Jan  9, 
1735,  md.  Nov.  24,  1761,  Sarah  Merriam  of  Lexington;  he  md.  (2d)  Feb. 
18,  1786,  Hannah  Jones  who  d.  Dec.  8,  1831.  He  d.  Sept.  14,  1811.  There, 
were  six  children  of  Benjamin  and  Sarah  (Merriam)  Barrett  of  whom  the 
oldest  was  Benjamin,  b.  June  21,  1762.  He  md.  Bridget  Lawrence,  who  d. 
1793.  He  md.  (2d)  1794,  Rhoda  (Stearns)  Wheeler,  dau.  of  Thomas  and 
Betty  (Manning)  Stearns  and  widow  of  Amos  Wheeler.  There  were  seven 
children  by  the  first  and  two  by  the  second  marriage.  These  children  were 
of  the  seventh  generation  in  America.  The  continued  record  of  Benjamin, 
Col.  Charles  and  Oliver,  sons  of  Benjamin  and  Bridget  (Lawrence)  Barrett 
is  given  in  the  following  register. 

Joel  Barrett,  who  came  from  Mason,  N.  H.,  to  Ashburnham  about  the 
same  time,  was  a  distant  relative.  His  lineage  is  traced  from  Thomas 
another  son  of  Humphrey,  the  emigrant  ancestor.  This  son  Thomas  and  wife 
Margaret  resided  in  Chelmsford  where  he  d.  Aug.  8,  16GS.     Joseph,  son  of 


GENEALOGICAL   KEGLSTEK. 


601 


Thomas  and  grandson  of  Humphrey  the  emigrant,  md.  Sept.  17,  1672, 
Martha  Gould  who  d.  Mav  15,  1G98.  He  d.  1711.  Joseph,  son  of  Joseph,  was 
b.  in  Chehnsford  Feb.  24,  1090;  he  md.  March  24,  17U,  Mary  Taylor.  Of 
their  eight  children  Keubon  was  b.  1729.  He  md.  June  19,  1750,  Sarah 
Fletcher  of  Chelmsford  and  removed  to  Northhorough,  and  subsequently  to 
Mason,  N.  H.,  where  bed.  Sept.  19,  1800.  His  son,  Joel  Barrett,  of  the 
sixth  generation,  resided  in  Ashburnham  and  is  number  37  in  the  following 
register. 


Benjamix  Bakkett,  son  of  Benjamin  and  Bridget 
(Lawrence)  Barrett,  was  b.  in  Ashby  June  18,  1786.  He 
removed  to  tliis  town  1807,  and  md.  Feb.  7,  1809,  Nancy 
Stone,  dan.  of  Oliver  Stone,  q.  v.  He  served  in  the  War 
of  1812.  In  1830  he  removed  to  Fitchburg,  and  subse- 
quently to  Newport,  N.  H.,  where  he  d.  Aug.  3,  1837. 
His  widow  d.  1866. 

I.   Oliver  Stone,  b.  Dec.  9,  1809  ;  d.  Nov.  10,  1810. 
Nancy  Stone,  b.  Dec.  14,  1811  ;  d.  Sept.  17,  1828. 
Joseph,  h.   Jan.    13,    1813;    md.   Feb.    10,    1840, 

Louisa  Newton  of  Newport,  N.  H.     He  resides 

in  Lunenburo;.     Five  children. 
3Iary,  b.  Aug.  24,  1815  ;  d.  Nov.  8,  1816. 
Mary,    b.    July  26,    1817;    md.    Dec.   31,   1839, 

Samuel  Dexter  Smith;  she  d.  Dec.  31,  1839. 
Lucy,  b.  June  28,  1819  ;  md.  June  14,  1842,  Martin 

Johnson.      They  reside   in    Lunenburg.      Five 

children. 
Ephraim  S.,  b.  Aug.  24,  1821  ;  d.  Nov.  20,  1821. 
Benjamin,  b.  Oct.  4,  1822;  d.  April  24,  1823. 
Edward  S.,  b.  Feb.  17.  1824  ;  md.  June  23,  1860, 

Nancy  Brigham  ;  resides  at  Concord,  N.  H. 
Julia  M.,  b.  March  8,  1826;  md.  April  9,  1849, 

Samuel  C.  White  ;  reside  at  Bergen  Point,  N. 

J.     Four  children. 
Caroline,  b.   Feb.   15,  1828;  md.  June  25,  1851, 

Francis  A.  White.     Reside  in  Brookline.     Four 

children. 


II. 
III. 


IV. 
V. 


VIII. 
IX. 


Col.  Charles  Barrett,  son  of  Benjamin  and  Bridget 
(Lawrence)  Barrett,  was  b.  in  Ashby  Feb.  21,  1788. 
He  md.  in  this  town  Sept.  19,  1811,  Sarah  Hastings,  dau. 
of  Charles  Hastings,  q.  v.;  she  d.  May  7,  1815,  and  he 
md.  (2d)  Aug.  5,  1816,  Betsey  Johnson,  dau.  of  Ephraim 
Johnson  of  Leominster.  She  was  b.  in  West  Newbury 
May  1,  1799,  and  d.  Nov.  19,  1862.  He  d.  June  8,  1885, 
aged  97  years.  Col.  Barrett  removed  to  Ashburnham 
1809  and  resided  here  through  a  prolonged  and  useful 
life.  He  was  urbane,  affable  and  kind.  He  adhered 
firmly  to  his  own  convictions  and  opinions,  3'et  his  course 


602 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


14 


15 


20 


in  social  and  public  affairs  was  tempered  with  forbearance 
and  an  appreciative  regard  for  the  opinion  and  wishes  of 
his  associates.  Manifesting  at  all  times  a  deep  interest 
in  the  welfare  and  prosperity  of  the  town,  he  was  a  stead- 
fast and  consistent  promoter  of  social  reform  and  public 
enterprise.  He  was  frequent!}"  elected  to  positions  of 
trust  and  his  name  is  many  times  repeated  in  the  list  of 
town  officers.  He  represented  the  town  in  the  Legislature 
i  in  1827,  1828  and  1843.  He  was  commander  of  the  Ash- 
burnham  Light  Infantry  and  colonel  of  the  Ninth  Regi- 
ment of  Militia.  His  military  record  and  that  of  his 
brothers  and  sons  appear  in  Chapters  XVIII  and  XIX. 

I.  Charles  Hastings,  b.  June  22,  1812;  md.  March 
17,  1836,  Emma  H.  Flint,  dau.  of  Ebenezer 
Flint,  q.  v.;  she  d.  May  25,  1865  ;  he  md.  (2d) 
1868,  Ann  Eliza  (Alden)  Gardner,  widow  of 
William  Gardner.  He  resides  in  Norwood  and 
is  proprietor  of  Norwood  House. 

ir.  Sarah  Jewett,  b.  Jan.  28,  1814  ;  md.  Mirick  Stira- 
son,  q.  V. 

III.  Francis  Johnson,  b.  Aug.  7,  1817.-f- 

IV.  Elizabeth  FoUansbee,  b.  Sept.   21,   1819  ;  d.  Aug. 

27,  1837. 
V.   Almira  Cliilds,  b.  Feb.  12,  1823  ;  d.  Aug.  25,  1837. 
VI.   George  Henry,  b.  Nov.  28,  1833.+ 


21 


22 


28 


24 


Oliver  Barrett,  a  brother  of  Benjamin  and  Col. 
Charles  Barrett,  was  b.  in  Ashby  Jan.  31,  1790.  He  md. 
Jan.  14,  1812,  Betsey  Stone,  dau.  of  Oliver  Stone,  q.  v. 
In  1832  he  removed  to  Lowell  and  subsequently  to  Shirle}'. 
His  wife  d.  Sept.  20,  1842,  and  he  md.  (2d)  1843,  Mrs. 
Sophia  Wheeler.  He  d.  in  Shirley  Feb.  8,  1880.  He  was 
a  deacon  of  the  Baptist  church  thirty  years  and  a  useful 
citizen.  Twelve  children  by  first  marriage ;  one  b}^ 
second  marriage  d.  in  infancy. 

I.  Oliver  Stone,  b.  July  13,  1812  ;  md.  Sept.  2,  1834, 
Lucy  Wyman ;  md.  (2d)  Josephine  Clark ; 
residence  Maiden. 
II.  John  Otis,  b.  April  18,  1815  ;  md.  April  13,  1839, 
Harriet  S.  Richardson,  who  d.  Dec.  19,  1873; 
resides  in  Townsend. 

III.  Cynthia  Eliza,  b.  March  24,  1817;  md.  Sept    •-'4» 

1843,  Joseph  J.  Waters;  she  d.  June  1,  1862. 

IV.  George  Benjamin,  b.  May  10,  1819  ;  md.  Nov.  24, 

1857,    Nancy  Haradon   who  d.  Aug.  2,  1861. 
He  md.  (2d)  Anna  Potter;  he  d.  about  1870. 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  60S 

V.   Clarissa  Davis,  h.  May  22,    1821  ;  md.  Adolpbus 

Priest ;  resides  in  Shirley. 
VI.   Thomas  Parker,  b.  July  5,  1823  ;  md.  March  26, 
1848,  Sophia  Sawtelle.     He  d.  in  Maiden  Jan. 
27,  1872. 

VII.  Ephraim  CoUeigli,  b.   July  26,  1825  ;  md.  Martha 

Tenney  of  Littleton  ;  she  d.  July  17,  1877.  He 
md.  (2d)  Mrs.  Hannah  Nutting.  Resides  in 
Waltham. 

VIII.  Ertiihj  Augusta,  b.  Aug.  8,  1827  ;  d.  July  30,  1829. 
IX.  Henry  A.,  b.  Sept.  7,  1830  ;  d.  Jan.  2,  1831. 

X.  Emiiy  Ann,   b.  Nov.  14,   1831  ;  md.   William  H. 

Potter  of  Fitchburg. 
XI.  Nancy  Stone,  b.  May  2,  1835  ;  md.  April  17,  1857, 

OUver  Norris  who  d.  May  12,  1862;  she  md. 

(2d)  Amasa  Whitney  ;  resides  in  New  Bedford. 
XII.   Owen  Tracey,  b.  Oct.  5,  1838  ;  md.  Louisa  Stone. 

He  d.  in  Shirley  Nov.  5,  1879. 


Col.  Francis  Johnson  Bareett,  son  of  Col.  Charles 
Barrett,  was  a  merchant  and  manufacturer.  He  was  of 
the  firm  of  Corey,  Barrett  &  Kibling.  They  owned  the 
mill  now  of  Robert  W.  Mclntire  and  a  chair  factory  on 
Water  street.  The  store  was  where  Mrs.  Winchester  now 
resides.  Col.  Barrett  was  a  man  of  generous  impulses 
and  enjoyed  the  merited  regard  of  his  associates.  He  was 
prominent  in  military  affairs  and  at  an  early  age  rose  to 
the  command  of  his  regiment.  He  md.  May  7,  1839, 
Nancy  Bemis,  dau.  of  William  Bemis,  q.  v.  He  d.  Oct. 
10,  1851  ;   she  d.  Dec.  10,  1864. 

1.  Emma  Almira,  b.  Sept.  13,   1840;  md.  John  H. 

Wilkins,  q.  v. 
II.   Charles  Francis,    b.  April  13,   1842  ;    d.  July  4, 

1843. 
III.  Lizzie  F.,  b.  April   7,  1846;  resides  in  Ashburn- 
ham. 


CoL.  George  H.  Barrett,  son  of  Col.  Charles  Barrett, 
resides  in  this  town  and  is  proprietor  of  the  grain-mill  on 
Water  street.  He  was  Lieut. -Col.  of  the  53d  Regiment, 
Mass.  Infantry,  and  represented  the  district  in  the  Legis- 
lature in  the  session  of  1869.  Since  1873  he  has  been  a 
member  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  Cushing  Academy 
and  Secretary  of  the  Board  since  1876.  He  md.  Nov. 
30,  1854,  Mnry  S.  Greenwood,  dau.  of  Edmund  R.  and. 
Susan  H.  (Slocomb)  Greenwood  of  Hubbardston. 


604 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


36 


37 


38 


43 

44 

45 

46 
47 

48 
49 


(41) 


I.   Grace   Greenwood,  b.  July   16, 
1881. 


1861  ;  d.  May  7, 


Joel  Barrett,  son  of  Reuben  and  Sarah  (Fletcher) 
Barrett,  was  b.  in  Mason,  N.  H.  He  md.  Oct.  22,  1793, 
Mercy  Townsend,  dau.  of  Samuel  and  Hannah  (Lawrence) 
Townsend.  She  was  b.  in  Northborough,  but  her 
parents  removed  to  Mason  previous  to  her  marriage. 
She  was  a  sister  of  the  wives  of  Samuel  Dunster.  Mr. 
Barrett  removed  to  this  town  previous  to  1802.  She  d. 
April  3,  1823,  aged  48  years,  and  he  md.  (2d)  May  31, 
1827,  Judith  Green.  He  d.  March  19,  1841.  Of  the 
children  of  Joel  and  Mercy  (Townsend)  Barrett,  there  is 
no  record  of  birth.  In  1815  six  were  bap.  Possibly 
all  are  not  named  below. 

I.  Joel,  b.  about  1794;  md.  April  12,  1818,  Hannah 
Marble,  dau.  of  Oliver  Marble,  q.  v.  He  d. 
Nov.  30,  1820.  She  md.  (2d)  Joseph  Miller, 
q.  V.     One  child. 


1.  Joel,  bap.  1820. 

II.  Hannah,  b.  1796;  d.  Sept.  29,  1810. 
III. 

IV. 


Samuel,  b.  Aug.  14,  1798.4- 

Sarah  Fletcher,  b.  June  17,  1801  ;  md.  Sept.  24, 
1823,  John  Emory,  son  of  Francis  and  Eunice 
(Philbrick)  Emory  of  VV^inchendon.  Shed.  May 
9,  1830,  leaving  three  childi'en. 

1.  Jane,  md.  Henry  O.  Blanchard  ;  removed 

to  Wisconsin. 

2.  Maria,  md.  David  M.  Parker ;  removed  to 

Wisconsin. 

3.  Justin,  md.  Elizabeth  Barber. 

Townsend,  b.  1804. + 

Betsey,    md.    April    10,    1835,    Joseph  White   of 

Worcester. 
Reuben,   md.    Sept.   3,    1835,   Rebecca   Crombie, 

dau.  of  James  and  Mary  (Wright)  Crombie  of 

Rindge  ;  he  d.  in  Amherst  1870. 
Hannah  Dunster,  b.  July  11,   1812  ;  md.  March 

8,  1832,  Calvin  Learned  of  Dublin,  N.  H.,  son 

of  John  W.  and  Hannah  (Wright)  Learned. 


Samuel  Barrett  was  an  active  citizen.  Postmaster 
several  years  and  engaged  in  several  business  affairs. 
He  md.  Sept.  3,  1826,  Nancy  G.  Lawrence,  dau.  of  Dea. 


50 


51 

52 

(46) 

53 

54 
55 
56 
57 

58 

59 

60 
61 
62 

63 
64 
65 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  605 

William  J.  Lawrence,  </.  v.     He  d.  Oct.   2G,   1851.     She 
resides  in  Springfield,  Ohio. 

I.  Edwin  Lawrence^  b.  Aug.  20,  1827  ;  md.  Jan.  4, 
1848,  Sarah  B.  Petts,  dau.  of  Dr.  John  Petts  ; 
she  d.  Oct.  18,  1865.  He  md.  (2d)  March  18, 
1867,  Clara  D.  Husley,  dau.  of  William  Husley 
of  Nashville,  Tenn.  He  resides  in  Springfield, 
Ohio,  and  in  connection  with  two  of  his  sons  is 
a  stationer  and  publisher.     Eight  children. 

II.  Elvira  Elizabeth,  b.   July  3,   1829  ;    d.   June   10, 

1832. 

III.  Lllen  Maria,  b.  Aug.    16,   1831  ;  md.  April  27, 

1852,  Rev.  Edward  W.  Root;  md.  (2d)  Aug. 
30,  1865,  J.  W.  Van  Sickle.  Resides  in 
Springfield,  Ohio. 


TowNSEND  Barrett  was  a  farmer  in  this  town.  He 
md.  Jan.  23,  1830,  Sarah  Wheeler  of  Templeton  ;  she  d. 
Dec.  22,  1846,  and  he  md.  (2d)  Elvira  Stowell,  dau.  of 
Moses  Stowell,  q.  v.  He.  d.  April  10,  1871.  His  widow- 
resides  in  this  town. 

I.  Nancy  C,  b.  Oct.   22,1830;  md.  Jan.   1,   1850, 

Charles  N.  Scollay,  q.  v. 
II.   Charles  S.,  b.  March  25,  1833;  d.  Oct.  31,  1846. 

III.  Eliza  A.,  b.  April  9,  1835  ;  md.  C.  W.  Upham. 

IV.  George  W.,  b.  Nov.  14,  1837. 

V.  Hannah  E.,  b.  Oct.  31,  1839. 

VI.  J.  Frank,   b.  Jan.   16,   1841  ;    was  killed  at   the 

battle  of  Cold  Harbor,  June  3,  1864. 
VII.  Ahhie,  b.  June  20,  1844  ;  d.  Dec.  29,  1846. 
Children  of  second  wife  : 
VIII.  Laiira,  md.  1867,  George  W.  Whipple. 
IX,  Emily,  md.  1868,  Frederick  R.  Whipple. 
X.  Mary,  b.  Sept.   21,    1856;  md.  Arthur  Lamb  of 

Templeton. 
XI.  Susan,  b.  June  9,  1858  ;  d.  Dec.  19,  1874. 
XII.  Eddie,  b.  Oct.  3,  1860;  d.  Jan.  1,  1861. 

XIII.  Belen,  b.  April  14,  1863. 

XIV.  Herbert  S.,  b.  Jan.  24,  1869. 


John  Bates  was  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Ashburn- 
ham.  He  removed  from  Westford  to  the  northeast  part 
of  the  town  about  1750.  He  was  one  of  the  original 
members  of  the  church,  and  at  the  first  election  of  town 
officers  he  was  chosen  an  assessor.  When  Ashby  was 
incorporated  in  1767  his  land  was  included  within  the 
limits  of  that  town.     He  md.  in  Westford  Jan.  7,  1744, 


€06 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


Martha  Foster  of  Littleton.  A  dau.  Martha  was  bap,  in 
Lunenburg  Aug.  6,  1749,  but  no  further  record  of  this 
family  has  been  found. 


BEALS. 

This  name  was  generally  written  Beal  or  Beale  by  the  early  generations  of 
the  family  in  America,  and  many  branches  of  the  family  still  retain  the 
original  form.  The  town  of  Hingham  was  settled  largely  by  emigrants  from 
Hingham  in  the  county  of  Norfolk,  England.  The  ship  Diligent,  John 
Martin,  master,  brought  a  number  of  families  who  were  prominent  in  the 
early  annals  of  Hingham  and  whose  descendants  are  found  in  nearly  every 
hamlet  in  our  country. 

John  Beal,  while  a  resident  of  Hingham,  England,  rad.  Nazareth  Hobart, 
a  sister  of  Rev.  Edmund  Hobart,  the  first  minister  of  Hingham  in  New 
England.  With  his  wife  and  eight  children  he  sailed  in  the  Diligent  in  1638. 
In  the  same  vessel  came  the  emigrant  ancestor  of  the  Gushing  families  of 
Ashburnham.  Mr.  Beal  was  admitted  freeman  in  March,  1639.  His  wife  d. 
Sept.  23,  lGo8;  he  md.  (2d)  March  10,  1658-9,  Mrs.  Mary  Jacob,  widow  of 
Nicholas  Jacob.  She  d.  1681,  and  he,  at  the  age  of  100  years,  d.  April 
1,  1688. 

Lieut.  Jeremiah  Beal,  his  son,  was  b.  in  England  1631 ;  md.  Nov.  18, 
1652,  Sarah  Ripley,  dau.  of  William  Ripley  of  Hingham.  He  d.  Aug.  10, 
1716;  his  wife  d.  June  20,  1715.  Of  their  seven  children  the  eldest, 
Jeremiah,  Jr.,  b.  May  13,  1655,  md.  May  22,  1677,  Hannah  Lane,  dau.  of 
Andrew  Lane.  He  was  a  farmer  and  a  blacksmith;  d.  at  Hingham  April  21, 
1703;  his  wife,  surviving  him,  d.  Sept.  19,  1719.  Andrew  Beal,  son  of 
Jeremiah  and  Hannah  (Lane)  Beal,  b.  Jan.  27,  1685-6,  md.  Dec.  14,  1715, 
Rachel  Bates,  dau.  of  Joshua  Bates.  They  had  four  sons  and  one  daughter. 
The  youngest  son  was  Abel  Beal,  b.  1737;  md.  March  11,  1755,  Deborah 
Lambert.  He  d.  April  20,  1809;  she  d.  Oct.  1,  1810.  They  had  ten 
children.     In  this  lineage  all  the  generations  to  this  date  resided  in  Hingham. 

Cohasset  was  created  out  of  a  part  of  Hingham  in  1770,  and  Abel  Beal 
resided  in  the  new  town  after  that  date.  Stowers  Beals,  youngest  son  of 
Abel  and  Deborah  (Lambert)  Beal,  was  the  first  in  this  line  of  descent  to 
write  the  name  with  the  additional  letter.  He  Avas  b.  in  Hingham  March 
20,  1767,  and  resided  in  Cohasset  after  he  was  three  years  of  age,  and  until 
he  removed  to  Winchendon.  He  md.  Mary  Leavitt  of  Hingham  He.  d. 
May  23,  1821.     His  widow  d.  June  20,  1839.     They  had  four  children. 


George  Leavitt  Beals,  son  of  Stowers  and  Mary 
(Leavitt)  Beals,  was  b.  in  Winchendon  Oct.  11,  1800. 
He  md.  Jan.  11,  1827,  Nancy  Norcross,  b.  Jan.  13,  1806, 
dau.  of  Capt.  Daniel  and  Polly  (Jones)  Norcross  of 
Rindge.  In  1836  he  bought  the  farm  and  a  large  tract 
of  timber  land  of  Frederick  Crosby  and  removed  to  this 
town.  He  built  a  mill  on  the  premises  and  was  engaged 
in  the  manufacture  of  lumber  until  he  sold  the  property 
in  1847  to  the  Burrage  Bros,  and  soon  after  returned  to 
Winchendon.  His  wife  d.  Oct.  25,  1881.  He  d.  June  5, 
1886,     Two  of  their  seven  children  were  b.  in  this  town, 

I.  Mary  Leavitt^  b.  Nov.    20,    1827 ;  md,   Jan.   3, 
1849,  John  M.  Whitney,  son  of  Hananiah  and 


GENEALOGICAL   KEGISTER. 


607 


■7 

8 

(3) 


10 


Sarah  (Beaman)  Whitney  of  Wincheudon.     He 
cl.   Dec.   2,  1883  ;  she  d.  May  14,  1883.     Two 
children. 
II.   George  Leavitt,  h.  Jan.  11,  1830. -|- 

III.  ]S/'a7icy  Elizabeth,  b.  Sept.  21,  1831  ;  d.  April  27, 

1833. 

IV.  Infant,  b.  and  d.  July  23,  1833. 

V.  Charles  Leavitt,  b.  *Mav  6,  1835  ;  md.  Jan.  23, 
1869,  Harriet  Martha  "Brown,  b.  April  9,  1845, 
dau.  of  George  and  Harriet  E.  (Osgood)  Brown 
of  Winchendon.  He  is  treasurer  of  Savings 
Bank  and  for  many  3'ears  cashier  of  First 
National  Bank  of  Winchendon. 

VI.  Nancy  Elizabeth,  b.  April  26,  1837;  d.  May  4, 
1855. 

VII.  Martha  Ellen,  b.  April  14,  1844  ;  d.  Jan.  31,  1857. 


Geokge  L.  Beals,  b.  Jan.  11,  1830,  md.  Jan.  1,  1852, 
Lydia  Farrar,  dau.  of  John  and  Calla  (Stearns)  Farrar, 
q.  V.  He  resides  in  the  west  part  of  the  town  and 
occupies  a  portion  of  the  property  formerly  owned  by  his 
father,  and  is  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  lumber. 
Two  children. 

I.  Frank  Leavitt,  b.  Jan.  21,  1854;  md.  Oct.  11, 
1877,  Nellie  Isadore  Kimball,  b.  Feb.  15,  1855, 
dau.  of  John  A.  and  C.  Anna  (Corey)  Kimball. 
II.  John  Farrar,  b.  Feb.  23,  18G0  ;  md.  Nov.  '2^,  1886, 
Edith  Whitney  Day,  b.  June  27,  1866,  dau.  of 
Daniel  and  Jennie  (Parkhurst)  Day  of  Wincheu- 
don. 


BEMIS. 

Joseph  Bemis,  b.  in  England  1619,  settled  in  Watertown  previous  to  1640. 
He  was  a  selectman  1648,  1672  and  1675.  He  d.  Aug.  7,  1684.  The  name 
of  his  wife  was  Sarah,  but  no  record  of  the  marriage  is  found ;  she  d.  about 
1712.  Among  the  nine  children  of  Joseph  and  Sarah  Bemis  was  Joseph,  Jr., 
b.  Dec.  12,  1651.     So  far  as  known  no  record  of  his  family  is  preserved. 

Philip  Bemis  was  probably  his  son.  This  Philip  Bemis,  b.  about  1700,  is 
found  residing  in  Cambridge  from  1723  to  1738.  He  md.  Nov.  21,  1723, 
Elizabeth  Lawrence  and  removed  to  Westminster  in  1738.  He  was  the  third 
settler  in  that  town  and  a  man  of  influence  and  character.  The  youngest  of 
six  children  was  Zaccheus,  bap.  in  Cambridge  July  25,  1736.  Zaccheus 
Bemis  md.  Elizabeth  Lyon  and  lived  in  Westminster  where  he  d.  1804. 
Among  his  children  was  Stephen  Bemis  who  removed  to  this  town  and  is 
number  1  in  the  following  register.  Another  son  of  Zaccheus  was  William 
Bemis,  b.  Jan.  11,  1777;  md.  Nov.  23,  1799,  Hannah  Derby,  dau  of  John 
and  Hannah  (Garey)  Derby.  She  was  b.  in  Westminster  Nov.  17,  1781. 
He  was  a  farmer  and  a  blacksmith  in  Westminster  where  he  d.  Oct.  8,  1835. 
His  widow  d.  in  this  town  Aug.  12,  1861.  Of  their  eleven  children  several 
have  resided  in  this  town.  William  is  number  13  and  John  is  number  16  in 
following  record;  Lorette  md.  Brigham  Wallace,  q.  v.;  Hannah  md.  Alvin 
Kendall,  q.  v.;  Nancy  md.  Col.  Francis  J.  Barrett,  q.  v.;  and  Euth  md.  Charles 
•E.  Johnson,  q.  v. 


608  HISTORY    OF   ASHBURNIIAM. 

There  are  other  families  of  Bemis  in  this  town  whose  lineage  is  traced 
through  other  branches  of  the  same  general  family.  Albert  T.  Bemis  is  a 
descendant  of  John  Bemis  the  youngest  son  of  Joseph  Bemis  the  emigrant. 
John,  the  son,  was  b.  in  Watertown  in  Aug.,  1659.  He  nid.,  about  1680, 
Mary  Harrington,  dau.  of  George  and  Susannah  Harrington;  she  d.  Sept.  8, 
1716.  He  md.  (2d)  Feb.  27,  1716-17,  Sarah  (Holland)  Phillips,  widow  of 
Jonathan  Phillips,  and  (3d)  May  30,  1726,  Judith  (Jennison)  Barnard, 
widow  of  James  Barnard  and  dau.  of  Samuel  and  Judith  (Macomber) 
Jennison.  He  resided  many  years  in  Watertown  and  owned  lands  in 
Marlborough,  but  no  record  of  liis  death  has  been  found.  His  first  wife  was 
the  mother  of  his  fourteen  children.  Of  these  John  Bemis  was  b.  Oct.  6, 
1686.  He  md.  May  8,  1710,  Hannah  Warren,  b.  Jan.  25,  1690-1,  dau.  of 
Daniel  and  Elizabeth  (Whitney)  Warren.  He  md.  (2d)  April  2,  1713,  Anna 
Livermore,  b.  1690,  dau.  of  Samuel  and  Anna  (Bridge)  Livermore.  John 
Bemis,  the  eldest  of  the  thirteen  children  of  John  and  Anna  (Livermore) 
Bemis,  was  b.  in  Watertown  Feb.  11,  1711-12.  He  removed  to  Weston  where 
he  md.  Feb.  16,  1731-2,  Hannah  Warren,  b.  April  28,  1715,  dau.  of  Capt. 
Daniel  and  Hannah  (Bigelow)  Warren.  The  eldest  of  their  twelve  children 
was  John  Bemis,  b.  Aug.  28,  1732.  He  removed  to  Sudbury  and  md.,  about 
1754,  Abigail  Sanders,  and  in  Sudbury  the  following  children  were  b.  : 
Jonas,  b.  1757;  Jason,  b.  1759;  Silas,  b.  1760;  Amos,  b.  1763;  Abigail,  b. 
1764;  Reuben,  Abel  and  John.  About  1780  the  parents,  John  and  Abigail 
Bemis,  with  their  children,  removed  from  Sudbury  to  Winchendon.  The 
son  Jonas  had  served  in  the  Revolution  previous  to  their  removal.  He  md. 
Catherine  Tower  of  Sudbury  and  subsequently  removed  from  Windiendon 
to  Royalston  where  he  d.  1831.  Jonas  Bemis,  son  of  Jonas  and  Catherine 
(Tower)  Bemis,  was  b.  in  Winchendon  Aug.  11,  1788.  He  md.  May  13, 
1813,  Mercy  Burgess,  dau.  of  Ebenezer  Burgess  of  Ashburnham.  He 
removed  to  Royalston  where  he  d.  June  24,  1824.  His  widow  md.  (2d) 
William  Whitney,  q.  v.  Albert  T.  Bemis,  who  is  number  20  in  the  following 
register,  is  of  the  eighth  generation  in  this  line  of  descent  from  Joseph  Bemia 
the  emigrant. 

Another  lineage  of  this  family  is  represented  by  Justin  W.  Bemis.  He  is 
a  descendant  of  John  Bemis  named  above  who  was  b.  1686.  Elisha  Bemis, 
son  of  this  John  by  the  second  wife  Anna  Livermore,  was  b.  March  20, 
1725-6;  he  md.  Feb.  15,  1748-9,  Lucy  Elton  of  Lexington.  His  son,  Elisha 
Bemis,  Jr.,  b.  1753,  md.  Anna  Newton  and  removed  to  Southboro  where  he 
d.  1817.  Elijah  Bemis,  his  son,  b.  June  28,  1778,  md.  Oct.  9,  1805,  Sally 
Woolson.  He  d.  Aug.  1,  1844.  Elijah  Bemis,  his  son,  b.  in  Southboro  Feb. 
20,  1815,  removed  to  Northboro ;  he  md.  March  20,  1840,  Susan  Newton; 
she  d.  June  16,  1845;  he  md.  (2d)  Feb.  28,  1846,  Julia  A.  Newton.  Among 
their  children  is  Justin  W.  Bemis  of  this  town  who  is  of  the  eighth  generation 
from  Joseph  the  emigrant. 


Stephen  Bemis,  son  of  Zaccheus  and  Elizabeth  (Lyon) 
Bemis,  was  b.  in  Westminster  March  16,  1768  ;  md.  1796, 
Achsah  Pollard,  dau.  of  William  Pollard,  q.  v.  In  1806 
he  removed  to  this  town  where  he  d.  July  18,  1841. 

I.  Stephen.,  b.  June  16,  1797;  d.  young. 

II.  M/Zictm,  b.  Aug.  22,  1798;  d.  young. 

III.  D'olly,  b.  March  6,  1801  ;  md.  Arnold  Dwight  of 

Dover. 

IV.  Hannah,  b.  Nov.  24,  1802  ;  md.  Samuel  Danforth 

of  Fitchburg  and  removed  to  Salem  where  she 
d.  June  10,  1880. 


GENEALOGICAL  KEGISTER.  609 

V,  Stephen^  b.  March  20,  1-S04  ;  md.  Miriam  Farwell 

of  Fitchbiirg  ;  removed  to  Nashua,  111. 
VI.  Sylvia,  b.  Oct.  20,  1805  ;  d.  Feb.  23,  1849. 
VII.  Achsah,   b.    May  14,   1807;    rad.  Oct.  29,   1827, 
Lincoln  Hart  of  Townsend  ;  md.  (2d)  May  14, 
1833,  Bradish  Baker,  <j.  v. 
rai.  Betsey,  b.   Feb.   14,   1809  ;    md.   1836,  James  S. 
Mills  of  Dunbarton,  N.  H. 

IX.  William  P.,  b.  April  6,  1810  ;  md.  Sally  Blodgett ; 

d.  in  Salisbury,  Conn.,  Sept.  26,  1866. 

X.  Samuel,   b.    Jan.     13,    1812;    md.    1834,    Mary 

Pettengill ;  d.  in  California  1878. 

XI.  Zaccheus,h.  Jan.  1,   1814;  md.   Maria  Garfield; 

he  d.  in  West  Cambridge  May  9,  1844. 


William  Bemis,  son  of  William  and  Hannah  (Derby) 
Bemis,  b.  Jan.  2,  1808,  md.  April  14,  1836,  Elizabeth  B. 
Beard,  dau.  of  Artemas  and  Mary  (Chaplin)  Beard  of 
Fitzwilliam,  N.  H.  He  d.  March  23,  1881  ;  she  d.  April 
29,  1877. 

I.  Sarah  E.,  b.   Oct.    20,    1837;    md.    George   C. 

Foster,  q.  v. 
II.  Francis    TF.,  b.  April   3,    1844;    md.    March   26, 
1875,  Emily  Stoddard  of  Templeton,   dau.  of 
Nathan  and  Mary   (Colcord)   Stoddard.     Two 
children. 


John  Bemis,  son  of  William  and  Hannah  (Derby) 
Bemis,  b.  Dec.  28,  1819,  md.  Dec.  19,  1844,  Lucy  R. 
Sawtell,  dau.  of  Asa  Sawtell,  q.  v.  He  resided  in 
Ashburnham  until  1868  when  he  removed  to  New  York 
City,  where  he  d.  Jan.  26,  1879. 

I.   Georgiana,   b.   Feb.    17,   1847;    resides   in   New 
York. 

II.  Frank,  b.   Dec.    21,   1850;    md.   Jan.    26,   1878, 

Lillian  M.  English ;  he  d.   at  Palmer  Nov.  9, 
1884. 

III.  Hattie  L.,  b.  Nov.  22,  1860. 


Albert  T.  Bemis,  b.  May  17,  1816,  son  of  Jonas  and 
Mercy  (Burgess)  Bemis,  has  resided  in  this  town  since 
youth.  He  md.  Aug.  28,  1842,  Sarah  Hastings,  dau.  of 
John  Hastings,  q.  v.  He  is  a  farmer 'and  owns  and 
occupies  the  farm  where  Dea.  Sherebiah  Hunt  settled. 

I.  Charles  A.,  b.  Sept.  22,  1843.  He  is  a  physician 
in  West  Medway.  Vide  Chap.  XX.  He  md. 
Dec.  14,  1872,  Lizzie  Thompson  of  Philadelphia. 


610 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


22 

23 

24 
25 
26 
27 
28 
29 
30 
31 
32 

33 


II.  Herbert  G.,  b.  Nov.  1,  1844  ;  md.  Gertie  Kirklaud  ; 

resides  in  Manashoe,  Wis. 

III.  Frank  T.,  b.  April  25,  1847;  md.  Gertie  Denni- 

son  ;  resides  in  Sheboygan,  Wis. 

IV.  Lizzie,  b.  Sept.  23,  1848  ;  md.  Orange  Mossman. 
V.  Sarah,  b.  Oct.  14,  1850;  d.  Feb.  18,  1851. 

Yi.  J.  Cliftoyi,  b.  Nov.  11,  1851  ;  d.  Feb.  18,  1853. 

VII.  Sarah,  b.  Aug.  28,  1853  ;  d.  Feb.  14,  1863. 

VIII.  Anna  M.,  b.  July  8,  1855. 

IX.  Fannie  J.,  b.  Nov.  13,  1857;  d.  Feb.  11,  1863. 
X.  Freddie  N.,  b.  Jan.  10,  1859  ;  d.  Feb.  10,  1863. 
XI.  Arthur  E.,  b.  Oct.  4,  18G2  ;  d.  Feb.  9,  1863. 
XII.  Alice  J.,  b.  March  3,  1865. 


Justin  W.  Bemis,  b.  April  6,  1853,  son  of  Elijah 
Bemis  of  Northborough,  md.  Dec.  31,  1877,  Lizzie  G. 
Mirick,  dau.  of  John  A.  and  Kezia  (Pierce)  Mirick 
of  Princeton.  She  was  b.  March  27,  1855,  and  d.  June 
23,  1884.  He  has  resided  in  Ashburnham  since  1878 
and  at  present  is  one  of  the  road  commissioners.  Two 
children,  one  of  whom  d.  in  infancy. 


BENJAMIN. 

John  Benjamin,  the  emigrant  ancestor  of  the  families  of  this  name  in 
Ashburnham,  came  from  England  to  America  1632,  and  in  November  of  that 
year  was  admitted  freeman.  He  was  one  of  the  proprietors  and  in  1633  a 
constable  of  Cambridge.  He  subsequently  removed  to  Watertown  where  he 
d.  June  14,  1645,  leaving  a  widow,  Abigail,  and  eight  children.  Of  these 
the  eldest  son  was  John,  b.  in  England  1620.  By  wife  Lydia  he  had  eight 
children.  He  d.  in  Watertown  Dec.  22,  1706.  Daniel,  son  of  John  and 
Lydia  Benjamin,  was  b.  in  Watertown  Sept.  12,  1660.  He  md.  March  25, 
1687,  Elizabeth  Brown,  b.  Sept.  19,  1664,  dau.  of  Jonathan  and  Mary 
(Shattuck)  Brown.  He  was  a  licensed  innholder  1694-9.  He  d.  in  Watertown 
Dec.  13,  1719;  his  widow  d.  Aug.  8,  1740.  Jonathan,  a  son  of  Daniel 
Benjamin,  md.  Dec.  23,  1714,  Annabelle  Eve;  he  md.  (2d)  May  7,  1734. 
Hannah  (Cunnable)  Bond,  dau.  of  John  and  Martha  Cunnable  and  widow  of 
William  Bond  of  Watertown.     He  d.  in  Watertown  1741  or  1742. 


William  Benjamin,  youngest  son  of  Jonathan  and 
Hannah  Benjamin,  was  b.  in  Watertown  Jan.  16,  1737-8. 
He  md.  Jan.  2,  1760,  Sarah  Child,  dau.  of  Daniel  and 
Mary  (Bright)  Child.  She  was  b.  in  Waltham  Aug.  11, 
1740.  They  removed  to  this  town  1760.  The  father  and 
two  sons  were  in  the  Revolutionary  service  from  this 
town.  Soon  after  the  Eevolution  the  family  removed  to 
Woodstock,  Vt.     Ten  children  were  b.  in  this  town. 

I.  Jonathan,  b.  July  30,  1760.-f- 

II.  Jonas,  b.  May  5,  1762  ;  md.  Aug.  2,  1785,  Mercy 
Salter,  dau.  of  Samuel  Salter,  q.  v.  He  was  of 
Woodstock,  Vt.,  at  date  of  marriage. 


4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 
10 
11 

(2) 

12 
13 
14 

15 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  611 

III.  William,  h.  Aug.  1,  1764. 

IV.  Sarah,  b.  Aug.  2,  176G. 
V.  Josiali,  b.  June  19,  1769. 

VI.  Lucy,  b.  July  7,  1771. 

VII.  Moily,  b.  July  H,  1773. 

VIII.  Hannah,  b.  Aug.  7,  1775. 

IX.  iem,  b.  Sept.  7,  1777. 

X.  J.sa,  bap.  June  30,  1782. 


Jonathan  Benjamin  md.  Oct.  30,   1780,  Anise  Holt. 
He  removed  with  his  father  to  Woodstock,  Vt. 

I.  Jonathan,  bap.  April  27,  1782. 

II.  Anise,  bap.  Jan.  26,  1783. 

III.  Lemuel. 


22 

23 

24 
25 
26 

27 
28 
29 


Daniel  Benjamin,  lineage  not  traced,  removed  to 
Ashburnham  1778.  He  md.  Nov.  10,  1779,  Tamezin 
Felton,  a  sister  of  the  wife  of  Lemuel  Stimson.  This 
famil}'  resided  on  the  farm  more  recently  occupied  by 
Samuel  Keyes  in  the  north  part  of  the  town.  He  d. 
May  12,  1819  ;  she  d.  March  20,  1843.  Their  ten  chil- 
•dren  were  b.  in  this  town. 

I.  Eunice,  b.  Dec.  6,  1780;  md.  Jan.  12,  1813, 
John  R.  Kemp  of  Fitchburg  where  she  d.  1820. 

II.  Daniel,  b.  March  6,  1783.+ 

m.  Nahum,  b.  Feb.  20,  1785.-[- 

rv.   Tamezin,  b.  May  16,  1787  ;  d.  unmd.  1862. 

V.  Nahby,  b.  June  17,  1789  ;  md.  Samuel  Keyes, 
q.  V. 

VI.  Sally,  b.  March  14,  1792;  md.  Oct.  15,  1815, 
Dea.  John  Hunt  of  Boston,  a  son  of  John  and 
Rebecca  (Hicks)  Hunt  of  Watertown.  She  d. 
March  31,  1837.  Eight  children.  He  md. 
(2d)  a  woman  of  the  same  name,  Sally  Benjamin, 
but  not  connected  with  the  Ashburnham  families. 

1.  John  M.,  b.  Oct.  6,  1816  ;  d.  Jan.  6,  1839. 

2.  Sarah  Elizabeth,  b.  Aug.  6,  1818  ;  d.  .July 
9,  1821. 

3.  Harriet  A.,  b.  Jan.  18,  1821. 

4.  Maria  Charlotte,  b.  Feb.  5,  1825. 

5.  William   A.,    b.    March    13,    1827;    md. 
Inez  M.  White. 

6.  Emily,  b.  Sept.  26,  1829. 

7.  Clarissa,  d.  young. 

8.  George  E.,  b.  Nov.  12,  1836. 


612 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


(17) 


36 
37 

(18) 


38 
39 
40 
41 
42 
43 

(34) 


44 


45 


Yii.  Lyclia,  md.   Sept.   18,    1814,    Charles   Damon   of 

Wayland. 
VIII.  Samxiel  Hoiv,  b.  1797  ;  d.  May  1,  1801. 

IX.  Lovisa,  b.  April  8,   1801  ;   md.  Cram  ;  md. 

(2d)  Moore  of  Boston. 

X.  Irene,  b.  Feb.  20,  1805  ;   md.  Emery  Willard,  son 
of  John  Willard,  q.  v. 


Daniel  Benjamin,  Jr.,  resided  on  the  farm  now  of 
D.  D.  McTntire.  He  md.  1806,  Rachel  Wetherell  of 
Mansfield;  she  d.  Dec.  17,  1838.  He  md.  (2d)  March 
4,  1840,  Betsey  (Mclntire)  Billings,  widow  of  Joshua 
Billings,  q.  v.     He  d.  June  10,  1865  ;  she  d.  Oct.,  1863. 

I.  Stillman  D.,  b.  Nov.  4,  1807. -f- 

II.  Samuel  H.,  b.  Nov.  10,  1809;  md.  Tamezin 
Hunt,  dau.  of  Peter  Hunt,  q.  v.  He  removed 
to  Ashby  where  he  d.  Jan.  18,  1879  ;  she  d. 
Aug.  28,  1869.     No  children. 

III.  Louisa  Bachel,  b.  July  15,   1816  ;  md.   1837,  Ai 

Foster  of  Ashby,   son  of   Jonathan  Foster  of 
Ashby.     She  d.  Feb.  3,  1878. 

IV.  Lonenza  (twin),  b.  July  15,  1816;    d.  Feb.   17, 

1817. 


Nahum  Benjamin  md.  1810,  Judith  Reed,  dau.  of 
Supply  Reed  of  Acworth,  N.  H.,  and  a~  sister  of  the  wife 
of  Ebenezer  Jones.  He  resided  several  years  near  the 
residence  of  his  brother  Daniel.  The  family  removed  to 
the  West  many  years  ago. 

I.  Susan  Reed,  b.  July  31,  1811. 
II.  Sarah  Eliza,  b.  Aug.  31,  1814. 

III.  Timothy  Nahum,  b.  Dec.  4,  1817. 

IV.  Supply. 
V.  Harriet. 

VI.  Alzina. 


Stillman  D.  Benjamin  md.  April  4,  1832,  Mary  Foster, 
dau.  of  Nathaniel  Foster,  q.  v.  He  removed  about  1840 
to  Shirley  Village,  where  he  now  resides.  She  d.  Dec. 
25,  1882. 

I.  Sidney  Wendell,  b.  May  25,  1833  ;  md.  Jan.  22, 
1873,  Mary  Harris,  dau.  of  Humphrey  Harris, 
q.  V.     Resides  in  Shirley. 

II.  Viola  D.,  b.  Aug.  4,  1836  ;  md.  1865,  Stephen  H. 
Kimball  of  Ipswich. 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  613 

III.  Mary  Jane,  b.  March  24,  1841  ;  rad.  Lorenzo  L. 

Brown  of  Harvard. 

IV.  Frances  Aim,  b.  Oct.  24,  1845. 


Capt.    James    Bennett,    a   sou   of    Moses    and    Anna 
(Blancbard)   Bennett,  was   b.  in  Groton   Dec.  5,  1736. 

He    md.    Hannah   .       His    eldest    child    was    b.    in 

Rowle}' ;  the  second  in  Towuseud  ;  the  next  five  in  Ashby. 
His  wife  d.  in  Ashby  and  he  rad.  (2d)  Dec.  14,  1784, 
Olive  Shattuck,  dau.  of  John  and  Elizabeth  Shattuck  of 
Pepperell  where  she  was  b.  Jan.  27,  1753.  Capt.  Bennett 
removed  from  Ashby  to  the  northeast  part  of  this  town 
about  1784  and  was  a  prominent  citizen  here  until,  by  a 
change  in  boundary  lines,  his  homestead  was  annexed  to 
Ashby  in  1792.  Two  children  of  the  second  wife  were  b. 
in  this  town  and  the  youngest  in  Ashby.  Capt.  Bennett 
was  an  officer  in  the  Revolutiouar}'  army.  He  d.  Aug. 
9,  1808.  His  widow  md.  Jan.  25,  1816,  Nehemiah  Hardy 
of  Hollis. 

I.  Betsey,  b.  April  1,  1766  ;  md.  John  Hall,  q.  v. 

II.  Hannah,  b.   Sept.   23,  1767;  md.    (Int.  Dec.  15, 

1787),  Allen  Stone  ;  resided  in  Thomaston,  Me. 

III.  Asa,  h.  April  20,  1770;  removed  to  Thomaston, 

Me. 

IV.  Milly,  b.  April    13,    1772;    md.   Nov.    29,    1792, 

Jonathan  Spaidding.  q.  v. 

V.  jSewelL  b.  Feb.  18,  1774. 
VI.   Quincy,  b.  Sept.  15,  1775. 

vu.  Almon,  b.  Sept.  10,  1778. -f- 

VIII.  Eliab,  b.  Jan.  19,  1789;  d.  unmd.  May  4,  1815, 
the  day  appointed  for  his  marriage. 
IX.  James  Hervey,  b.  Nov.  22,  1791  ;  md.  Oct.  22, 
1820,  Winifred  Knowles.  He  was  in  the  West 
India  goods  trade  in  Boston  until  1845.  He 
subsequently  resided  in  Lexington. 
X.  Sarah,  b.  Aug.  7,  1795;  md.  1816,  William 
Wright  of  Pepperell. 


(8) 


Almon  Bennett  md.  May  19,  1802,  Elizabeth  Constan- 
tine,  dau,  of  Jacob  Constantine,  q.  v.  He  resided 
successively  in  East  Wallingford,  Vt.,  in  this  town  and  in 
Ashby,  where  he  d.  Jan.  3,  1857;  she  d.  Sept.  2,  1842. 

I.  Emma,  b.  Aug.  10,  1802;  md.  Jan.  6,  1827, 
Charles  WeUington,  son  of  Elias  and  Hepsibah 
(Kendall)  Wellington  of  Ashby.  She  d.  Jan. 
25,  1882. 


614 


HISTORY   OF    ASHBURNHAM. 


19 


20 


26 

27 
28 

29 
30 

31 
32 

33 

34 
35 


36 


1.  Ellen  Maria,  b.  Nov.  4,  1829. 

2.  Cecil,  b.  Aug.  10,  1835. 

II.  Phila,  b.  April  19,  1805  ;  d.  Aug.  24,  1847. 

III.  Alma,  b.  March  18,  1807  ;  d.  April  6,  1815. 

IV.  Adaline  Eliza,  b.  Oct.  5,  1811  ;  d.  April  12,  1815. 

V.  Hervey  James,  b.  Aug.  28,  1814;  md.  Lucy  Buss 

of  Sterling ;    d.    in    Worcester   Dec.    8,    1846. 
Four  children. 

VI.  Charles,  b.  Jan.  15,  1821  ;  d.  in  Springfield,  Ky., 

1857. 

Thomas  Bennett,  probably  a  son  of  Thomas  and  Lydia 
Bennett,  was  from  Groton.  He  md.  Sept.  5,  1794, 
Catherine  Wilker,  dau.  of  Jacob  Wilker,  q.  v.  They 
resided  in  Ashburnham  and  in  Ashby.  He  d.  in  Ashby 
Dec.  31,  1828.  She  subsequently  removed  to  Concord, 
Vt.,  where  she  d.  Feb.  10,  1862,  aged  86  years.  They 
had  eleven  children. 

I.  Annie,  md.  John  S.  Temple;   lived  in  Concord, 
Vt.  ;  d.  May  28,  1871. 

II.  Asa,  md.  1823,  Laura  Constantine,  dau.  of  Jacob 

Constantine,  Jr.  ;    he  resided  in  Ashburnham. 
She  md.  (2d)  John  Adams,  Jr.,  q.  v. 

1.  George  P..  removed  to  Florida. 

2.  Augustus  N.,  removed  to  Cambridge. 

3.  Laura  Jane,  md.  Dec.  22,  1.S45,  John  L. 

Atherton,    son   of    Percy   Atherton   of 
Jaffrey,  N.  H. 

4.  Austin  C,  resides  in  Worcester. 

III.  Susan,  b.  .July  6,  1798;  d.  unmd.  Feb.  6,  1876. 

IV.  Melinda,  b.   Feb.    6,    1801  ;    md.   Sept.   5,   1829, 

Reuben  Hodgman  ;  d.  in  Ashby  March  19,  1877. 
V.   Thomas,  d.  at  Concord,  Vt.,  unmd.,  March  9,  1871. 

VI.  Danford,  md.  Mary  Stacy ;  removed  to  Concord, 

Vt. 

VII.  Orin. 

VIII.  Martha,   b.  Feb.   29,    1812;   md.   .Joel  Whipple; 
resided  in  Concord,  Vt. 
IX.  Jacob  W.,  md.  May  18,  1843,  Roxanna  Manning 

of  Ashby.     Resides  in  Ashby. 
X.  John,  d.  unmd. 

XI.   George,  md.  Mary  Blanchard  ;  md.  (2d)   Jan.  20, 
1853,  Maria  Foster ;  resides  in  Townsend. 

Thomas  Bennett  removed  to  this  town  about  1824  and 
remained  a  number  of  years.     He  was  interested  in  the 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER. 


615 


saw-mill  now  of  Leonard  Foster.  He  was  a  son  of 
Thomas  and  Mary  Bennett  and  was  b.  in  Gardner  Jan. 
14,  1798;  md.  Emma  Foster,  dan.  of  Nathaniel  Foster, 
q.  V.  The  eldest  child  was  b.  in  Gardner ;  the  others  in 
this  town.  He  removed  from  this  town  nearly  forty  years 
aojo  and  d.  in  Athol  1884. 


3Iary  Ann,  b.  Oct.  24,  1823. 
Nancy  Maria,  b.  Nov.  28,  1825. 
Albert  Thomas,  b.  Oct.  3,  1827. 
Helen  Augusta,  b.  Sept.  10,  1829. 
Samuel  Foster,  b.  Aug.  25,  1831. 
George  Anson.,  b.  June  30,  1833. 


37 

I. 

38 

II. 

39 

Ill 

40 

IV 

41 

V 

42 

VI 

John  and  Nathan  Bigelow  probably  were  brothers.  They  came  to 
Ashburnham  about  1768  ;  were  married  the  same  day  and  both  removed  from 
this  town  a  short  time  previous  to  1787. 


John  Bigelow  md.  Sept.  11,  1770,  Mary  Melvin.     Six 
children  were  b.  in  this  town. 

I.  John,  b.  Dec.  12,  1771  ;  d.  Dec.  25,  1771. 

II.  Jonathan,  b.  Jan.  25,  1773. 

III.  Silas,  b.  May  7,  1775. 

IV.  John,  b.  July  3,  1777  ;  d.  Auc 
V.  Amos,  b.  Jul}^  5,  1778. 


2,  1777, 


VI.  Isaac,  b.  Oct. 


1780. 


Nathan  Bigelow  md.  Sept.  11,  1770,  Elizabeth  Oak. 

I.  Levi,  b.  July  13,  1771. 

II.  Nathayi,  b.  Jan.  27,  1773. 

III.  Betly,  b.  Sept.  17,  1774. 

IV.  Jonathan  Oak,  b.  July  22,  1776. 


Silas  Bigelow  resided  in  this  town  a  few  years 
preceding  1786,  and  about  that  time  he  removed  to  New 
Ipswich,  N.  H.  He  was  a  son  of  John  and  Grace  (Allen) 
Bigelow  who  resided  in  Weston,  Acton,  Westford  and 
New  Ipswich.  Silas  Bigelow  was  b.  Feb.  12,  1745.  He 
was  md.  and  had  sons:  Silas,  Daniel,  Samuel,  Joel  and 
John,  but  no  reference  to  the  elder  children  appears  in 
the  records  of  this  town.  In  New  Ipswich  he  was  an 
innholder.     Two  children  were  b.  in  this  town. 

I.  Infant,  d.  Aug.  1,  1783. 
II.  Joseph,  bap.  Nov.  13,  1785;  d.  Jan.,  1786. 


Joshua  Billings  bought  a  part  of  Cambridge  farm  of 
Capt.  Thomas  Adams  in  1772  and  removed  to  this  town 


616 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


10 


(2) 


21 


22 


(3) 


23 
24 


the  same  3'ear.     He  md.  Lois  Gibson.     He  d.  May  17, 
1799  ;  she  d.  May  27,  1820. 

I.  Joshua,  b.  Jan.  25,  1773. -|- 

II.  Reuben,  b.  Ma)^  11,  1774.-|- 

III.  Jonathan,  bap.  1776. 

IT.  Lois,  bap.  1777;  d.  Dec.  11,  1777. 
V.  Lois  Cribson,  b.   Feb.  1,  1779;  md.  Joseph  Fair- 
banks Burgess,  q.  v. 
Ti.  Ephraim,  bap.  1782;  d.  Sept.  4,  1782. 
VII.  Dorothy,  b.  July  1,   1783;    md.  Nov.   27,   1806, 

Ephraim  Wyman  Lord  of  Ashby. 
VIII.  Sarah,  b.  April  20,  1786;  md.  Daniel  Mclntire, 
q.  V. 
IX.  James,  b.  Jan.  28,  1792. -(- 


Joshua  Billings,  Jr.,  md.  Feb.  16,  1802,  Molly 
Pollard,  dan.  of  William  Pollard,  q.  v.  She  d.  Dec.  25, 
1823,  and  he  md.  (2d)  1825,  Betsey  Mclntire,  dau.  of 
Daniel  Mclntire.  He  d.  Dec.  17,  1834,  and  she  md.  (2d) 
Daniel  Benjamin,  q.  r. 

I.  Joshua,  h.  Nov.  14,  1802  ;  d.  Sept.  2,  1803. 

II.  William,  b.  June  17,  1804;  d.  March  12,  1822. 

III.  Joshua,  b.  June  29,  1806  ;  d.  May  30,  1817. 

IV.  Varnum,  b.  Feb.  16,  1808  ;  d.  Jan.  16,  1817. 
V.  Merrick,  b.  Nov.  22,  1809  :  d.  Sept.  18,  1810. 

VI.  Joshua,  b.  April  11,  1811  ;   d.  Oct.  21,  1815. 

VII.  Milton,  b.  Nov.  23,  1812  ;  d.  Dec.  19,  1814. 

VIII.  Merrick,  b.  Nov.  23,  1813  ;   d.  Oct.  28,  1840. 

IX.  Mary,  b.   July  26,  1814  ;  md.  May  2,  1839,  Arad 

Proctor  ;  reside  in  Athol. 

X.  Charlotte,  b.  March  12,  1816;   md.  Feb.  13,  1838, 

Abel  A.  Hildreth.     They  reside  in  St.  Augus- 
tine, Fla. 

XI.  John.    b.    March    26,    1821  ;    md.    1858,    Elmira 

Wilker,  dau.  of  Jacob  Wilker.     They  removed 
to  California. 

XII.  Dolly,  b.  April   10,   1822  ;    md.  April  23,   1848, 

Edmund  N.   Marble,   son   of  Stephen  Marble, 
q.  V. 


Reuben  Billings  md.  1800,  Polly  Parmenter  of  Notown, 
and  about  1805  removed  to  Fitchburg.  Two  children  b. 
in  this  town. 

I.   Polly,  b.  May  2H.  1801. 
II.  Reuben,  b.  Dec.  20,  1802. 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  617 

(10)  James  Billings  md.  Nov.  11,  1812,  Relief  Petts,  daii. 
of  John  Petts,  q.  v. ;  resided  near  the  Dea.  Hunt  farm, 
still  known  as  the  Billings  farm,  where  he  d.  Jan.  12, 
1846  ;  she  d.  Feb.  25,  1843. 

I.  John  Hoivard,  b.  Jan.  G,  1813 ;  md.  May  18, 
1843,  EmeUne  Stearns,  dan.  of  Abel  and  Persis 
(Lawrence)  Stearns  of  Ashby.  He  d.  May  5, 
1860. 

1.  George  H.,  b.  June  25,  1844;  resides  in 
Leominster. 

2.  Leafy  Maria,  b.  June  7,  1848  ;  md.  Nov. 
16,  1866,  James  A.  Willard  of  Town- 
send. 

3.  Charles  Austin,  b.  May  7,  1856  ;  md.  Oct. 
24,  1868,  Effle  Packard,  dau.  of  Horace 
C.  Packard,  q.  v. 

Andrew  Birrell,  b.  in  Edinburg,  Scotland,  Feb.  9, 
1812.  After  a  residence  of  several  years  in  Maine  he 
came  to  this  town  in  1863.  He  md.  1836,  Jane  Wood  ; 
md.  (2d)  June  30,  1864.  Harriet  (Flint)  Walker,  dau.  of 
Thomas  and  Betsey  (Keyes)  Flint  and  widow  of  William 
Smith  Walker.  Three  children  of  Andrew  and  Jane 
(Wood)  Birrell  were  b.  in  Scotland. 

I.  Jennie,  b.  June  19,  1841  ;  md.  Nov.  28,  1867, 
Charles  G.  Lawrence,  son  of  Gilman  Lawrence 
of  Ashby.  He  was  a  veteran  of  the  21st 
Regiment  and  had  resided  in  this  town  many 
years. 

II.  Mary  C,  b.  July  25,  1847;  md.  William  Henry 
Willard,  q.  v. 

III.  Lizzie,  b.  July  25,  1848. 


Jacob  Biron,  b.  March  18,  1835,  in  Germany,  md. 
May  20,  1855,  Ann  Elizabeth  Asman,  b.  in  Germany 
Aug.  20,  1831.  They  removed  to  this  town  in  1858. 
By  occupation  he  is  a  wood  carver. 

I.  Katie,  b.  in  New  York  Oct.  26,  1857;   md.  Fred 
Warner;  resides  in  Templeton. 

II.  George  Henry,   b.  March    19,    1858;    md.    Nellie 

Newton  ;  resides  in  Fitchburg. 

III.  Elizabeth,  b.  May  20,  1862. 

IV.  Mary,  b.  Dec.  15,  1864. 
V.  Anna,  b.  Nov.  26,  1866. 

VI.  Henrietta,  b.  Jan.  31,  1871. 


618 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


Joel  Raymond  Bixby,  son  of  Aaron  Bixby,  was  b.  in 
Rindge  Jan.  5,  1803,  where  he  resided  until  1858,  when 
he  removed  to  this  town.  He  md.  Susan  White  and  d. 
Dee.  10,  1875.  Three  of  their  twelve  children  died  in 
infancy. 

I.  Aaron  B.,  b.  Feb.   7,  1830;   resides  in  the  north 

part  of  this  town.     He  md.  Melissa  A.  Wyman  ; 

(2d)  Harriet  E.  W.  Booth  of  Ashby.      Seven 

children. 

II.  Mary  Elizabeth,    b.   Sept.    30,    1831  ;    md.    Oti& 

Pratt. 
III.  jS.  Augusta,  b.  July  8,  1833  ;    md.  1854,  John  A. 

Field  ;  md.  (2d)  Austin  Brooks,  q.  v. 
TV.  Linda,  b.  April  23,  1840;  md.  Alfred  Clark,  g.  v. 
V.   Cynthia  Maria,  b.  July  5,  1842. 
VI.  Julia  Ann,  b.  June  26,  1844. 

VII.   Caroline  A.,  b.  Aug.  26,  1846  ;  md.  George  Hum- 
phrey of  Holden. 
VIII.  Susan  Arabelle,  b.  Aug.   14,   1848  ;  md.  William 
Lindley ;  he  d.  Feb.  26,  1872. 
IX.  Martha   Jane,    b.   April    15,    1852 ;    md.   George 
Walls  of  Shirley. 


Horace  Black  removed  to  this  town  about  1830.  He 
was  engaged  many  years  in  the  manufacture  of  furniture. 
His  mill  was  destroyed  by  the  freshet  iu  1850  and  he  soon 
after  removed  to  Buchanan,  Mich.  He  md.  1833,  Harriet 
Petts,  dau.  of  John  Petts,  q.  v.  Four  children  were  b. 
in  this  town. 

I.  Horace  Sumner,  b.  Oct.  25,  1834. 

n.  Harriet  Maria,  b.  Sept.  7,  1837. 

III.  Sarah  Elizabeth,  b.  May  9,  1841. 

IV.  Belief  Ann,  b.  Oct.  23,  1843. 


Abraham  Blodget,  lineage  not  traced,  lived  in  this 
town  a  few  years  preceding  the  Revolution.  He  md.  Aug. 
6,  1770,  Martha  Bates,  probably  a  dau.  of  John  Bates,  q. 
V.     In  1773  thej'  removed  to  Shelburne. 


Isaac  Blodget  settled  in  Ashburnham  at  an  early  date. 
He  was  taxed  in  1770  and  he  md.  1773,  Persis  Whitcomb, 
dau.  of  William  Whitcomb,  q.  v.  In  1775  he  served  in 
the  siege  of  Boston  eight  months,  in  Capt.  Wilder's  com- 
pany, and  removed  to  AVestminster  soon  after.  His 
descendants  have  resided  in  this  town.  He  d.  in  West- 
minster about  1824.  Persis,  his  wife,  d.  May  18,  1834. 
A  child  d.  Sept.  17,  1778. 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  61» 

Elias  Blodget,  son  of  Isaac  and  Persis  (Whitcomb) 
Blodget,  was  b.  in  Westminster  Nov.  26,  1783.  He  md. 
his  cousin,  Relief  Whitcomb,  dau.  of  Elias  Whitcomb,  q. 
V.  He  resided  in  Peru,  Vt.,  and  in  Ashby  until  1810, 
when  he  removed  to  this  town.  In  1817  he  removed  to 
Westminster,  where  he  d.  June  24,  1825.  She  d.  in  this 
town  May  31,  18-49. 

I.  Elias,  b.  June  27,  1807  ;  md.  Hannah  Patch  ;  md. 
(2d)  Martha  W.  Montjoy.  He  has  resided  in 
this  town  and  at  the  South  Village  since  1870. 
Two  children. 

1.  Farwell,  b.    June  25,  1841 ;    d.  July  12, 

1843. 

2.  Charles,    b.   June    1,    1843;    d.   Nov.   28, 

1862. 

II.  Lucy,  b.  July  31,  1809;  md.  John  W.  Wallace, 
q.  V. 

III.  Fanvell,  b.  April  10,  1812  ;  d.  Nov.  15,  1819. 

IV.  Mary,  b.  Feb.  21,  1814  ;  md.  James  Blodget,  q.^v. 
V.  Isaac,  b.  May  15,  1816  ;  d.  May  19,  1816. 

VI.  Persis  (twin),  b.  May  15,  1816  ;  d.  May  18,  1816. 
VII.  Sarah,  b.   May  5,   1817;    unmd.  ;  resides  in  this 

town. 
VIII.  Harriet,  b.  Aug.  8,  1819;   unmd.;  resides  in  this 
town. 
IX.  Lucinda,  b.  Jan.  2,  1823  ;  d.  Feb.  26,  1823. 


James  Blodget  was  a  grandson  of  Isaac  and  Persis 
(Whitcomb)  Blodget.  He  was  a  son  of  Jonas  and  Polly 
(Blair)  Blodget  who  resided  in  Vermont  and  in  Fitz- 
william,  N.  H.  He  md.  1834,  his  cousin  Mary  Blodget, 
dau.  of  Elias  Blodget,  q.  v.  Five  of  their  seven  children 
died  young. 

I.  Eliza,  b.  March  16,  1836;   md.  Henry  A.  Gibbs, 

q.  V. 
II.  Sarah  Frances,  b.    July   28,   1838;    md.   Lincoln 

Wallace,  q.  v. 
m.  Lucinda,  b.  Sept.  22,  1840;  d.  Aug.  6,  1841. 
IV.  Edward,  b.  March  9,  1843  ;  d.  Oct.  7.  1843. 
V.  Sidney,  b.  Feb.  6,  1846  ;    d.  Dec.  27,  1849. 
VI.  Lucy  A.,  b.  Oct.   27,   1849;.  d.  March  30,   1850. 
VII.   Hattie  Jane,  b.  April  28,  1853  ;   d.  Aug  12,  1863. 


Job  Bond  resided  in  this  town  several  years,  but  I  have 


620 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


•2 
3 


no  information  of  previous  and  subsequent  history.     The 
record  of  deaths  gives  information  of  one  child. 

I.  Joh,  b.  1770;  d.  1780. 


Daniel  Bond,  perhaps  a  son  or  brother  of  Job  Bond, 
resided  in  this  town  from  about  1774  to  1785.  He  served 
in  the  army  in  1779.  He  subsequently  resided  in  Clare- 
mont,  N.  H.      Vide  pages  163  and  190. 


John  Bowman  was  b.  in  Lexington  July  3,  1759,  and 
was  a  son  of  John  and  Susannah  (Coolidge)  Bowman, 
and  a  grandson  of  John  and  Mary  (Stone)  Bowman. 
After  a  residence  of  several  years  in  Andover,  he  removed 
to  this  town  about  1811,  and  resided  here  until  his  death 
Oct.  22,  1847.  While  a  resident  of  Lexington  he  served 
several  enlistments  in  the  Revolution  and  was  a  pensioner 
during  the  waning  years  of  his  life.  His  wife  d.  June  8, 
1841,  aged  76  years.  No  record  of  the  marriage  has  been 
found. 

I.  Jolin^  removed  from  this  town  1811.     He  was  then 

about  23  years  of  age. 
II.  Philips  md.  1815,  Phebe  Merriam,  dau.  of  Joseph 
Merriam,  q.  v.     They  resided  here  several  years 
and  removed  to  Westminster.     Several  children. 

III.  Mary,  md.  1817,  Thomas  Rice,  son  of  Jonah  Rice, 

q.  V. 

IV.  Sally,  md. Hayden. 

V.  Phebe,  b.  1803  ;  d.  Feb.  4,  1816. 


Jeremiah  Bridge  is  found  residing  here  in  1764  and 
disappears  about  1772.  His  previous  and  subsequent 
history  is  unlinown.  While  he  resided  in  this  town  his 
home  was  enlivened  b}'  a  wife  Sarah  and  four  children. 


I.  Sarah,  b.  Oct.  22,  1764. 
n.  Ezra,  b.  Feb.  13,  1767. 

III.  Jeremiah,  b.  Jan.  29,  1769. 

IV.  Abigail,  bap.  Sept.  1,  1771. 


Bradford  Britton  from  Westmoreland,  son  of  Brad- 
ford and  Nancy  Jane  ( Priest)  Britton,  md.  Lovisa  Priest ; 
md.  (2d)  Mrs.  Mary  Hosley  of  Gardner.  He  resided  in 
this  town  a  few  years.  Was  killed  in  the  mill  of  Horace 
W.  Houston  Feb.  25,  1867;    his  widow  resides  in  Millis. 

George  Britton,  a  brother  of  Bradford  Britton,  Jr., 
was  b.  in  Westmoreland  Dec.  16,  18^39  ;  md.  May  19, 
1868,  Augusta   R.  Hosley,  dau.    of   Samuel   and   Polly 


GENEALOGICAL  REGISTER.  621 

(Remington)  llosley  of  Jamaica,  Vt.     He  is  a  farmer  in 
the  south  part  of  the  town.     Two  children. 


Asa  Brocklebank  was  b.  in  Rowley  Aug.  15,  1745  ; 
he  md.  April  10.  1771,  Mary  Howe  of  Andover,  and 
removed  to  Rindgc  in  1772  or  1778.  He  removed  to  this 
town  in  1777  and  returned  to  Riudge  about  1790,  where 
he  d.  Dec.  12,  1826. 

I.  Asa,  b.  Jan.  30,  1772. 

II.  Etmice,  b.  Dec.  31,  1773;  d.  Nov.  24,  1775. 

III.  Samuel,  b.  Nov.  27,  1776. 

IV.  Eunice,  h.  Nov.  9,  1777;  d.  Oct.  18,  1778. 
V.  Mary,  b.  Aug.  7,  1779. 

VI.  Joseph,  b.  Aug.  23,  1792. 
VII.  Nalium,  b.  July  24,  1794. 


Dr.  Peter  Brooks,  lineage  not  known,  was  the  first 
resident  physician  of  Ashburnham.  Vide  Chap.  XX. 
His  descendants  have  been  and  still  are  numerous  in  this 
and  other  towns.  He  md.  Nov.  14,  1769,  Judith  Foster, 
dau.  of  Jeremiah  Foster,  q.  v.  Between  1790  and  1800 
he  left  his  family  and  the  town.  The  date  and  place  of 
his  death  are  unknown.  She  d.  March  9,  1824,  aged  78 
years. 

I.   Calvin,  b.  March  25,  1770  ;  removed  to  the  South. 
II.  Luther,  b.  Feb.  15,  1772. -j- 

III.  John  Stoift,  b.  and  d.  1774. 

IV.  Seivell,  b.  Feb.  4,  1777.-[- 
V.  Peter,  h.  Jan.  11,  1780. 

VI.  Dorcas,  b.  June  24,  1782. 

VII.  Lydia,  b.  Sept.  23,  1784;  d.  unmd.  June  30,  1851. 
vm.  Dickerson,  b.  Oct.  13,  1787.-f- 


(3) 


Luther  Brooks,  son  of  Dr.  Peter  Brooks,  md.  April 
24,  1800,  Lucy  Gates,  dau.  of  John  Gates,  q.  v.  He  was 
a  farmer  and  a  carpenter  in  Ashburnham.  Late  in  life 
he  removed  to  Ohio.  He  d.  Oct.  22,  1854  ;  she  d.  Aug. 
23,  1868.     Eleven  children. 

I.  Luther,  b.  Feb.  16,  1801  ;  md.  1820,  Dolly  Adams, 
dau.  of  James  Adams,  q.  v.;  she  d.  Sept.  11, 
1828.  He  md.  (2d)  1830,  Hannah  (Jacobs) 
Harrington,  widow  of  Daniel  Harrington  of 
Lexington.  About  1830  he  removed  to  East 
Cambridge  and  was  there  engaged  in  the  lumber 
business.     He  d.  July  4,  1839. 

1.  Harriet  Adams,  b.  June  19,  1820. 


622 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


12 

2. 

Martin  Luther,  b.  and  d.  May  4,  1822. 

13 

3. 

Sarah  Jane,  b.  May  18,  1823  ;  md.  Charles 
Gerrish  of  Groton. 

14 

4. 

Elvira  Diana,  b.  Nov.  20,  1824. 

15 

5. 

Luther  Francis. 

16 

6. 

Susanna  Jacobs. 

17 

7. 

Charles  Edwin. 

18 

8. 

Everett  Wellington. 

19 


37 


II.  Calvin^  b.  Sept.  14,   1802  ;   md.  Eliza  Flagg,  and 

removed  after  a  few  years. 

1.  Eliza,  b.  Sept.  11,  1827;  d.  June  5,  1828. 

2.  Calvin  Augustus,  b.  March  18,  1829  ;    d. 

Oct.  11,  1831. 

3.  Eliza  Emeline,  b.  Sept.  13,  1830. 

•  4.  Mary  Abbie,  b.  March  28,  1832  ;   d.  Feb. 
20,  1843. 

5.  Frederick. 

6.  Edward  F. 

7.  Adriana. 

8.  Stetson. 

9.  Artemas. 

III.  Alden,  b.  June  24,  1804  ;  md.  Hannah  Creyton  of 

Portsmouth,  N.  H.  He  was  a  carpenter  and 
d.  in  this  town  May  3,  1847.  To  them  were 
born  six  children  but  no  record  has  been 
secured. 

IV.  Ezra  Gates,  b.  June  7,   1806  ;    d.  unmd.  Dec.  9, 

1833. 
V.   Catherine,  b.  June  17,  1808;  md.  Freeman  Vicory 

of  Springfield,  Ohio. 
VI.  Emeline,  b.  March  30,  1811 ;  md.  Charles  Hunting 
of  Princeton  ;  d.  Sept.  23,  1879. 

VII.  Edward  Stetson,  b.  March  6,  1813  ;  d.  unmd.  Oct. 
7,  1838. 

VIII.  JoJin  Warren,  b.  May  20,  1815.  In  1835  he  re- 
moved to  Cambridge  and  was  soon  engaged  in 
the  lumber  business  in  the  firm  of  Brooks  & 
Cottrell,  and  subsequently  he  assumed  the  sole 
management  of  the  business  in  which  he  was 
successful.  He  md.  Hannah  Dana  whp  survives 
him.     He  d.  April  10,  1886. 

1.  William. 

2.  Maiy. 

IX.  Mary  P.,  b.  July  8,   1817;    md.  Oliver  Hunting; 
d.  April  27,  1860. 


39 


.(5) 


(8) 


47 
48 
49 
50 
51 
52 

53 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  623 

X.  Sarah  M.,  b.  Sept.  19,  1821;    d.  uumd.  April  8, 

1847. 
XI.   Charles  N..  b.  July  5,  1825  ;  md.  Almira  Bartlett ; 
resides  in  Worcester. 


Sewell  Brooks,  son  of  Dr.  Peter  Brooks,  was  a  car- 
penter and  a  farmer  in  this  town.  1  have  found  no  record 
of  his  marriage.  The  name  of  his  wife  was  Sail}'.  He  d. 
May  28,  1822  ;  she  d.  1837. 

Seioell,  b.  Aug.  24,  1799. 

Samuel  b.  Jan.  16,  1801 ;  md.   1830,  Lucy  Hub- 
bard of  Holden. 
Walter,  b.  June  24,  1804. 
William,  b.  Jan.  6,  1807. 
Jonas,  b.  Sept.  9,  1809. 
George,  b.  June  8,  1813. 
Yii.  Nancy,  b.  Aug.  3,  1817. 

DiCKERSOx  Brooks,  son  of  Dr.  Peter  Brooks,  md.  Sept. 
9,  1818,  Hannah  Kemp  of  Groton.  He  was  a  farmer  in 
this  town,  where  he  d.  Jul}^  13,  1855. 

I.  Amos  Dicker  son,  b.  July  21,  1819. 
11.  John,  b.  Oct.  19,  1821. 

III.  Hannah  Elizabeth,  b.  Feb.  '2-2,  1824. 

IV.  Iluldah,  b.  May  21,  1826. 

V.  Sally  Tottingham,  b.  Oct.  18,  1828. 
Yi.  Levi,  b.  Aug.  6,  1831. 


40 

I 

41 

II 

42 

III 

43 

IV 

44 

V 

45 

VI 

46 

VII 

Thaddeus  Brooks,  who  came  to  this  town  about  1782, 
was  a  sou  of  Amos  and  Lydia  Brooks  of  Lincoln,  where 
he  was  b.  April  30,  1758.  He  was  a  grandson  of  Joseph 
and  Rebecca  (Blodgett)  Brooks  of  Concord,  and  subse- 
quently of  Lincoln,  a  great-grandson  of  Dea.  Joshua  and 
Hannah  (Mason)  Brooks  of  Concord,  and  a  great-great- 
graadson  of  Thomas  and  Grace  Brooks,  the  emigrant 
ancestors  of  a  large  family  in  this  State  and  elsewhere. 

Thaddeus  Brooks  md.  in  Ashburnham  Feb.  22,  1785, 
Sarah  Winchester,  the  sixth  child  of  Rev.  Jonathan  Win- 
chester, q.  V.  He  was  a  farmer,  a  respected  citizen  and 
is  frequently  and  honorably  mentioued  in  the  records. 
He  d.  of  cancer  June  17,  1819.     She  d.  Nov.,  1835. 

I.  Elijah,  b.  Oct.  9,  1786.+ 

II.  Samuel,  b.  March  20,  1792. + 

III.  Sarah,  b.  March  2,  1797  ;  md.  Feb.  5,  1835,  Ezra 
Hudson  of  Templeton.  She  d.  Nov.,  1835,  and 
he  md.  (2d)  Caroline  Jones,  dau.  of  Edmund 
Jones,  q.  v. 


624  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


57 
58 

(54) 


(55) 

61 

62 
(58) 


63 


64 

65 
66 
67 
68 
69 
70 


IT.  Joel,  b.  Oct.  21,  1799  ;  d.  unmd.  Dec.  12,  1863. 
V.    William,  b.  Aug.  10,  1803. + 


Elijah  Brooks,  eldest  son  of  Thaddeus  Brooks,  md. 
Jan.  6,  1818,  Rebecca  Sanderson,  dau.  of  Moses  Sander- 
son, q.  V.  He  was  a  farmer  and  a  useful  citizen  in  Ash- 
burnham,  where  he  d.  March  18,  1874,  She  d.  May  24, 
1862. 

I.  JIary  Bebecca,  b.  Oct.   1,   1818;    md.  Hon.  Ohio 

Whitney,  q.  v. 
II.  Sarah   Sophia,    b.    May  30,    1826 ;    md.  Oct.  7, 
1875,  Henry  Vanness,  for  several  years  a  mer- 
chant   in    this    town.      They   reside    at   West 
Medway. 


Samuel  Brooks  md.  April  25,  1822,  Ruth  Rice,  dau. 
of  Jonas  Rice,  q.  v.  He  was  a  farmer  who  commanded 
the  esteem  of  his  associates.  He  d.  April  1,  1872;  she 
d.  July  7,  1853. 

I.  Milton,  b.  Jan.  29,   1826;    md.    June    11,    1857, 
Achsah  C.  Ward,  dau.    of   Alvin  Ward,  q.  v. 
He  resides  a  farmer  in  this  town. 
II.  Lavinia,  b.  July  2,  1827;    d.  unmd.  Jan.  9,  1850. 


William  Brooks  md.  June  13,  1833,  Lucy  Russell, 
dau.  of  Eliakim  and  Sarah  (Converse)  Russell  of  Rindge. 
He  was  a  merchant  and  subsequently  was  engaged  in  the 
manufacture  of  friction  matches.  He  d.  Jan,  8,  1863  ; 
she  md.  (2d)  Rev.  Isaac  Peaslee  of  Sutton,  N.  H.  No 
children. 


Simeon  Brooks  md.  in  this  town  July  20,  1780,  Lucy 
Whitcomb,  dau.  of  William  Whitcomb,  q.  v.  He  resided 
in  the  south  part  of  the  town  and  was  an  early  proprietor 
of  the  mill  now  of  Elijah  Gross  &  Son.  It  is  said  he 
planted  the  stately  elm  now  standing  on  the  premises. 
He  removed  about  1812  to  Westminster. 

I.  Lucy,  b.  Oct.  17,  1781 ;  md.  June  17,  1806,  Jonas 
Holden  of  Westminster. 

II.  Asa,  b.  June  26,  1784. 

III.  Simeon,  b.  July  19,  1786. 

IV.  Lyclia,  b,  Oct,  22,  1788. 
V.  Folly,  b.  April  10,  1795. 

VI.  Stillman,  b.  Oct,  18,  1796, 

VII,  Silas,  b,   Dec.   3,    1798.      His   bap.   is  recorded 
Cyrus.     He  d.  Jan.  16,  1801. 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTEE.  625 

Amos  Brooks,  not  known  to  be  related  to  other  families 
of  same  name  in  Ashburnham,  resided  in  the  northeast 
part  of  this  town  about  twenty  years.  He  was  included 
in  the  addition  to  Ashby  in  1 702.  He  md.  Nov.  24,  1774, 
Prudence  Martin,  dau.  of  John  Martin,  q.  v.  Nine 
children. 

I.  Aonos,  b.  Aug.  17,  1775. 

II.  Hannah,  b.  Jan.  10,  1778. 

III.  Lijdia,  b.  Feb.  18,  1780. 

IV.  Betty,  b.  Feb.  10,  1782. 
V.  Dolly,  b.  Oct.  6,  1784. 

VI.  Prudence,  b.  Sept.  4,  1786. 
VII.  Asa,  b.  Oct.  26,  1788. 
viii.  Lois,  b.  June  8,  1791. 

IX.  Savil,  b.  in  Ashby  April  16,  1795. 


Jonas  Brooks  removed  to  Ashburnham  about  the  close 
of  the  Revolution  and  resided  here  several  years.  His 
wife  d.  1797,  aged  78  years.  His  name  appears  occasion- 
ally in  the  records  and  upon  all  the  tax  lists  that  have 
been  preserved,  until  near  the  close  of  the  century. 
Except  of  one  son  I  have  no  knowledge  of  his  family  nor 
of  his  earlier  and  subsequent  history.  Perhaps  Stephen 
Brooks  who  d.  in  this  town  Nov.  5,  1781,  aged  29  years, 
was  his  son. 

I.  Jonas,  b.  about  1755;  md.  Sept.   12,  1781,  Lucy 
Whitmore,  dau.  of  Joseph  Whitmore,  q.  v. 


Isaac  Brooks,  not  related  so  far  as  known  to  any  of 
the  numerous  families  in  this  town  who  bore  the  same 
name,  lived  near  Mt.  Hunger.  He  md.  1795,  Faith 
Seaver  of  Westminster.  There  was  an  Isaac  Brooks  who 
lived  over  the  line  in  Westminster  and  whose  children 
were  bap.  by  Mr.  Gushing.  Isaac  Brooks,  probably  the 
latter,  d.  Nov.  9,  1827.  Isaac  and  Faith  (Seaver) 
Brooks,  who  lived  near  Mt.  Hunger,  had  three. children 
and  perhaps  others. 

I.  Solomon,  b.  Feb.  27,  1797. 

II.  Belief,  md.  Dec.  13,  1821,  Samuel  Hart. 

III.  Isaac. 


Jonathan  Brooks,  for  many  years,  had  a  mill  at  the 
outlet  of  Rice  pond.  He  resided  in  this  town  from  an 
early  date  until  1817.     His  wife  d.  felo  de  se  Aug.  22, 

40 


626 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBUENHAM. 


89 


90 


1816.     It  is  probable  that  there  were  other  children  but 
I  have  been  unable  to  gain  any  additional  record. 

I.  Lucy,  md.  1808,  William  Whitnev,  q.*v. 
II.  ,  b.  1793  :  d.  Dec.  6,  1801.  "" 


91 


92 


93 


94 


95 


Dea.  Harvey  Brooks  is  not  closely  allied  in  kinship  to 
any  of  the  numerous  families  of  the  same  name  who  have 
resided  in  this  town.  He  was  b.  in  New  Ipswich  May 
30,  1805,  and  is  a  son  of  Stephen  and  Rachel  (Taylor) 
Brooks  of  Rindge  and  New  Ipswich  and  a  grandson  of 
Aaron  and  Mary  (Stone)  Brooks  of  Lincoln.  Dea. 
Brooks  removed  to  this  town  in  1826  and  for  several 
years  he  was  in  the  employ  of  Charles  Davis,  John  C. 
Glazier  and  Jonathan  O.  Bancroft  in  the  manufacture  of 
chairs.  He  is  a  man  of  integrity  and  excellent  character. 
In  1869  he  removed  to  Gardner  where  he  still  resides. 
He  md.  Sept.  21,  1831,  Lois  Burgess,  dau.  of  Joseph  F. 
Burgess,  q.  v. 

I.  Harvey  P.,  b.  June  17,  1833;  md.  Nov.  15, 
1867,  Mary  Mattattal.  He  served  two  years  in 
Co.  B,  Second  Regiment  Heavy  Artillery ;  d. 
March  19,  1870. 

II.  Euclid  L.,  b.  July  16,  1835  ;  md.  Aug.  14,  1861, 

Flavilla  R.  Adams,  b.  May  10,  1841,  dau.  of 
Hosea  and  Rebecca  (Conant)  Adams  of  Gardner. 
Resides  in  Gardner. 

III.  Newton,  b.  Oct.  23,  1840.     Served  on  the  quota 

of  Gardner  in  53d  Regiment.  He  md.  Nov.  16, 
1876,  Frances  A.  Smith,  dau.  of  Henry  Smith 
of  Oshkosh,  Wis.     Resides  in  Gardner. 

IV.  Luella,  b.    Dec.    13,    1849;    md.    May   8,    1879, 

Marcus  Whitney  who  was  b.  in  Gardner  Sept. 
13,  1846.     Reside  in  Gardner. 


Ira  Brooks,  a  son  of  Samuel  and  grandson  of  Isaac 
and  Ruth  (Herrick)  Brooks  of  Westminster,  was  b.  in 
Westminster  Sept.  (5,  1806.  He  began  life  under  the 
name  of  Samuel  which  he  changed  to  Ira.  He  resided  in 
this  town  with  little  interruption  from  1834  until  his 
death.  He  md.  July  15,  1830,  Rebecca  E.  Wilder  of 
Ashby.     He  d.  June  26,  1885. 

I.  Emerson,  b.  Sept.  27,  1831 ;  md.  June  7,  1865, 
Mada  Townsend.     Resides  in  Burke,  Vt. 
II.  Auslin,  b.  March  6,  1833  ;  a  chair  maker;  resides 
in  this  town.     He  md.  Sept.  6,  1860,  Mary  Jane 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  627 

Willard,  dau.  of  Merrick  Willard.  She  d. 
Sept.  1,  1876,  leaving  six  cliildren ;  he  md. 
(2d)  May  15,  1878,  8.  Augusta  (Bixby)  Fields, 
dau.  of  Joel  R.  Bixby,  q.  v. 

III.  Salura,    b.    Oct.    28,    1837;    md.    Danforth    N. 

Baker,  q.  v. 

IV.  Pascal,  b.  Nov.  2,  1839.     Enlisted  Nov.  1,  1861, 

in  32d  Regiment ;  d.  at  Sharpsburg.     Md.  Oct. 

1,  1862. 
V.  Irving,    b.    June    1,    1842.     Enlisted    1864    and 

served  in  an  unattached  company  ;  md.   1874, 

Emily  McGee  ;  resides  in  Tro}',  N.  H. 
VI.  Infant,  b.  and  d.  1844. 


Wait  Broughton  md.  in  Whately  Nov.  1,  1771, 
Submit  Wait,  dau.  of  John  and  Mary  (Hastings)  Wait, 
and  in  1774  he  removed  to  Ashfield.  His  wife  d.  about 
1779  and  he  md.  (2d)  April  19,  1781,  Esther  Belding, 
b.  April  18,  1761,  dau.  of  Samuel  and  Mary  Belding  of 
Ashfield.  The  famil}^  with  the  children  Charity,  Samuel, 
Thaddeus  and  Aaron  removed  to  Ashby  in  1786.  They 
were  residing  in  Ashby  in  1787,  but  soon  after  that  date 
they  removed  to  this  town.  He  was  a  farmer  and  was 
taxed  for  a  generous  amount  of  land.  He  removed  about 
1815  to  Brandon,  Vt.,  where  he  d.  April  20,  1842,  aged 
92  years. 

I.   Charity,  bap.  in  Whately  June  14, 1772  ;  md.  Nov. 

20,  1794,  John  Conant,  son  of  Ebenezer  Couant, 
Jr.,  q.  V. 

II.  Samuel,  bap.  in  Ashfield  May  15,  1774  ;  md.  Dec. 

21,  1797,  Rachel  Hobart,  dau.  of  Shebuel 
Hobart,  q.  v.,  and  removed  to  Brandon,  Vt. 
Subsequently  he  resided  in  Malone,  N.  Y. 

III.  Thaddeus,  bap.  in  Ashfield  Aug.  25,  1776. 

IV.  Cynthia-,  bap.  in  Ashfield  Nov.  22,  1778  ;  probably 

d.  young. 

V.  Aa7'on  W.,  b.  previous  to  1786;   a  son  of  second 

wife ;  was  a  lawyer  in  Vermont  and  later  in 
Michigan. 

VI.  William,  b.  in  Ashby  July  12,  1787;  md.  in  this 

town  Feb.  11,  1810,  Ruth  Winter,  dau.  of  John 
Winter,  q.  v.  He  resided  in  the  noi'th  part  of 
the  town.  He  d.  May  24,  1831.  His  widow 
md.  Oct.  2,  1831,  Jeremiah  Robbins,  q.  v. 
Six  children  of  William  and  Ruth  Broughton 
were  b.  in  this  town,  of  whom  two  d.  young. 

1.  Phebe,    b.    Sept.     10,     1810;    md.    John 


628 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


Lawrence,  son  of  Reuben  Lawrence,  q.  v. 

2.  Esther  B.,  b.  April  23,  1813  ;  d.  1817. 

3.  Chauncy  W.,  b.  1817  ;  a  farmer  in  Illinois. 

4.  Mary,  b.  1824  ,  cl.  1840. 


11 


Unity  Bkown,  the  name  is  sometimes  written  Unite, 
resided  in  this  town  a  few  years  previous  to  the  date  of 
incorporation.  He  was  one  of  the  original  members  of 
the  church  1760,  and  in  that  record  his  name  is  written 
Unight  Brown  and  has  been  erroneously  copied  Wright 
Brown.  This  man,  bearing  numerous  names  upon  the 
records,  then  of  Dorchester  Canada,  md.  in  Lunenburg 
Aug.  16,  1759,  Rebecca  Arnold  of  Shrewsbury.  He 
probably  removed  from  this  town  previous  to  1765  and 
of  his  subsequent  history  nothing  has  appeared. 


Daniel  Brown  resided  several  years  in  the  northeast 
part  of  the  town.  In  1792,  by  the  change  in  town  lines, 
he  became  a  resident  of  Ashby.  Mary,  his  wife,  d.  Aug. 
27,  1796,  and  he  md.  (2d)  1797,  Lydia  Webb.  He  d.  in 
Ashby  June  29,  1822  ;  she  d.  Feb.  20,  1825. 

I.  Ephraim,  b.  in  Ashburnham  April  25,  1786. 

II.  Joseph,  b.  in  Ashburnham  Sept.  8,  1788. 

III.  Polly ^  b.  in  Ashburnham  Sept.  16,  1792. 

IV.  Daniel,  b.  in  Ashby  Jan.  3,  1795. 
V.  Lydia,  b.  in  Ashby  Aug.  3,  1799. 


John  Brown  and  wife,  Sarah,  were  in  this  town  several 
years  following  the  Revolution.  The  family  disappears 
about  1790. 

I.  Sarah,  b.  Dec.  9,  1784. 
II.  Joel,  b.  May  13,  1787. 


John  Brown  md.  1823,  Dorothy  Maynard,  dau.  of 
Stephen  Maynard,  q.  v.  He  d.  1828.  She  md.  (2d) 
Ohio  Whitney,  q.  v. 

I.  John  Philander,  b.  July  7,  1826  ;  d.  in  this  town 

unmd.  Oct.  14,  1851. 
II.   Charles  Hudson,    b.    Oct.    2,    1828;    md.    Mary 
Bowker  ;  resides  in  Ashby. 


Ebenezer  Burgess  from  Harvard  settled  in  the  south 
part  of  this  town  in  1771.  In  1775  he  was  a  sergeant  in 
Capt.  Gates'  company  of  minute-men.  He  md.  Anna 
Fairbanks,  dau.  of  Joseph  Fairbanks  of  Harvard  and  a 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  629 

half  sister  of  Cyrus  Fairbanks  of  this  town.     He  d.  Jan. 
1,  1829;  she  d.  Sept.  11,  1830. 

I.  Levi^  b.  in  Harvard  ;  d.  at  two  years  of  age. 

II.  Ebenezer,  h.  1771  ;  resided  in  this  town,  and  was  an 

invalid  for  man}' years  ;  d.  unmd.  Feb.  16,  1811. 

III.  Hannah,  b.  March  30,  1773  ;  md.  Silas  Smith  of 

Westminster.     She  d.  1867,  aged  94  years. 

IV.  Joseph  FairbanJcs,  b.  April  11,  1775.-J- 
V.  Jabez,  bap.  1777;  d.  Aug.  25,  1778. 

VI.  Molly,  bap.  1779  ;  d.  Mav  19,  1780. 

VII.  Folly,  b.  March,  1781  ;  m'd.  Dec.  25,  1798,  Charles 

Smith  of  Westminster. 

VIII.  Anna,  b.  May  27,  1783;  md.  Flint  Mclntire  of 

Fitchburg  ;  d.  1877,  aged  94  years. 
IX.  Betty,  bap.  1786;  d.  Dec.  12,  1794. 
X.  Asenath,  b.  Nov.  11,  1788;  d.  Nov.  16,  1806. 
XI.  Merer/,  b.  April  9,  1791  ;  md.  Jonas  Bemis,  q.  v.; 

md.  (2d)  William  Whitney,  q.  v. 


(14) 


Joseph  Fairbanks  Burgess  md.  Oct.  31,  1797,  Lois 
Gibson  Billings,  dan.  of  Joshua  Billings,  q.  v.  He  d. 
Aug.  24,  1844.  She  d.  Aug.  17,  1863.  He  was  a 
farmer  in  the  south  part  of  the  town. 

I.  Josejyh  F.,  b.  April  21,   1799;  md.   1818,  Maria 
Sawyer.     He  d    Mav  4,  1861. 

II.  Joshua  B.,  b.  Aug.  22",  1800.+ 

III.  Mary.  b.  1803  ;  d.  Sept.  1,  1805.  ' 

IV.  Cornelius,  b.  May  19,   1806;  md.  1833,  Dorothy 

Lord  of  Ashby,  and  removed  to  Vermont. 

V.  Jonathan,   b.   April    15,    1808;    md.    1832,    Lois 

Handy,  dau.  of  George  and  Ruth  (Estes)  Handy 
of  Richmond,  N.  H.  ;  he  md.  (2d)  1842,  Emily 
A.  Howe,  dau.  of  Perley  Howe  of  Gardner; 
md.  (3d)  Mrs.  Sarah  Howard.  They  reside  in 
Fitchburg. 

VI.  Lois,  b.  April  27,  1810  ;  md.  Dea.  Harvey  Brooks, 

q.  V. 

VII.  Ivers.  b.  Sept.  14,  1813.+ 

VIII.  Mary,  b.  Jan.  25, 1817  ;  md.  Matthew  E.  Goodwin, 
q.  V. 
IX.  Nancy,  b.  Jan.  18,  1823  ;  d.  Dec.  28,  1838. 


Joshua  B.  Burgess  md.  1818,  Fanny  Barrell  of 
Westminster,  where  he  resided  a  few  years  and  then 
returned  to  Ashburnham  and  was  engaged  in  manufacture 
of  chairs  in  the  South  Village  for  many  years.     His  wife 


630 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


22 

23 

24 

25 
26 

27 
(19) 


d.  March  10,  1856,  and  he  md.  (2d)  Nov.  17,  1860,  Mrs. 
Anna  M.  (Thompson)  Child.  He  d.  Feb.  22,  1885. 
Two  eldest  children  b.  in  Westminster ;  the  others  in 
Ashburnham. 

I.  Joshua,  b.  May  10,  1819  ;  md.  1838,  Sarah  Lord 
of  Ashby  ;  md.  (2d)  1842,  Susan  E.  Piper  of 
Springfield  ;  resides  in  Minnesota. 

II.  Caroline,  b.  Feb.  4,   1821  ;  md.  June  29,   1836, 

Jonathan  H.  Piper,  q.  v. 

III.  Luther,  b.  Oct.  21,   1825;  md.  Elvira  Goodfellow 

of  Fitchburg ;  he  is  a  chair  maker  and  resides 
in  Keene,  N.  H. 

IV.  Fanny,  b.  March  11,  1829  ;  md.  Abraham  Bennett 

of  Ashby  ;  resides  in  Fitchburg. 

V.  Elizabeth,  b.  March  15,  1834  ;  md.  1855,  Henry  H. 

Martindale.  He  was  in  the  service  in  21st 
Regiment.  He  d.  Feb.  23,  1868 ;  she  resides 
in  Fitchburg. 

VI.  Adaline,  b.  Oct.  13,   1836;  md.  March  11,  1865, 

John  Chute  ;  he  was  a  farmer  and  a  cai'penter 
in  this  town ;  he  d.  March  10,  1876.  She 
resides  in  Fitchburg. 


IvERS  Burgess,  a  farmer  in  this  town,  md.  Dec.  25,  1834, 
Mary  Gates,  dau.  of  William  Gates,  q.  v.;  md.  (2d) 
Louisa  Field.     He  d.  July  9,  1868  ;  she  d.  Feb.  22,  1866. 

I.  ^Arminda,  b.  June  17,  1835  ;  d.  June  17,  1835. 
II.  Jeanette,  b.  July  20,   1836  ;  md.  Aug.   25,   1862, 
Frank  Chenery  of  Clinton.     He  was  killed  at 


June 


1864.     She 


Feb.  27,  1864, 
veteran  of  21st 
ce.     They 


battle   of    Cold    Harbor 

resides  in  Clinton. 
ChloeE.,h.  June  18,   1838;  md. 

Lorenzo  H.  Gilbert.     He  was  a 

Regiment,  was  wounded  in  the 

reside  at  Central  Village. 
Lois  Melissa,  b.  Jan.  8,  1810  ;  md.  Feb.  19,  1864, 

George  F.  Puffer,  q.  v. 
Ellen  B.,   b.   March  3,    1842;    md.   Harrison  C. 

Cheney  ;  he  served  three  years  in  21st  Regiment. 

They  reside  in  Union  City,  Penn. 
Loring,  b.  Nov.  30,  1844  ;  resides  in  Brattleboro', 

Vt.  ;  md.  Jennie  Whitney ;    md.    (2d)    Louisa 

Field. 
Jo7m  3/orm,  b.  Feb.  25,   1847;   d.  unmd.  March 

29,  1881. 
Marielta.  b.  Sept.   13,   1849  ;  md.  Jan.  3,   1884^ 

Edward  G.  Green  of  Clinton. 


GENEALOGICAL  KEGISTER.  631 

Edward  Buknap,  son  of  Stillman  and  Molodia  (Creed) 
BnrmD  of  Fitchburg,  b.  June  3,  1828  ;  md.  Sept.  10, 
mr  Nancy  MDaby,  b.  Ang.  9,  1830,  dau.  of  Amos 
and  Ponr'C  Daby  of  Fitchburg.  He  is  a  farmer ; 
resides  on  the  North  Turnpike. 

I.  Mary  J.,  b.  June  8,  1852  ;  d    Sept   30,  1867. 
H.  Sahra  .1.,  b.  Aug.  6,  1855  ;d.  Oct.  4,  1867 
m.  Sarah   A.,   b.    Aug.    6,    l^^o ;    md.    Geoige   J. 
Maxwell,    son   of    Francis    Maxwell    of    New 
Ipswich.     They  reside  in  Rmdge. 
IV.  Edimrd  T.,  b.  Nov.  3,  1864. 

V.  TFaZter  i?.,  b.  May  14,  1866. 

VI.  Arthur  H.,  b.  April  14,  1871  ;  d.  1883. 


Pyam  Bukr,  b.  in  Ashby  Sept.  13,  1799,  md.  Dolly 
GiW  cLa"  of  Samuel  Gib'son,  and  resided  many  years 
\u  this  town.  He  was  a  tanner.  His  wife  d.  June  ^u, 
1857  He  d.  Aug.  24,  1868.  The  monument  in  the  old 
cemetery  was  erected  in  pursuance  of  the  conditions  of 
his  S  and  the  town  of  Ashburnham  is  a  trustee  o  a 
sim  of  money  to  provide  for  the  care  of  the  burial  lot. 
Their  only  child  d.  in  infancy. 

Nathaniel  R.  Butler,  son  of  Jonathan  Butler,  Jr., 
.as  b.  in  Marlow,  N.  H  April  11,  1808.  He  -d^^ay 
2,  1833,  Sarah  Tenney,  b.  Nov.  30,  1807.  ihey  removea 
to  this  town  1860. 

I.    Mary.  b.    Feb.    2,    1837;    md.   Jan     11,    1857, 

Frederick  Wright  of  Phillipston,  where  she  d. 

May  6,  1875.  ,     ,         ,.^ 

„.  Emma  L.,  b.  June  18,  1839  ;  d.  unmd.  Aug.  20, 

1 8S1 
m.  Susie  6.,  b.  Oct.  11,  1843  ;  d.  DeC;^2,  If  2. 
TV  La  Bov  b.  Nov.  17,  1846  ;  md.  Dec  27,  1848, 
EllfM  Ward,  dau.  of  Isaac  D.  Ward,  q.v. 
He  was  a  manufacturer  of  wood  ware  in  this 
town  until  1883,  when  he  removed  to  Gardner. 
Five  children.  . ,  ,     .^ 

V.  Addie  J/.,  b.  July  22,   1849;    resides   unmd.    m 
this  town. 


Charles  Bxittrick,  b.  in  Chelmsford  March  15,  1801. 
removed  to  this  town,  where  he  md.  March  23,  182b, 
LiZda  S.Whitcomb,  dau.  f  Elias  Whitcomb  |.J^ ; 
she  d.  March  12,  1855  ;  he  md.  (2d)  Oct.  5,  1858,  Sarah 


632 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


L.  Corey,  widow  of  Levi  Corey,  q.  v. 
1879.     Two  cliildren  by  first  marriage. 


He.   d.   Nov. 


I.  Aaron  G.,  b.  Aug.  .30,   1827;  md,  Feb.  7,  1854, 

Mary  Jane  Dowe.     Resides  in  Worcester. 

II.  3Iary  Ann  Eliza,  b.  May  21,  1829  ;  md.  Nov.  21, 

1849,  Otis  M.  Samson,  sou  of  Oliver  Samson, 
q.  V.  ;  md.  (2d)  Nov.  14,  1854,  Wm.  V. 
Thompson,  son  of  Joliu  Thompson.  He  was  b. 
in  Hartland,  Vt.,  May  12,  1822.  Tliey  reside 
in  Asliburnham. 


CALDWELL. 

John  Caldwell,  b.  in  England  1624,  is  found  a  resident  in  Ipswich  in 
1654,  and  about  tliat  date  he  md.  Sarah  Dillingliam,  dau.  of  John  Dillingham 
who  emigrated  to  New  England  1630.  He  d.  in  Ipswich  1692;  she  d.  Jan. 
26,  1721-2.  Their  eldest  son  John  md.  May  1,  1GS9,  Sarah  Foster,  dau.  of 
Dea.  Jacob  and  Martha  (Kinsman)  Foster  and  granddau.  of  Reginald 
Foster,  the  emigrant.  He  d.  in  Ipswich  Feb.  7,  1721-2;  she  d.  July  il,  of 
the  same  year.  Dea.  Jacob  Caldwell,  third  of  the  seven  children  of  John 
and  Sarah  (Foster)  Caldwell,  was  b.  in  Ipswich  Feb.  26,  1694-5;  he  md. 
1718,  Rebecca  Lull.  He  d.  July  17,  1744;  she  md.  (2d)  1748,  Samuel 
Goodhue  and  removed  to  Stratham,  N.  H.  Jacob  Caldwell,  eldest  son  of 
Dea.  Jacob  Caldwell,  b.  Nov.  29,  1719,  removed  to  Watertown,  where  he 
md.  Sept.  28,  1742,  Anna  Hastings,  dau.  of  John  and  Mary  Hastings.  He 
lived  a  few  years  in  Cambridge  and  subsequently  in  Woburn  where  he  md. 
his  second  wife.  Jacob  Caldwell,  a  son  of  Jacob  and  Anna  (Hastings) 
Caldwell,  was  b.  in  Watertown  Nov.  4,  1748.  In  1777  he  settled  in 
Lunenburg,  where  he  md.  June  5,  1777,  Patience  Sanderson,  b.  J745,  dau.  of 
Abraham  and  Patience  (Smith)  Sanderson  of  Lunenburg.  He  was  collector 
in  Lunenburg  1784  and  constable  1796.  He  d.  Sept.  8,  1823.  She  d.  Sept. 
4,  1822. 


John  Caldwell,  tlie  tliird  of  the  five  children  of  Jacob 
and  Patience  (Sanderson)  Caldwell,  was  b.  in  Lunenburg 
June  9,  1782.  He  removed  to  this  town  and  settled  on 
the  farm  now  of  Alden  B.  Marble.  He  was  a  farmer  and 
for  man}'  years  a  tanner.  He  md.  Mary  Green,  dau.  of 
Oliver  Green,  q.  v.  She  d.  Sept.  4,  1843,  and  he  md. 
(2d)  Aug.  9,  1844,  Lucretla  (Wilkins)  Chamberlain, 
widow  of  Joseph  Chamberlain  of  New  Ipswich.  He  d. 
Oct  21,  1871  ;  she  d.  Aug.  18,  1877. 

I.  John,  b.  Dec.  20,  1802;  md.  Sept.  26,  1826, 
Abigail  G.  Fuller,  dau.  of  John  and  Eunice 
(Wetherbee)  Fidler.  She  d.  July  16,  1835; 
he  md.  (2d)  April  7,  1838,  Abigail  G.  Garland. 
He  was  a  tanner  in  Fitchburg,  where  he  d.  Jan. 
10,  1859.     Six  children. 

II.  Oliver  Grepn,  b.  Jan.  7,  1805. -|- 

III.  Lucy,  b.  Sept.   15,   1806  ;  md.  John  Adams,  3d, 

q.  V. 


8 

9 
10 

11 

12 
13 

(3) 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  633 

IV.  3fary,  b.  June  5,  1808  ;  md.  Samuel  Woods,  q.  v. 
V.  Elizabeth,  b.  March  15,  1810;  md.  Elbridge  Stim- 

son,  q.  V. 
VI.  Sarah  (twin),  b.  March  15,  1810;  md.  Aug.  2, 

1840,    Sylvester    Wheeler    of    Dublin,   N.    H. 

They  resided  in  Ashburuham,  where  he  d.  Sept. 

23,  1849  ;  she  d.  Feb.  23,  1871. 

1.  Sarah  Elizabeth,  b.  Oct.  9, 1844  ;  d.  unmd. 

April  27,  1883. 

2.  Ellen  M.,  b.  1846  ;  d.  July  23,  1861. 

VII.  Z)oro%^.,b.  April  30,  1812;  md.  Joseph  Miller  ; 

md.  (2d)  John  Lawrence  of  Concord.  She  d. 
in  Leominster  1883. 

VIII.  Harriet  P.,  b.  April  4,  1817;  md.  Oct.  4,  1837, 

George  R.  Mansfield  of  Ashby.  They  removed 
to  Rutland,  Vt. 

IX.  Frances,\i.  Jan  1,1820  ;  md.  Israel  A.  Packard,  g.r. 

X.  Nancy,  b.  Jan.  10,  1822;  d.,  unmd.,  in  Ashburu- 
ham July  10,  1848. 


14 


15 


Oliver  G.  Caldwell  resided  in  this  town  until  1855, 
when  he  removed  to  Leominster.  He  was  a  prominent 
citizen  and  for  several  years  he  was  engaged  in  the 
manufacture  of  tubs  and  pails.  He  md.  Oct.  28,  1828, 
Mary  W.  Ellis,  dau.  of  Jesse  Ellis,  q.  v.  She  d.  Sept.  5, 
1833.  He  md.  (2d)  March  13,  1835,  Martha  Lincoln 
who  d.  1878.     He  d.  in  Leominster  Aug.  28,  1885. 

I.  Martha  Elizabeth,  b.  April  3,  1837;  rad.  Jan.  7, 
1863,  John  W.  H.  Lawrence,  b.  in  Concord 
Sept.  14,  1837,  son  of  John  Lawrence.  They 
reside  in  Leominster.  Three  children. 
II.  Abbie  Lincoln,  b.  Aug.  14,  1844  ;  residi-s  in  Leo- 
minster. 


James  Cashman,  son  of  Timothy  and  Joanna  (Malouy) 
Cashman,  was  b.  in  Cork  Co.,  Ireland,  1816.  He  md.  in 
Concord,  N.  H.,  Oct.  27,  1848,  Catherine  Corcoran  and 
came  to  Ashburnham  1850.     Eleven  children. 

I.   Timothy,  b.  Aug.  29, 1849  ;  resides  in  Connecticut. 

II.  Anna,  b.  Dec.  7,  1850  ;   unmd. 

III.  John,  b.  March  18,    1852  ;   md.  Margaret  Ryan  ; 

resides  in  Brockton. 

IV.  Ellen,    b.    June   5,    1853 ;     md.    John    Kirby   of 

Fitchburg. 

V.  Mary,  b.  July  4,  1855  ;  unmd. 

VI.  James,  b.  Oct.  30,  1856  ;  unmd. 


634 


HISTORY  OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


VII.   Thomas^  b.  Dec.  9,  1857 ;  md.  Katie  Moore, 
vm.  JEchvard,  b.  Feb.  2,  1859;  unmrl. 

IX.  Dcmiel,  b.  June  22,  1860  ;  uumd. 

X.    William,  d.  young. 

XI.  Julia,  b.  Oct.  18,  1863  ;  uniud. 


Timothy  Chaffin  with  wife  Sarah  removed  to  this  town 
from  Harvard  in  April,  1775.  This  name  is  sometimes 
written  Chaplin  but  the  name  probabh^  was  Chaffin.  The 
father  and  one  son  were  soldiers  in  the  Revolution  and 
removed  from  town  soon  after  the  war.  They  were  here 
in  1784  but  disappear  soon  after. 

David. 

Levi. 

Lucy,    md.    Feb.  26,  1784,  Roswell    Stevens   of 

Claremont,  N.  H. 
Molhj,  b.  1769  ;  d.  May  25,  1776. 
Miriam,  b.  Feb.  23,  1771. 
Timothy,  b.  April  22,  1773. 
John,  b.  Aug.  19,  1775. 
VIII.  Sarah,  b.  Nov.  18,  1778. 


2 

I. 

3 

II. 

4 

III. 

5 

IV. 

6 

V. 

7 

VI. 

8 

VII. 

John  Chamberlain  resided  in  this  town  a  few  years 
and  in  1779  he  removed  to  Asliby.  He  was  in  the  war  in 
1778  in  Capt.  Edgell's  Co.,  and  his  name  appears  a  few 
times  in  the  records  of  the  town  with  unimportant  mention. 
The  name  of  his  wife  was  Abigail.  The  records  of  Ashby 
preserve  the  names  of  four  children. 


2 

I.  Rufiis. 

3 

II.  Mary. 

4 

HI.  Nahhy. 

5 

IV.  John,  b.  Oct.  8,  1779 

Augustus  A.  Chamberlain,  son  of  David  and  Abigail 
(Chad wick)  Chamberlain  of  Jaffrey,  N.  H.,  was  b.  in 
Jaffrey  Aug.  11,  1813.  He  md.  Nov.  19,  1839,  Sarah  A. 
Towne,  dau.  of  Green  and  Luc^'  (Rand)  Towneof  Rindge. 
They  resided  in  Rindge  and  subsequently  in  Jaffrey  and 
removed  to  this  town  in  1866.  He  served  in  6th  N.  H. 
Volunteers  from  Nov.  28,  1861,  to  June  18,  1862. 

I.  Sarah  A.,  b,  July  28,  1840;  md.  Nov.  19,  1862, 

Frank  B.  Sawtelle.     He  was  in  the  service  one 

year  in    20th    Regiment   and   one   j-ear   in    2d 

Heavy  Artillery.     He  d.  Nov.  24,  1883. 

II.  Ermina  L.,  b.  March    18,  1842;   md.  Nov.  19, 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  635 

1862,  Milo  0.  Evans.  He  enlisted  on  quota  of 
Deerfield  June  10,  1864,  in  2d  Heavy  Artillery 
and  d.  at  Smithville,  N.  C,  Aug.  30,  1865. 
Mrs.  Evans  was  postmaster  of  Astiburnham 
from  1876  to  1886. 


Dea.  Tristram  Cheney  from  Sudbury  settled  on  the 
farm  now  of  Henry  Tuckerman  about  1758.  In  1763  he 
was  admitted  to  the  church  on  letter  of  recommendation 
from  the  "  West  church  in  Sudbury."  He  was  a  prom- 
inent citizen  and  it  appears  in  Chap.  IV,  that  while  he 
remained  in  this  town  no  one  was  more  actively  engaged 
in  public  affairs.  In  1769  he  was  elected  a  deacon  of  the 
church  in  Ashburnham  and  was  dismissed  from  the  office 
at  his  request  1773.  Between  these  dates  he  removed  to 
Antrim,  N.  H.  He  was  elected  surveyor  of  clapboards 
1769,  but  after  that  date  his  familiar  name  fades  from  the 
records  of  Ashburnham.  For  many  years  he  resided,  in 
Antrim  and  was  connected  with  the  church  in  Hillsborough 
and  perhaps  resided  some  years  in  the  latter  town.  In 
1804  he  removed  to  Vermont  and  d.  in  Danville  1816, 
aged  96  years.  Dea.  Cheney  md.  in  Sudbury  Nov.  28, 
1745,  Margaret  Joyner.  Their  eldest  children  were  b. 
probably  in  Sudbury,  The  birth  of  two  is  recorded  in 
this  town.  In  the  following  record  it  is  not  presumed 
that  the  order  of  age  is  preserved. 

I.    Tristram,  was  in  Antrim  a  few  years. 

II.  John,  removed  to  Ohio. 
III.    William,  resided  and  d.  in  Acworth,  N.  H. 

IV.  Mary,  was  in  Ashburnham  1776. 

V.  Elizabeth,  md.  Timothy  Wood,  q.  v. 

VI.  Susannah,  b.  in  Ashburnham  Nov.  2,  1759. 
VII.  Elias,  b.  in  Ashburnham  March  8,  1760;  resided 
in   Antrim,   N.    H.,  until    1804.     Three   years 
in   the   Revolutionary   army.     D.    in    Concord, 

Vt.,  1816.     He  md. Blanchard ;  md.  (2d) 

Deborah  Winchester,  dau.  of  Samuel  Winches- 
ter. Seven  childi-en  by  first  and  six  by  second 
marriage.  His  son  Jesse,  b.  Oct.  3,  1788,  md. 
Nov.  25,  1813,  Alice  Steele;  lived  in  Hills- 
borough, Francestown  and  Manchester,  N.  H,, 
where  he  d.  June  23,  1863.  Benjamin  P., 
James  S.  and  Oilman  Cheney  of  Cheney's 
United  States  and  Canada  Express  are  sons  of 
Jesse  and  great-grandsons  of  Dea.  Tristram 
Cheney. 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

Francis  Chiller,  a  native  of  Canada,  was  b.  Dec.  12, 
1846  ;  removed  to  this  town  1865.  He  md.  Nov.  6,  1866, 
Sarah  Graveslin,  dau.  of  Francis  Graveslin  of  Montpelier, 
Vt.  He  is  foreman  in  the  Tub  Factory  of  Geo.  G. 
Rockwood. 

I.  FranTi  E.,  b.  Ans.  16,  1867. 


2 
3 
4 

5 

<2) 


Thomas  M.  Choate,  son  of  Rufus  and  Betsey  (May- 
nard)  Choate,  was  b.  in  Windsor,  Me.,  March  6,  1818. 
He  removed  to  this  town  1852  and  has  followed  the 
occupation  of  a  painter  in  the  chair  shops.  He  md.  Oct. 
20,  1845,  Julia  Ann  DeC.  Paine,  b.  March  17,  1824,  dau. 
of  Pascal  and  Ruth  (Bowen)  Paine.  Pascal  Paine  d.  in 
this  town  June  24,  1866,  and  Ruth  (Bowen)  Paine,  May 
11,  1878. 

I.  Emily  Frances,  b.  Feb.  8,  1849  ;  d.  Dec.  21,  1869. 

II.  Clara  Ann,  b.  Jan.  25,  1854  ;  d.  May  21,  1868. 

III.  Julia  Tliomas,  b.  June  7,  1858  ;  resides  unmd.  in 

this  town. 

IV.  Nellie  Josephine,  b.  March  3,  1862  ;  resides  unmd. 

in  this  town. 

V.  Benjamin  Franklin,  b.  Oct.  2,   1863  ;  d.   Sept.   8, 

1868. 


David  Clark  in  1765  was  a  resident  of  Ashburnham. 
Possibly  he  settled  here  previous  to  that  date.  It  is  a 
current  tradition  that  he  came  from  Concord  and  that  his 
children  were  b.  there,  but  no  mention  of  their  birth 
appears  in  the  Concord  records.  Mr.  Clark  and  three  of 
his  sons  served  in  the  Revolution.  Vide  Chap.  V.  He 
d.  of  cancer  Oct.  29,  1800.  Mr.  Cushing  appends  to  the 
record  "  aged  between  70  and  80  years."  It  is  not 
certain  that  all  the  children  are  included  in  this  register. 

I.  David,  b.  Oct.  19,  1758.+ 

II.  Daniel,  b.  1760.-|- 

III.  Benjamin,  b.  1762.     Removed   1787  to  Reading, 

Vt. 
IV.  Molly.     She  was  a  mute;  d.  May  18,  1824. 


David  Clark  rad.  July  17,  1791,  Sarah  Davis,  dau. 
of  Capt.  Deliverance  Davis,  q.  v.  He  resided  in  this 
town  until  his  death  July  5,  1841.  He  is  well  remembered 
and  was  a  prominent  character  among  the  Revolutionary 
heroes.     His  wife  d.  Oct.  10,  1823. 


8 
9 

10 

11 

12 

13 
14 

(3) 


15 

16 
17 

18 

19 
20 
21 

(6) 


22 


23 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  637 

I.  Levi,  b.  Feb.  15,  1792. + 

II.  Lucy  (twin),  b.  Feb.  15,  1792;  md.  February  11, 

1818,  Merari  Spalding.     Removed  to  Cimcord, 
Me.,  where  he  was  drowned  July  13,  1834. 

III.  Deliverance,  b.  Dec.  31,  1793  ;  d.'july  31,  1857. 

IV.  Dorothy,  b.  Oct.  28,  1795  ;  md.  Jeremiah  Metcalf, 

q.  V. 

V.  Grata,  b.  Aug.   16,   1797;  md.  Ichabod  Mason; 

md.  (2d)  Burnell ;  resides  in  Maine. 

VI.  Lydia,  b.  Sept.  8,  1799  ;  md.  Lewis  L.  Willard, 

q.  V. 
VII.  Sarah  Davis,  b.  Jan.  17,  1804  ;  md.  Nov.  16,  1828, 

Amos  Haynes  of  Sudbury, 
vm.  Lifmit,  b.  and  d.  July  30,  1806. 
IX.   George  Washington,  b.  Oct.  21,  1810  ;  d.  June  11, 

1823. 


Daniel  Clark  md.  Oct.  4,  1785,  Molly  Ames  of 
Rindge.  He  was  not  burdened  with  the  goods  of  this 
world  and  resided  at  different  times  in  several  parts  of 
the  town.  He  d.  Oct.  7, 1800.  His  widow  md.  Timothy 
Angler,  q.  v.  Tradition  and  the  records  furnish  informa- 
tion of  seven  children. 

I.  David,  b.  Sept.  3,  1786  ;  md.  1819,  Polly  Bridge; 
removed  to  Northfield. 

II.  Anna,  b.  June  12,  1788  ;  d.  unmd. 

III.  Thomas  Ames,  b.  July  30,  1790. 

IV.  Asenath,  b.  Dec.   10,   1792;    md.   Darling; 

md.  (2d)  1827,  Paul  Davis  of  Ashby. 

V.  Molly,  b.    July  27,    1795 ;    md.    Sept.   10,   1816, 

Amos  Sprague  of  Ashby. 

VI.  Zilpah,  md.  Robbins  and  resided  in  North- 

field. 
VII.   Charlotte,  md.  April  17,  1834,  Henry  P.  Hawks. 


Levi  Clark  was  a  farmer  in  this  town.  He  md. 
Abigail  Pratt,  dau.  of  Job  and  Mercy  (Williams)  Pratt 
of  Fitzwilliam,  N.  H.  ;  she  d.  Oct.  8,  1859.  He  d.  Jan, 
19,  1862. 

I.  George  P.,  b.  Nov.  30,  1814.  In  childhood  he 
was  called  Job  Clark  ;  the  name  was  changed 
in  1834.  He  md.  Sarah  Adams,  dau.  of  Daniel 
and  Dinah  (Metcalf)  Adams  of  Gardner.  He 
d.  Dec.  9,  1843  ;    she  md.  John  Cook,  Jr.,  q.  v. 

1.  Harvey,  b.  1840.     Served  three  years  in 
25th  Regiment ;  md.  Adaline  P.  Hinds, 


638 


HISTORY    OF    ASHBURNHAM. 


dau.  of  Frauds  Hinds,  q.  v.     Resides 
in  Gardner. 

24  II.  Emeline  TF.,  b.  June  16,  1816;  md.  Humphrey 
Harris,  q.  v. 

25  III.  Lidhera,  b.  June  26,  1818  ;  d.  March  8,  1838. 

26  IV.  Charles,  b.  May  29,  1820;  md.  Sept.  6,  1840, 
Martha  Ann  Taylor,  dau.  of  Ephraim  Taylor, 
q.  V.     He  d.  Jan.  30,  1879. 

27  1.  Martha  A.,  b.  July  27,  1842;  d.  May  4, 
1858. 

28  2.  Cliarles  N.,  b.  Feb.  27,  1846;  d.  Jan.  11, 
1852. 

29  3.  George,  b.  March  26,  1850;  md.  Sept.  7, 
1874,  Ada  L.  Ramsdell,  dau.  of  George 
Ramsdellof  New  Ipswich.  She  d.  Dec, 
1883. 

30  4.  Harvey,  b.  Oct.  28,  1853;  md.  Oct.  29, 
1879,  Nellie  I.  Knox.  Resides  in  West- 
field. 

31  V.  Luther,  b.  March  31,  1822;  md.  March  31,  1841, 
Mary  C.  Corey,  dau.  of  Stillman  Corey,  q.  v. 
She  d.  Nov.  23,  1870  ;  md.  (2d)  Jan.  27,  1885, 
Charlena  (Buzzell)  Tilton,  dau.  of  Reuben  A. 
and  Eliza  (Cook)  Buzzell,  and  widow  of  Solo- 
mon C.  Tilton  of  Rindge. 

32  1.  Alfred  F.,  b.  Feb.  4,  1842  ;  md.  July  27, 
1862,  Linda  R.  Bixby,  dau.  of  Joel  R. 
Bisby,  q.  v.     They  reside  in  this  town. 

33  2.  Sarah  Maria,  b.  Feb.  15,  1844  ;  md.  Mar- 
tin V.  B.  Davis,  son  of  Amos  Davis  ;  d. 
Aug.  19,  1870. 

34  3.  Mary  Elizabeth,  b.  June  7,  1846 ;  d, 
unmd.  Nov.  6,  1872. 

35  4.  Lucy,  b.  Feb.  8,  1849  ;  md.  Sept.  1,  1868, 
Theo.  L.  Goodnow  of  Ashby. 

36  5.  Eliza  Ellen,  b.  June  10,  1852  ;  md.  Jan. 
5,  1872,  Martin  V.  B.  Davis. 

37  6.  Georgiana,  b.  July  28,  1854  ;  md.  Sept. 
18,  1876,  Henry  C.  Newell.  Wholesale 
dealer  in  meat. 

38  7.  John  L.,  b.  April  7,  1856;  md.  Jan.  25, 
1882,  Abbie  Jane  Forristall,  dau.  of  John 
M.  and  Mary  J.  (Wright)  Forristall  of 
Winchendon. 

8.  Jennie  L.,  b.  Oct.  15,  1858;    md.  Oct.  5, 
1882,  Hollis  Mossmau  of  this  town. 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  639 

VI.  Sarah  D.,  h.  June  27,  1824;  md.  Oct.  11,  1849, 
Handell  Winship,  son  of  Cyrus  Winship  of 
"Vyestniiiister  ;   she  d.  Jau.  10,  1875. 

VII.  Josejih  Elliot,  b.  July  26,  1826;  md.  April  15, 
1847,  Louisa  A.  Hinds,  dau.  of  Francis  Hinds, 
q.  V. 

VIII.  Dorothy  3Ietcalf,h.  Sept.  18,  1828;  md.  Nahum 
Wood,  q.  V. 


Joseph  Clark  and  wife  Eunice  resided  in  this  town  a 
short  time,  about  1780.  It  is  not  known  that  he  was  re- 
lated to  the  above  named  family.  The  records  assert  the 
birth  of  one  child  in  this  town. 

I.  John,  b.  Nov.  18,  1779. 


Samuel  Clark  and  wife  Eunice  resided  in  this  town 
several  years  early  in  the  present  century.  His  early  and 
subsequent  history  is  unknown. 


I.  Susannah  M.,  b.  July  6,  1807. 
n.  Aaron  B.,  b.  Dec.  1,  1809. 
III.  Joseph,  b.  Aug.  20,  1811. 


Ephraim  Cobleigii  removed  to  this  town  during  the 
last  decade  of  the  past  century.  From  1787  to  1797  no 
tax  lists  are  preserved.  He  is  taxed  here  in  1798  and 
subsequently.  He  was  by  occupation  a  shoemaker.  He 
d.  Jan.  9,  1825.  His  widow  Ruth  md.  Nov.  24,  1831, 
Benjamin  Fuller,  then  of  Fitchburg  ;  he  removed  to  this 
town,  where  he  d.  Feb.  8,  1838  ;  she  md.  (3d)  1839,  Joel 
Foster,  q.  v.  By  these  marriages  there  was  no  issue. 
Catherine  Fuller,  a  dau.  of  William  Fuller  by  a  former 
marriage,  d.  in  this  town  Jan.  17,  1868,  aged  66  years. 


James  Coleman,  sometimes  written  Colman,  and  wife 
Rachel,  removed  from  Ipswich  to  the  northeast  part  of 
the  town  in  1743.  About  the  same  time  Dea.  Moses 
Foster  settled  near  him.  To  them  falls  the  distinction  of 
being  the  first  permanent  settlers  in  Dorchester  Canada. 
During  the  troublous  times  from  1745  to  1749  it  is  known 
that  Mr.  Foster,  retiring  within  the  line  of  the  block- 
houses, resided  in  Lunenburg.  It  is  not  probable  that  Mr. 
Coleman  remained  all  the  time  during  this  period  of  inse- 
curity in  Dorchester  Canada.  However,  he  is  found  here 
continuously  after  1750.  For  several  years  the  nearest 
church  was  in  Lunenburg,  and  in  1743  Mr.  Coleman  and 


640 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


10 


his  wife  brought  letters  from  the  church  in  Ipswich  and 
united  with  it.  In  1760,  when  the  church  was  organized 
in  Dorchester  Canada,  they  transferred  their  church  rela- 
tions. From  the  record  of  this  proceeding  it  has  been 
erroneously  inferred  that  Mr.  Coleman  at  that  time  re- 
moved from  Lunenburg  to  this  place.  The  records  of 
every  year  afford  ample  evidence  that  except  during  the 
years  1745  to  1749,  of  which  little  is  known,  Mr.  Coleman 
resided  continuously  in  this  town.  He  was  appointed  on 
committees  by  the  proprietors  and  was  held  in  high  esteem 
by  his  associates.  In  1765,  at  the  first  town  meeting  in 
Ashburnham,  he  was  chosen  one  of  the  selectmen  and  a 
surveyor  of  the  highways.  When  Ashby  was  incorporated 
his  house  and  his  lands  were  included  in  that  town,  where 
his  descendants  have  been  numerous.  He  d.  Aug.  15, 
1773. 

I.  Machel,  md.  Daniel  Harper,  q.  v. 
II.  Elizabeth. 

III.  Job,  md.  Feb.  20,  1766,  Elizabeth  Martin,  dau.  of 

John  Martin,  q.  v.  ;  he  resided  in  this  town  sev- 
eral years  after  his  father  and  younger  brothers 
became  residents  of  Ashby.  He  was  here  in 
1770  and  in  1775  he  was  residing  in  Shelburne. 

1.  Samuel,  bap.  in  Ashburnham,  1769. 

IV.  Mary.,  bap.  in  Lunenburg  July  8,  1744. 

v.  Aaron,  bap.  in  Lunenburg  Aug.  24,  1746  ;  md. 
Feb.,  1772,  Eleanor  Boynton  of  Lunenburg. 
After  re.-iding  in  Ashby  a  few  years  he  lived  a 
short  time  in  this  town. 

1.  Nellie,  b.  Dec.  3,  1772. 

VI.  Benjamin,  bap.  in  Lunenburg  Aug.  3,  1749  ;  md. 
Dec.  25,  1770,  Susannah  Martin,  dau.  of  John 
Martin,  q.  v.  He  was  a  prominent  citizen  of 
Ashby.     Town  Clerk  1794-8. 

VII.  Solomon,  b.  June  20,  1752.     After  a  residence  in 
.  Asbby  and   in   Sharon,  N.  H.,  he  removed  to 
this  town   in    1776.      He  md.   1776,  Hepsibah 
Davis  of  Ashby. 

1.  Lucy,  b.  July  28,  1777. 

2.  Isaac,  b.  Feb.  8,  1779. 

3.  Lavina,  b.  Sept.  4,  1780. 

4.  Hepsibah,  b.  June  12,  1782. 

5.  Sally,  b.  March  31,  1784. 

6.  Lydia,  b.  Dec.  30,  1785. 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER. 


641 


17 

18 

7.  Annii,  b. 

8.  James,  1 

Oct. 
.  Feb 

5, 

1787. 
1791. 

19 
20 

viri. 

IX. 

Ruth,  b.  Oct.  23 
Abigail,  b.  Sept. 
of  Ashby. 

,  1754 
20,  17 

58 

;  md.  17 

74 

Jacob  Lewi& 

Ebenezer  Conant,  the  first  of  the  name  in  Ashburnham,  was  of  the  fourth 
generation  in  America.  He  was  a  son  of  Roofer  and  Mary  (Raymond)  Conant, 
a  grandson  of  Lot  and  Elizabeth  (Walton)  Conant  and  a  great-grandson  of 
Roger  and  Sarah  Conant,  the  emigrant  ancestors.  Roger  Conant,  father  of 
Ebenezer,  removed  from  Beverly  to  Concord  about  1720  and  was  living 
in  1745. 


Ebenezer  Conant  was  b.  in  Beverly  Dec.  30,  1698, 
and  removed  to  Concord  with  his  father  where  he  resided 
until  1762,  when  he  removed  to  Ashburnham.  He  was  a 
man  of  character  and  influence  and  his  name  receives 
frequent  and  honorable  mention  in  the  annals  of  his  time. 
He  md.  Ruth  Pierce.  He  d.  Oct.  24,  1784;  she  d.  Nov. 
19,  1797,  '^  aged  over  80  years." 

I.  Mary,  b.  Feb.  17,  1734. 

II.  Lydia,  b.  Aug.  12,  1737. 

III.  Hannah,  b.  Feb.  12,  1740;  md.  Josiah   Dodge  of 

Ashburnham,  q.  v. 

IV.  Ebenezer,  b.  Aug.  11,  1743.-(- 
V.  Eunice,  b.  Dec.  4,  1745. 

VI.  Abigail,  b.  Oct.  27,   1749;  md.  Sellingham. 

Vide  Selham  resister. 

VII.  Ruth,   b.   Aug.    11,    1752;    md.    Sept.    8,    1774, 

Moses  Ware  of  Fitzwilliam,  N.  H. 

VIII.  Elizabeth,  b.  April  8,  1755;  md.  Moses  Totting- 

ham,  q.  v. 

Ebenezer  Conant,  Jr.,  was  a  prominent  citizen  of  this 
town.  He  was  a  lieutenant  in  Capt.  Davis'  company 
1775,  and  also  served  nine  months  in  the  Continental 
army  in  1779.  He  resided  and  built  a  mill  at  the  outlet 
of  Rice  pond  and  his  name  is  frequently  mentioned  in 
the  early  chapters  of  the  History  of  Ashburnham.  He 
md.  Nov.  29,  1766,  Lydia  Oak  of  Harvard.  He  d.  Aug. 
3,  1783,  and  his  widow  with  six  surviving  children 
continued  a  residence  in  this  town  until  the  sons  had 
grown  up  and  had  settled  in  Brandon,  Vt.,  where  one  of 
the  daughters,  the  wife  of  Capt.  David  Merriam,  was 
residing.  Many  of  the  descendants  of  Ebenezer  Conant 
have  been  distinguished  in  literary  and  business  pursuits. 
The  following  children  were  b.  in  Ashburnham. 
41 


642 


HISTORY   OF    ASHBURNHAM. 


10 
11 

12 
13 

14 

15 
16 

(12) 


I.  Lydia,  b.  Nov.  21,  1768  ;  d.  1776. 

II.  Sarah,  h.  Oct.  17,  1770;  md.  Jonathan  Merriam, 

q.  V. 

III.  JoJin,  b.  Feb.  2,  177.3.-|- 

IV.  Elizabeth,  b.  March  15,  1775  ;  md.  Capt.  David 

Merriam,  q.  v. 

V.  Ebenezer,  b.  June  6, 1777.     Removed  to  Brandon, 

Vt.,  1816,  and  to  Geneva,  111.,  about  1833.  He 
md.  Rebecca  Stuart ;  (2d)  Fanny  Clifford  ;  (3d) 
Polly  Olive  Wright.  Seven  children ;  among 
them  Rev.  Augustus  Hammond  Conant,  a 
Unitarian  clergyman  of  Geneva  and  Rockford, 
111. 

VI.  Calvin,  b.   May  30,  1779  ;  md.  Esther   Rich   of 

Pittsford,  Vt.     Removed  to  Putnam,  Ohio.     Six 
children. 
VII.  Luther,  b.  June  24,  1782  ;  md.  Regina  Bemis  and 
removed   to ~  Geneva,    111.,   where  he  d.    1835. 
Five  children. 


John  Conant,  son  of  Ebenezer,  Jr.,  and  Lydia  (Oak) 
Conant,  md.  in  Ashburnbam  Nov.  20,  1794,  Charity 
Broughton,  dau.  of  Wait  Broughton,  q.  v.  He  resided  in 
this  town  until  1798,  when  he  removed  to  Brandon,  Vt., 
where  he  was  active  and  prosperous  in  business.  He  was 
a  presidential  elector  1844  and  occupied  many  positions 
of  trust. 

I.   Cynthia,  b.  in  Ashburnham   June   2,  1795;  md. 
Dr.  J.  F.  Merriam  of  Brandon. 

II.  Samuel  Stillman,   b.   in   Ashburnham  March  26, 

1797;  md.  1817,  Elizabeth  Mills.  Resided  in 
Brooklyn,  N.  Y.     Six  children. 

III.  Chauncey  Washington,  b.  Jan.  11,  1799  ;  md.  1821, 

Rachel  Fuller;  resided  in  Brandon.  Three 
children. 

IV.  Thomas  Jefferson,  b.  Dec.  13,  1802  ;  md.  July  12, 

1830,  Hannah  Chaplin ;  resides  in  Brooklyn, 
N.  Y.  A  noted  Hebrew  scholar,  he  was  engaged 
in  the  revision  of  the  Old  Testament  and  has 
been  an  esteemed  contributor  to  Apple  tons' 
Encyclopedia.  His  son,  Samuel  Stillman  Conant, 
recently  deceased,  has  been  managing  editor  of 
the  New  York  Times  and  for  many  3'ears 
business  editor  of  Harpers'  Weekly;  another 
son,  Thomas  Oakes  Conant,  is  in  the  U.  S. 
Assay  Office  in  New  York  and  has  published 
a  collection  of  poems. 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER. 


643 


21 


22 


23 


24 


25 


29 


30 
31 


V.  Sophronia,  b.  May  14,   1.S05  ;  md.  Samuel  Heard 

of  Chicago,  111. 
VI.   Caroline  C.,  b.  March  8,  1807;  md.  James  Long 

of  Chicago. 
VII.  Clara,  b.  May  21,  1809  ;  md.  Rev.  Dr.  Pharcellus 
Church,  an  eminent  divine,  now  of  Tarrytown, 
N.  y.  ;  their  son,  William  C.  Church,  is  editor 
of  the  Army  and  Navy  Joiirnal.,  New  York. 
VIII.  Frances  Maria,  b.  May  29,  1812  ;  md.  Rev.  B. 
Brierly  of  San  Francisco,  Cal. 


Jonathan  Conant  and  wife  Eunice  resided  in  this 
town  a  few  years  between  17G0  and  1770,  and  possibl}'- 
for  a  longer  period.  He  was  probably  a  sou  of  Israel  and 
Martha  (Lamson)  Conant,  and  if  so  he  was  b.  in  Concord 
Feb.  3, 1733,  and  was  a  nephew  of  Ebenezer  Conant,  Sen. 
Three  children  were  b.  in  this  town. 

I.    William,  b.  Aug.  17,  17G5. 

II.  Jonathan,  b.  Jan.  14,  1767. 

III.  Israel,  b.  Oct.  30,  1768. 


Ltman  Conant  resided  in  the  Central  Village  several 
years,  beginning  about  1828,  and  was  engaged  in  the 
manufacture  of  chairs.  He  was  a  son  of  Josiah  and 
Annis  (Derby)  Conant  and  was  b.  in  Gardner  Aug.  12, 
1805.  He  md.  Emma  Wells.  Two  children  were  b.  in 
this  town. 


I.   Charlotte  Caroline,  b.  Sept.  3, 
II.  3fary  Elizabeth,  b.  July  3,  18c 


.    _.,      .,  1831 
July  3,  1833. 


CONN. 

Among  the  sturdy  and  frugal  emigrants,  who  came  to  America  from  the 
province  of  Ulster  in  the  north  of  Ireland,  about  1720,  was  George  Conn. 
These  emigrants  were  Presbyterians,  ami  in  their  general  character  M-ere 
distinguished  for  industry,  thrift  and  intelligence.  They  are  called  Scotch- 
Irish  from  the  fact  tliat  they  were  descendants  of  Scots  who  liad  resided 
some  time  in  Ireland.  The  circumstances  of  the  emigration  from  Scotland 
to  Ireland  and  from  Ireland  to  America,  their  maintenance  of  their  religion, 
their  progress  in  education  and  the  industrial  arts,  their  thrift  under  govern- 
mental restraint  and  their  sturdy,  unbending  characteristics  under  persecu- 
tion present  a  most  interesting  study.  The  impress  of  their  character  in 
every  community  in  which  they  have  resided  lias  been  conspicuous.  Most 
frequently  they  settled  in  colonies.  George  Conn  separated  from  his  kin- 
dred and  settled  in  Harvard,  and  there  reared  a  large  family  and  his  descend- 
ants have  carried  the  name  to  many  towns  in  New  England.  John  Conn  of 
Ashburnham  was  his  son.  The  descendants  of  George  Conn,  another  son 
of  the  emigrant,  have  resided  and  are  now  living  in  several  towns  in  Now 
Hampshire  and  Massachusetts. 


644 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


15 


16 


John  Conn,  the  first  of  the  name  in  Ashburnham,  son 
of  George  Conn  the  emigrant,  was  b.  in  Harvard  1740. 
He  came  to  this  town  probably  in  1761.  He  was  a  prom- 
inent citizen  and  his  name  is  frequent!}^  mentioned  in  the 
list  of  town  officers.  He  was  a  lieutenant  in  one  of  the 
companies  of  minute-men  and  attended  the  company  to 
Cambridge  in  April,  1775.  He  md.  Feb.  24,  1762,  Ruth 
Davis  of  Harvard,  and  d.  in  this  town  June  3,  1803,  aged 
63  years. 

I.  Elizabeth,  b.  Feb.  14,  1763. 

II.  3Ta)-y,  b.  June  14,  1764;  md.  Phinehas  Hemen- 
way,  q.  V. 

III.  Lyclia,  b.  Dec.  26,  1765  ;  d.  April  12,  1786. 

IV.  JoJm,  b.  Aug.  6,  1768.-f 

V.  George,  b.  July  19,  1770.  He  removed  to  New 
York  and  resided  near  Lake  Champlain.  No 
information  of  his  family  has  been  secured, 
except  that  he  md.  1792,  Dilly  Brown. 
VI.  Susannah,  b.  June  16,  1772  ;  md.  David  Wallis, 
q.  V. 

VII.  Euth,  b.  Aug.  12,  1774;  md.  July  3,  1797,  Oliver 
Blood  of  Groton  and  subsequently  of  Harvard. 

VIII.  Lucy  (twin),  b.  Aug.  12,  1774;  md.  April  25, 
1796,  Eleazer  Spalding,  son  of  Eleazer  Spalding 
of  Chelmsford  and  Townsend.  They  resided  in 
Ashby,  where  she  d.  Aug.  16,  1825.  He  d. 
June  22,  1837. 

1.  Luther,   b.    July    27,    1797;     md.    Susan 

Gregory,  b.  Aug.  9, 1801,  dau.  of  Josiah 
Gregory  ;  resided  in  Ashby. 

2.  Alfred,  b.  March   15,  1799;    md.  Betsey 

Lawi-ence.     They  resided  in  Ashby. 

3.  Lucy,  b.  July  30,   1801  ;    md.    Jonathan 

Whitney,  resided  in  Sterling. 

4.  Syrene,  b.  Oct.  29,  1804. 

5.  Eleazer,  b.  Nov.  4,  1816  ;    md.  Sophronia 

Smith,  dau.  of  Silas  and  Anna  (Watson) 
Smith  of  Rindge  ;  resides  in  New  Ips- 
wich. 

IX.  Marqaret,  b.  1778;  bap.  Sept.  13;  md.  Nov.  28, 
1799,  Abel  Hunt,  son  of  Abel  Hunt  of  Tem- 
pleton.  They  resided  in  Ashburnham  and  in 
Templeton.  The  partial  record  of  one  child  has 
been  secured. 

1.  Ezra,  b.   1809;    d.  in    Sterling  Dec.  31, 
1853. 


GENEALOGICAL   llEGISTER. 


G45 


John  Conn  md.  Maiy  Farwell,  probably  a  dau.  of 
Samuel  and  J^lizal)eth  (Shed)  Farwell  of  Pepperell.  He 
was  a  substantial  farmer  in  this  town.  He  d.  May  2, 
1803,  aged  35  years.     She  d.  Oct,  1,  1830,  aged  60  years. 

I.  Infant,  b.  and  d.  1790. 
II.  John,  b.  Jan.  30,  1794.-|- 
III.  Lydia,  md.  Charles  Munroe,  q.  v. 


John  Conn  was  a  prominent  citizen  of  Ashburnham. 
He  was  a  farmer  and  a  manufacturer  of  chairs.  His  upright 
character  and  excellent  qualities  are  attested  by  many 
now  living.  He  md.  Sept.  26,  1816,  Eunice  Rice,  dau. 
of  Reuben  Rice,  q.  v.  She  d.  June  26,  1828  ;  he  md. 
(2d)  Sept.  19,  1829,  Matilda  Rice,  a  sister  of  his  first 
wife.     He  d.  April  1,  1864.     She  d.  April  7,  1881. 

I.  John  Austin,  b,  April  10,  1817;  md.  Sept.  18, 
1843,  Nancy  Maria  Petts,  dau.  of  John  Petts, 
q.  v.  He  resided  in  this  town  and  later  in 
Fitchburg,  where  he  d.  May  22,  1885. 

1.  Eunice  Maria,  b.  Sept.  6,  1844;  md.  Wil- 

bur N.  Priest. 

2.  Edwin  Austin,  b.  Nov.  6,  1846  ;    d.  Sept. 

4,  1848. 

3.  Abbie  Eliza,  b.  Nov.  25,  1848. 

4.  Frances   Adeline,  b.   Sept.    11,   1850;    d. 

March  5,  1851. 

5.  Charles  Reuben,  b.  May  26,  1852. 

11.  Reuben  Rice,  b.  Nov.  10,  1825  ;  md.  Oct.  13, 
1852,  Harriet  E.  Harding,  dau.  of  Rev.  Charles 
R.  and  Nancy  (Barrows)  Harding.  He  is  a 
silversmith  and  jeweller  in  Fitchburg. 

1.  Edward,  b.  July  20,   1853;    d.   Sept.    10, 

1854. 

2.  Lucy  Maria,  b.  Julv  20,  1855  ;   md.  Nov. 

24,  1881,  J.  H.  Potter. 

3.  Herbert  W.,  b.  Jan.  10,  1859  ;    md.  1885, 

Julia  Joel.  He  is  Professor  of  Biology 
in  AVesleyan  University,  Middletown, 
Conn. 

4.  LillieB.,  b.  April  6,  1869. 

III.  Edwin,  h.  May,  1828;  d.  June  25,  1832. 


CONSTANTINE. 

The  first  family  of  this  name  residing  in  Ashbiirnhim  consisted  of  a  widow 
and  her  son  Jacob.     The  husband  and  father  d.  previous  to  their  removal 


646 


HISTOKY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


to  this  town.  The  date  of  their  arrival  is  uncertain  and  there  is  no  evidence 
that  they  came  with  the  first  German  families  in  1758,  but  not  many  years 
later  they  were  residing  on  the  Kibling  farm.  There  being  no  male  member 
of  the  family  of  an  age  to  participate  in  town  affairs  the  name  does  not 
appear  upon  the  records  until  the  son  Jacob  arrived  to  the  dignity  of  man- 
hood. In  1785  John  Kiblinger  and  Jacob  Constantine  exchanged  farms, 
each  farm  containing  one  hundred  and  thirty  acres.  The  widow  Constantine 
d.  in  this  town  April  25,  1782,  aged  about  70  years.  There  are  many  tradi- 
tions concerning  the  history  of  the  father  of  Jacob  Constantine,  but  each  one 
contradicts  another  and  they  agree  on  only  the  one  point  that  he  d.  before 
the  family  removed  to  this  town.  All  the  Constantines  of  Ashburnham  are 
descendants  of  Jacob  the  son,  whose  family  record  appears  in  the  following 
register. 


(3) 


Jacob  Constantine,  b.  1752,  md.  July  6,  1773,  Eliza- 
beth Whiteman,  dan.  of  Christian  William  Whiteman,  q. 
V.  He  was  an  enterprising  citizen,  was  a  soldier  in  the 
Revolutionary  War  and  subsequently  became  the  owner  of 
considerable  land  in  this  town.  March  4,  1814,  he  was 
thrown  from  his  sleigh  in  Ashby  and  d.  March  8  from 
injuries  received.  His  wife  was  with  him  at  the  time  of 
the  accident  but  escaped  without  serious  injury. 

I.  Anna,  b.  April  9, 1774  ;  md.  Thomas  Foot  of  New 

Haven,  Vt. 
II.  Jacob,  b.  April  27,  1776. -|- 

III.  Elizabeth,  b.  July  19,  1778  ;  md.  Almon  Bennett, 

q.  V. 

IV.  Caty,  b.  Nov.  27,  1780;  d  Oct.  23,  1800. 

V.    WilUam,  b.  Feb.  16,  1782;  md.  Eliza  Holmes  of 
Virginia.     He  d.  1847,  in  Wallingford,  Vt.    No 
children. 
VI.  Sally,  b.  Aug.  1,  1785;  d.  young. 
VII.  Joel,  b.  Feb.  23,  1788.+ 
VIII.  John,  b.  1791  ;  d.  Feb.  1,  1800. 
IX.  Amy,  b.  1793  ;  d.  Feb.  5,  1800. 
X.   Oliver,  b.  Nov.    20,  1795  ;    md.   Olive  Keyes  of 
Wallingford,  Vt.     He  d.   1829    by  accident  in 
Cuttingsville,  Vt. 


Jacob  Constantine,  Jr.,  md.  1797,  Eunice  Sawin,  dau. 
of  Jonathan  and  Mary  (Whitney)  Sawin  of  Westminster. 
He  resided  in  this  town  a  few  years,  and  then  removed  to 
Wallingford,  Vt.  Subsequently  he  returned  to  this  town, 
where  lie  remained  several  years.  Late  in  life  he  removed 
to  Mount  Holley,  Vt.,  where  he  d.  Jan.  12,  1847  ;  she  d. 
Aug.  29,  1849.      They  had  nine  children. 

I.  Jacob. 
II.  John,  md.  Sophia  Britton.  of  Westmoreland,    N. 


22 
23 

(8) 

24 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  647 

H.     He  resided  in  Malone,  N.  Y.,  where  he  d. 
1884. 

III.  James,  md.  Martha  Britton  of  Westmoreland,  N. 

H.     He  resided  in  Malone  and  subsequently  in 
Westville  Centre,  N.  Y.,  where  he  d.  1882.  "" 

IV.  Chloe,  md.  Everett  Gates,  q.  v. 

V.  Laura,  md.  Asa  Bennett,  q.  v.  ;    md.    (2d)   John 

Adams,  q.  v. 
VI.  Sally,  md.   Henry   Allen,   son    of   Benjamin    and 
Asenath  (Coleman)  Allen  of  Ashby.       Resides 
in  East  Wallingford,  Vt.     He  d.  Feb.  11,  1885. 

VII.  Jacob  S.,  md.  Sept.  1,  1833,  Nancy  Derby  of 
Westminster.     He  resides  in  Cuttingsville,  Vt. 

viir.  Lucinda,  b.  July  3,  1812 ;  md.  Dec.  10,  1838, 
Washington  Fuller,  son  of  Joseph  and  Annie 
(Knight)  Fuller  of  Westmoreland,  N.  H.  They 
resided  in  Westmoreland,  Keene,  N.  H.,  and 
Springfield,  Mass.,  where  she  d.  Jan.  27,  1879. 
They  had  three  children. 

1.  George  Washington,  b.  Sept.  11,  1839. 

2.  Levi  Knight,  b.  Feb.  24,  1841 ;    md.  May 

8,  1865,  Abbie  E.  Estey,  dau.  of  Jacob 
Estey  of  Brattleboro,  Vt.  Col.  Fuller 
for  many  years  has  been  an  active  mem- 
ber of  the  firm  of  J.  Estey  &  Co.,  organ 
manufacturers  and  is  vice-president  of 
the  corporation.  He  is  an  influential 
factor  in  the  political  and  public  affairs 
of  the  State  of  Vermont.  Since  this 
register  was  written  he  has  been  elected 
Lieutenant-Governor  of  Vermont. 

3.  Mary  Ann,  b.  Sept.    18,   1845;    d.   unmd. 

Oct.  15,  1880. 

IX.  Mary,  d.  young. 


Joel  Constantine  md.  Jan.  27,  1811,  Asenath  Grimes, 
b.  April  11,  1782,  dau.  of  Joseph  and  Huldah  (Wheelock) 
Grimes  of  Hubbardston.  He  removed  in  1815  to  Walling- 
ford, Vt.  He  was  a  farmer  and  at  Wallingford  he  had  a 
saw-mill  which  he  conducted  in  connection  with  his  farm. 
He  d.  Jan.  13,  1857  ;  she  d.  Oct.  7,  1861. 

I.  Alfred  Alexander,  h.  May  5,  1812.  He  is  a 
clergyman  residing  at  Summit,  N.  J.,  and  has 
been  in  Africa  under  the  auspices  of  the  Bap- 
tist Missions.  He  md.  July  2,  1840,  Mary 
Fales  ;  she  d.  June  29,  1874. 


648 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


5 
6 

7 
8 

9 

10 

11 
12 

13 
14 

(6) 


5,  1814;  d.  Sept.  3,  1815. 

25,   1816  ;    d.   unmd.   Aug.    10, 


II.  Eliza  C,  b.  Feb 

III.  George,  b.   Sept. 

1852. 

IV.  Austin,  b.  May  U,  1827  ;  md.  Urania  Ann  Thomp- 

son ;  she  d.  April  21,  1860  ;  md.  (2d)  Rosanna 
Cook  who  d.  Jan.  22,  1865.  He  removed  from 
Vermont  to  Vinelaud,  N.  J.,  where  he  md.  (3d) 
Jan.  2,  1872,  Mary  J.  Sturges. 


John  Cook  md.  Anna  Beal  and  resided  in  Winchendou 
near  the  border  of  this  town.     So  many  of  his   children 
became  allied  by  marriage  to  Ashburnham  families  that 
a  brief  record  is  given.     They  had  thirteen  children. 
I.    Anna,  b.  July  21,  1708  ;  md.  John  Lane,  q.  v. 
II.    Tryphena,  h.  Sei^t.  U,    1799;    md.    1819,  Thomas 
Flint,    son    of    Thomas    and   Abigail    (Brown) 
Flint  of  Winchendon  ;  removed  to  State  of  New 
York. 

III.  3fary  F.,  h.  April  23,  1801  ;  md.  Samuel  Baldwin, 

q.  V. 

IV.  John,  b.  March  20,  1803  ;  d.  an  infant. 
V.  JoJin,  b.  March  15,  1805. -|- 

VI.  Deborah,  b.  July  30,  1806  ;  md.  Joel  Merriam,  q.  v. 

VII.  Martin,  b.  March  1,  1808;    resided  on  the  home- 
stead in  Winchendon. 
vm.   Clara,  b.  Jan.  26,  1810  ;  md.  Nov.  27,  1833,  Milo 
Derby,  g.  v. 

IX,  Edward,  h.   June  12,  1812;  d.   in   St.  Louis;  his 
son,   Lemuel   AY.    Cook,  is    a    photographer   in 
Boston. 
X.  Jyer.s,  b.  May  21,  1814;    resides  in  Westminster, 
Vt.  ;  md.  Dorotli}'  Miller.     Four  children. 

XI.  Ab'gail,  b.  May  17,  181 Q  ;  md.  Abner  Moore,  son 
of  William  and  Mary  (Fitch)  Moore  of  Sharon, 
N.  n.  Three  children. 
XII.  Eliza,  h.  March  26,  1820;  md.  1842,  Reuben  A. 
Buzzell  and  resided  several  years  in  this  town. 
Thfy  removed  to  Rindge  1862,  where  she  d.  June 
4,  1883.  Five  children. 
XIII.  Joayina,  b.  Aug.  15,  1822  ;  md.  John  N.  Richard- 
son ;  resided  in  Fitzwilliam,  N.  H.,  and  Win- 
chendon.    He  is  a  merchant. 


John  Cook,  Jr.,  rad.  April  3,  1832,  Roxanna  Lane,  dau. 
of  Benjamin  Lane,  q.  v.  She  d.  Feb.  24,  1834.  He  md. 
(2d)  Nov.  12,  1834,  Cynthia  Metcalf,  dau.  of  Jeremiah 
Metcalf,  q.  i\     She  d.   June   19,  1844,  and  he  md.  (3d) 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER. 


649 


15 

16 
17 

18 

19 


Sarah  (Adams)  Clark,  widow  of  George  Clark,  q.  v.  He 
removed  from  lown  about  11S6()  and  is  now  residing  at 
Brighton,  JU.  The  following  names  include  one  child  by 
first,  four  by  second,  and  three  by  ihe  third  marriage. 

I.  Sarah  Roxanna,  b.  Oct.  6, 1833  ;  md.  1851,  Jacob 
Hart  of  Keene  ;  she  resides,  a  widow,  at  Bellows 
Falls,  Vt. 

II.  George  William,  b.  Nov.  20,  1836  ;  d.  unmd.  Oct. 
9,  1855. 

III.  Leonard  Neicton,  b.  Oct.  10,  1838  ;  d.  in  8t.  Louis 

1866. 

IV.  Martha  ,/.,  b.  Jan.  3,   1840;    md.   Oct.   9,   1861, 

Prentiss  A.  Maynard  of   Keene,  N.  H.     He  d. 

June    23.    1869  ;     md.    (2d)    Sept.    10,    1879, 

Andrew  J.  Williams;  resides  in  Keene,  N.  H. 
v.  John  Levi,  b.  Aug.  8,  1841  ;  md.  Christiana  Petts, 

who  d.  Sept.  28,  1871  ;  md.    (2d)    1878,  Abbie 

Clifford  ;  resides  in  Florida. 
Cynthia,  resides  at  Brighton;  111. 
Daniel,  resides  at  Brighton,  111. 
Laura  A.,  resides  at  Brighton,  111. 


VI. 
VII. 
VIII. 


Elisha  Coolidge,  the  first  one  of  the  name  in  this  town,  was  a  descendant 
in  the  fourth  generation  of  John  Coolidge,  the  emigrant  ancestor,  who  was 
admitted  freeman  May  25,  163G.  He  was  an  early  proprietor  and  resident  of 
Watertown,  a  representative  and  many  years  a  selectman.  His  will  was  dated 
1681  and  proved  1G91,  but  the  exact  date  of  his  death  is  not  recorded.  By  wife, 
Mary,  he  had  eight  children,  the  eldest  of  whom  were  probably  b.  in  Eng- 
land. Nathaniel,  a  son  of  .Tohn  and  Mary  Coolidge,  md.  Oct.  15,  1(557,  Mary 
Bright,  1).  April  23,  1639,  dan.  of  Henry  and  Anne  (Goldstone)  Bright.  In 
the  records  he  was  styled  a  tailor,  but  his  inventory  which  included  "  three 
farms,  mills  and  fishing  wear,"  would  indicate  that  he  had  other  employ- 
ments. The  ninth  of  thirteen  children  of  Henry  and  Anne  (Goldstone) 
Coolidge,  was  Dea.  .John  Coolidge,  b.  about  1674.  He  md.  Jan.  16,  1699- 
1700,  Margaret  Bond,  b.  in  Watertown  Oct.  1,  1681,  dau.  of  William  and 
Hepsibah  (Hastings)  Bond.  He  d.  April  26,  1755.  Among  their  children 
were  Elisha  Coolidge  of  Asljburnham,  and  Henry  Coolidge,  a  resident  of 
Cambridge  and  one  of  the  proprietors  of  Dorchester  Canada.  Another  son 
was  William  Coolidge  of  Waltham,  the  father  of  the  wife  of  Col.  Francis 
Lane  and  the  wife  of  Samuel  Cutting. 


Elisha  Coolidoe,  son  of  Dea.  John  and  Martha  (Bond) 
Coolidge,  was  b.  in  Watertown  July  9,  1720;  md.  Sarah 

.     After  a  brief  residence  in  Cambridge  he  removed 

to  Dorchester  Canada  1752.  He  was  an  innholder  here 
ill  1752,  1759,  1760,  1761  and  probably  during  other 
}»'ars.  His  valuable  service  in  forwarding  the  settlement 
Hiid  his  connection  with  the  early  mills  in  this  town  are  out- 
lined in  the  early  chapters  of  this  record.  He  was  frequentlj^ 
chosen  to  office  and  the  high  esteem  in  which  he  was  held 


650 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


4 

III 

5 

IV. 

6 

T. 

7 

VI. 

8 

VII. 

9 

VIII. 

is  reflected  in  mao}'  pages  of  the  records  of  this  town. 
He  was  one  of  the  original  members  of  the  church,  but  in 
1778  he  united  with  the  Baptists.     He  d.  Aug.  29,  1807. 

I.   Catherine^  b.  May  3,  1755  ;  md.  1773,  John  Gates 

of  Ashburnhara,  q.  v. 
II.  Sarah,  b.  May  23,   1757;    md.  Dea.  Jacob  Kib- 

liuger,  q,  V. 
Permelia,  b.  Nov.  3,  1758. 
Jonathan,  b.  Sept.  6,  1760. 
e/<<cZ«Y/i,  b.  Sept.   23,  1762;    md.   April   14,    1784, 

Isaiah  Stone  of  Dummerston,  Vt. 
John,  b.  Nov.  7,  1764. 
Elizabeth,  b.  Nov.  30,  1766. 
Elisha,   b.   Nov.   19,   1768;    md.    Nov.  11,    1804, 

Mary  Gushing,  dau.  of  Rev.  John  Gushing,  q.  v. 

He  d.  leaving  one  son,  and  she   md.  (2d)    Rev, 

Asa  Rand,  son  of  Col.  Daniel  and   Susannah 

(Hemenwa}')  Rand  of  Rindge.     He  d.  Aug.  24, 

1871  ;  she  d.  June  12,  1871. 
Relief,  b   Sept.  26,  1770. 
Lucy,  b.  Nov.  8,  1772. 
Flavel,  b.   Jan.    19,    1775  ;    md.    Jan.   30,    1806, 

Nancy  Wildes. 


IX. 
X. 

XI. 


Hezekiah  Gorey,  son  of  John  and  Ruth  Corey,  was  b. 
in  Ghelmsford  1736,  and  was  taxed  there  1757.  Previous 
to  1763  he  removed  to  New  Ijjswich  and  was  a  prominent 
man  in  the  affairs  of  that  town  several  years.  In  1771  he 
was  an  officer  in  the  militia  and  ever  after  he  bore  the  title 
of  lieutenant.  He  removed  to  this  town  during  the  Revo- 
lution. In  1780  he  was  chosen  fence  viewer,  which  is  the 
first  mention  of  his  name  in  the  records,  and  the  following 
year  he  was  a  selectman.  In  subsequent  years  he  was 
chosen  to  other  positions  of  trust  and  evidently  he  was 
held  in  high  esteem.  He  d.  Oct.  23,  1818;  she  d.  Oct. 
9,  1820.  Four  children  were  b.  in  New  Ipswich  and  two 
in  Ashburnham. 

I.  Hezekiah,  b.  Jan.  7,  1765.-|- 
II.  John,  b.  March  4,  1769.-|- 

III.  Amos,  b.  Jan.  4,  1774.-|- 

IV.  Stephen,  b.  Sept.  27,  1775.-|- 
V.  Jonas,  b.  1777.-|- 

VI.  Sally,  b.  1779  :  md.  Jan.  24,  1804,  John  Jefts,  son 

of  John  Jefts  -of  Mason,  N.  H. 
VII.  Rhoda,  bap.  1782  ;  md.  May  26,  1803,  George  W. 

Josliu,  q.   V. 

viii.  Dolly,  bap.  1785  ;  md.  James  Scollay,  g.  v. 


(2) 

10 

11 

12 
13 
14 
15 
16 

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19 
20 
21 
22 
23 

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24 
25 
26 


27 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  651 

Hezekiah  Corey  md.  Jan.  20,  1791,  Lucy  Townsend, 
b.  Feb.  19,  1769,  dau.  of  Joshua  and  Mary  Townsend,  q. 
V.  He  d.  Nov.  16,  1833;  she  d.  Nov.  11,  1867,  aged 
nearly  99  years.     Seven  children. 

I.  Liicy,  b.  Nov.  20,  1791  ;  md.  Jan.  20,  1820,  Wil- 

lard  Jefts  of  Ashby  ;  she  d.  Oct.  20,  1871. 
II.  Achsah,h.    March   7,    1793;    d.  unmd.   Oct.    23, 
1852. 

III.  Asahel,  b.  March  11,  1794.+ 

IV.  Sarah,  md.  1820,  Joel  Fenno. 

V.  Mary,  md.  1817,  William  Fenno. 
VI.  Levi,  b.  1807. -f 

VII.  Hezekiah,  b.   Jan.    7,    1814;    d.   unmd.   Oct.   30, 
1842. 


John  Corey  md.  June  7,  1792,  Milly  Stone,  dau.  of 
Joseph  Stone,  q.  v.  He  was  a  farmer  and  resided  in  this 
town  until  about  1815,  when  he  removed  to  Waltham. 
Seven  children  were  b.  in  this  town. 

I.  John,  b.  Oct.  17,  1792. 

II.  Stillman,  b.  March  22,  1795  ;  md.  Martha  Brigham 
of  Marlboro ;  d.  1824,  leaving  five  children, 
and  among  them  was  Mary  who  md.  Luther 
Clark,  q.  v.  The  widow  of  Stillman  Corey  md. 
(2d)  George  Safford  of  Fitchburg. 

III.  Milly,  b.  Feb.  1,  1797. 

IV.  Joseph,  b.  Aug.  12,  1799. 
V.  Harris,  b.  Feb.  23,  1802. 

VI.  Harriet  (twin),  b.  Feb.  23,  1802. 
VII.  Infant,  b.  1805;    d.  March  17,  1806. 


Amos  Corey  md.  .July  7,  1798,  Achsah  Townsend,  dau. 
of  Joshua,  q.  V.  In  1801  he  removed  to  Washington.  N. 
H.  He  md.  (2d)  Louisa  Jefts.  The  first  wife  was  the 
mother  of  all  his  children. 

I.  Linda,  b.  Jan.  7,  1799  ;  d.  young. 
II.  Clarissa,  b.  Oct.  8,  1800  ;  d.  1802. 
III.  A7nos,  b.  Sept.  19,  1802;  md.  Dec.  8,  1827,  Rox- 
anna  Wright  of  Sullivan,  N.  H.  He  lived  in 
Washington,  N.  H.,  until  1857,  when  he  removed 
to  Antrim,  N.  H.,  where  he  d.  April  6,  1872. 
His  widow  d.  Sept.  7,  1872.  Of  their  four 
children  two  d.  unmd. 

1.  Achsah,  b.  1828;  md.  Peter  Shuttleworth 
of  Southboro. 


€52 


HISTORY  OF  ASHBURNHAM. 


28 


29 


30 
31 

32 


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36 
37 
38 
59 
40 
41 


44 


2.  George  F.,  b.  1836  ;    md.  Clara  R.  Hill  of 
Antrim  and  resides  in  Waltham. 

[V.  Nathan,  b.  1804 ;  md.  Aug.  30,  1825,  Louisa 
Wright,  dau.  of  Jacob  Wright,  Jr.  He  resided 
in  Stoddard,  Charlestown  and  Boseawen,  N.  H., 
where  he  d.  Sept.  20,  1879.      Six  children. 

V.  Jonas  a.,  d.  at  age  of  nine  years. 

VI.  Mary,  b.  Dec.  13,  1809  ;  md.  Nov.  4,  1845,  Nahum 

Newton  ;  reside  in  Southboro. 
11.  Aclisah,   b.    Sept.    2,    1813;    md.  David   Smith; 
resided  in  Ohio  and  Lafayette,  111.,  where  she 
d.  Jan.  14,  1867. 


Stephen  Corey  md.  Oct.  24,  1793,  Joanna  Adams,  dau. 
of  John  Adams,  q.  v.  Her  name  was  generally  written 
Anna.  He  was  a  farmer  and  a  tanner  and  resided  in  the 
south  part  of  the  town.  He  was  for  many  years  fre- 
quently employed  in  public  affairs.  He  d.  Oct.  7,  1823  : 
she  d.  Nov.  18,  1868,  aged  93  years. 

I.  Polly,  b.  Feb.  23,  1794  ;    md.   John  Willard,  (/.  v 
II.  Stephen,  b.  Nov.  27,  1795. -|- 

III.  Nancy,  b.  Jan.  3,  1799  ;   md.  May  30,  1821,  Levi 

Todd,  son  of  Joshua  and  Tabitlia  (Hunt)  Todd 
of  Rindge.     They  resided  in  Hinsdale,  N.  H 
where  she  d.  Oct.  3,  1872  ;  he  d.  Nov.  23,  187i 

1.  George  W.,  b.  Nov.   3,   1822;    md.  Nov. 

24,  1846,  Henrietta  Tuttle. 

2.  Nancy  A.,  b.  Jan.  17,  1825;    md.  James 

Boyce. 

3.  Walter  C,  b.  Sept.  23,  1826;    md.   Mary 

Spaulding. 

4.  Levi  Leonard,  b.  June  28,  1828  ;  d.  Oct. 

10,  1852. 

5.  Lucy  Lucinda  (twin),  b.  June  28,  1828; 

d.  Jan.  22,  1831. 

6.  Marv  J.,  b.  Aug.  24,  1835;    d.   Sept.   22, 

1853. 

IV.  Almira,  b.  Feb.  27,  1801  ;  md.  Silas  Rice,  q.  v. 
V.  Melinda,  b.  Sept.  10,  1803  ;   md.  James  Hayward 

of  Ashb}'. 
VI,  Lucinda,  b.  July  29,  1806  ;  md.  Jonathan  O.  Ban- 
croft, q.  V. 
VII.    Walter,  b.  March  5,  1809.-|- 

VIII.  Betsey,  b.  Aug.  20,   1811  ;    drowned  in  a  tan  vat 
Aug.  12,  1815. 


47 


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(12) 


48 


49 

50 

51 

52 
53 

(15) 
54 


GENEALOGICAL  REGISTER.  Go3 

IX.  David  A.,  b.  March  19,  1815;  he  resided  ia  Chi- 
cago, III.,  where  he  d.  unmd.  Feb.  21,  1886. 


Jonas  Corey  md.  1817,  Lucy  Stone,  dau.  of  Joseph 
Stone,  q.  V.  He  resided  in  this  town,  where  he  d.  Feb. 
23,  1860.  He  failed  to  support  his  family,  and  his  wife 
and  children  removed  from  this  town  many  j'cars  ago, 
An  infant  d.  Feb.  21,  1823.  Among  their  children  were 
Sarah  F.  and  George  Lewis. 


AsAHEL  Corey,  son  of  Hezekiah  Corey,  Jr.,  md.  1816. 
Mary  Conant,  dau.  of  Josiah  and  Annis  (Derby)  Conant  of 
Gardner.  He  was  a  merchant  and  an  influential  citizen 
of  this  town.     Representative  1833,  '34,  '35,  '36. 

I.  Jonas,  b.  June  29,  1816.     For  many  years  he  was 

engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  chairs  and  lumber. 
He  md.  May  25,  1815,  Susan  A.  Gushing,  dau. 
of  Laban  Cushing,  q.  v.  They  removed  1852 
to  Fitchburg,  where  she  d.  Jan.  12,  1857.  He 
md.  (2d)  Feb.  22,  1870,  Mrs.  Adaline  A. 
George.     He  d.  Oct.  28,  1878. 

1.  Waldo  C,  b.  March  31,  1847  ;  md.  March 

U,  1883,  Clara  B.  Goodspeed,  dau.  of 
Geo.  N.  Goodspeed.  They  reside  in 
Winchendon. 

2.  Frank  Eugene,  b.  March  31,  1850  ;  resides 

unmd.  in  St.  Louis,  Mo. 

II.  Charles  A.,  b.  May  23,  1826  ;  md.  July  13,  1848, 

Elizabeth  L.  Barry,  dau.  of  Thomas  and  Lu- 
cinda  Barry  of  Athol.  He  resided  in  Fitchburg 
where  he  d.  Sept.  28,  1870.     Two  children. 

1.  Ella  Lizzie,  b.  Dec.  22,   1850;    d.   unmd. 

March  28,  1878. 

2.  Fred.  A.,  b.  Oct.  13,   1852  ;  md.  Aug.  14, 

1883,  Katie  E.  Clifford,  dau.  of  John 
and  Ellen  Clifford  of  Fitchburg ;  resides 
in  Boston. 


Levi  Corey,  a  brother  of  Asahel,  md.  June  10,  1830, 
Sarah  L.  Gross,  dau.  of  Peaks  Gross,  q.  v.  He  was  a 
merchant.  He  d.  May  3,  1854.  She  md.  (2d)  Oct.  5, 
1858,  Charles  Buttrick,  q.  v. 

I.   George  Bronson,  b.  Aug.  10,  1831  ;    md.  Feb.  28, 
1861.     He  resides  in  Desota,  111. 


654 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


55 


56 


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57 

58 
59 

60 

61 

62 

63 


64 


(45) 


Adalaide  L.,  b.  Oct.  20,  1835;  rad.  March  20, 
1868,  Samuel  C.  Lesure.  They  resided  in 
Chelsea,  where  she  d.  March  15,  1885.  He 
formerly  resided  several  years  in  Ashburnham  ; 
was  in  the  service  in  the  war  of  the  Rebellion 
and  subsequently  an  officer  in  the  Rice  Guards. 

Eveline  A.,  b.  Oct.  19,  1851  ;  d.  unmd.  Aug.  19, 
1875.     An  estimable  young  lady. 


SxErHEN  Corey,  son  of  Stephen,  md.  Sept.  19,  1820, 
Mary  White,  dau.  of  Elisha  White,  q.  v.  He  resided 
upon  the  farm  now  owned  by  his  youngest  son.  He  was 
a  farmer  and  for  a  number  of  years  he  continued  the 
business  of  tanning  established  by  his  father.  He  d.  Dec. 
22,  1867  ;  she  d.  Nov.  6,  1866. 

I.  Stephen  TF.,  b.  May  31,  1822  ;  md.  Julia  Draper. 

Resides  in  New  Portland,  Me. 
II.  Mary  H.,  b.  April  9,  1825  ;    d.  Aug.  4,  1846. 

III.  Augusta  H.,  b.  May  28,  1827  ;  rad.  John  M.  Frost 

of  Ashby. 

IV.  Sarah  IF.,  b.  Aug.  16,  1829  ;    md.  John  G.  Coult 

of  Manchester,  N.  H. 

V.    Walter  A.,  b.  June  29,  1831  ;   d.   unmd.  Jan.    25, 

1862. 
VI.  Susan  M.,  b.  Dec.  10,  1833  ;  md.  Frank  B.  Stod- 
dard, son  of  Charles  and  Lovisa  (Brigham) 
Stoddard  of  Chesterfield,  N.  H.  She  d.  in  this 
town  June  25,  1863. 
VII.  David  A.,  b.  June  20,  1836.  Was  a  merchant  in 
Fitchburg  from  1858  to  1883.  He  is  now  treas- 
urer of  the  Snow  Cattle  Co.,  at  their  eastern 
office  in  Fitchburg.  The  compan}'  owns  about 
300,000  acres  of  grazing  land  in  Wyoming.  He 
md.  Jan.  31,  1860,  Josephine  Goddard,  dau.  of 
Joel  Goddard  of  Templeton.  She  d.  March  9, 
1865.  He  md.  (2d)  Oct.  9,  1866,  Nellie  Hey- 
wood,  dau.  of  Walter  and  Nancy  (Foster) 
Heywood. 
viii.  Ellen  M.,  b.  Dec.  26,  1838;  md.  George  Coult. 
They  reside  in  W^orcester. 

IX.  Abbie  M.,  b.  Oct.  25,  1841. 

X.  George  F.,  b.  Jan.  2,  1844;  md.  June  24,  1869, 
Ellen  R.  Hinds,  dau.  of  Francis  Hinds,  q.  v. 
He  resides  upon  the  homestead  in  Ashburnham. 


Walter  Corey  removed  to  Portland,  Me.,  in  1836  and 
has  been  actively  and  successfully  engaged  in  the  manu- 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  655 

facture  and  sale  of  furniture.  A  few  years  ago  he  retired 
from  a  business  in  wliieh  he  had  enjoyed  an  unblemished 
reputation.  He  md.  July  7,  1.S46,  Hester  Ann  Cole  of 
Lewiston,  Me.     They  have  two  children. 

I.    Walter  L.,  b.  Nov.  9,  1848. 
11.  3Iabel  .4.,  b.  Jan.  5,  1858. 


John  F.  Cornu,  son  of  Peter  Cornu,  b.  in  Switzerland 
1824,  taught  school  several  years  in  his  native  land  and 
emigrated  to  Canada,  where  he  md.  185G,  Justina  Tindo 
who  d.  1863.  He  came  to  Ashburnham  1876  and  resides 
a  farmer  on  the  Charles  Stimsou  place  on  the  North 
Turnpike. 

I.  Ida,  b.    1860;    md.    Zachariah   Lambert   of  Fall 
River. 

II.  Noah,  b.  1861  ;  unmd.,  resides  in  Kansas. 

III.  Philemon,  b.  1863  ;  unmd.,  resides  with  his  father. 


Michael  Coughlin,  b.  in  County  of  Cork,  Ireland,  Oct. 
12,  1810,  md.  in  Ireland  May  1,  1841,  Mary  Barnett. 
He  has  resided  in  this  town  about  thirty  years,  occupying 
as  a  farmer  the  Foster  place,  often  called  the  John  Woods 
farm. 

I.  Patrick,  b.  March  17,  1841  ;  a  mechanic  in  this 
town  ;  unmd. 

II.  Bridget,  b.  Aug.  5,  1843  ;  md.  1859,  John  O'Brien  ; 

resides  in  Fitchburg. 

III.  Michael,  Jr.,  b.  1849  ;  md.  Mary  Mead.     He  is  a 

wheelwright. 


Timothy  Crehore  was  the  first  of  this  family  who 
became  a  permanent  resident  of  Ashburnham.  He  was  a 
son  of  Jedediah  and  Chloe  Crehore  and  was  b.  in  Milton 
Aug.  21,  1754.  He  is  not  mentioned  in  the  Milton 
records  and  it  is  probable  he  came  here  about  the  time  he 
arrived  of  age.  He  was  here  in  1785  when  he  was 
chosen  highway  surveyor.  He  settled  in  the  southwest 
part  of  the  town,  where  he  d.,  and  where  his  sou  Col. 
Timothy  subsequently  resided.  This  farm  was  a  part  of 
the  land  which  had  been  in  possession  of  the  Crehore 
family  since  the  early  charter  of  the  township.  The 
name  of  his  first  wife  and  the  mother  of  his  children  was 
Mar}-,  but  no  record  of  the  marriage  has  been  found. 
She  d.  Oct.  9,  1805,  aged  45  years.  He  md.  (2d)  1812, 
Mrs.  Hannah  Mason  of  Walpole,  N.  H.  He  d.  Nov.  1, 
1843. 


656 


HISTORY   OF    ASHBURNHAM. 


(3) 


I.  Jedediali,  b.  Oct.  15,  1781. 

II.  Timothy,  b.  March  12,  1784. + 

III.  Mary,\^.  Nov.  4,   1786;  md.  Jan.  3,   1815,  Asa 

Carpenter  of  Walpole,  N.  H. 

IV.  John,  b.  Aug.  14.  1789  ;  d.  June  29,  1824. 
V.  Laban  Sprague,  b.  Nov.  28,  1794. 

VI.   Infant,  1).  and  d.  1797. 
VII.   Injant,  d.  1805. 


Col.  Tijiothv  Ckehore  resided  on  the  home  place  and 
subsequently  in  the  Central  Village.  In  1852  he  removed 
to  Fitchburg.  He  was  an  active  citizen  and  was  prominent 
in  military  affairs.  Vide  Chap.  XVIII.  He  md.  Sept. 
20,  1807,  Sally  W.  Fairbanks,  who  d.  Jan.  8,  1864;  he 
d.  Jan.  5,  1866. 

I.  Warren  A.,  b.  May  2,  1808;  md.  March  17, 
1831,  Sarah  E.  Bemis  of  Winchendon  ;  resided 
in  this  town  and  in  Fitchburg. 

II.  Scdhj  E.,  b.  Feb.,  1810  ;  md.  P:urope  H.' Fairbanks, 

q.  V. 

III.  Horace  C,  b.  Nov.  25,  1811  ;  md.  -June  12,  1844, 

Mary  Ann  Bowker.  He  was  a  merchant  in 
Ashburnham  and  subsequently  in  Fitchburg. 
He  d.  in  New  York  Jan.  26,  1881. 

IV.  Lewis  H.,  b.  Jan.   25,   1817;   d.  near  Island  of 

Ascension  and  was  buried  at  sea  April  17,  1840. 

V.  Audin  S.,  b.  Feb.  6,  1824  ;  d.  from  a  fall  from  a 

bridge  at  Dutch  Flat,  Col.,  March  19,  1870. 
VI.  Mary  A.,  h.  June  11,   1826;  md.  April  6,   1847, 

Howard  Marble,  son  of  Samuel  Marble,  q.  v. 
VII.  Infant,  d.  Sept.  22,  1830. 


CROSBY. 

• 

Fitch  and  Frederick  Crosby,  who  are  named  in  the  following  register, 
were  valued  citizens  of  Ashburnham.  They  were  distant  relatives  and  of  the 
sixth  generation  of  tlieir  family  in  America. 

Simon  Crosby  aged  26,  wife  Anne  aged  25  and  son  Thomas  aged  8  weeks 
embarked  for  New  England  April  18,  1634.  He  settled  in  Cambridge  and 
was  a  selectman  1636  and  1638.  He  d.  1639  and  his  widow  rad.  (2d)  Rev. 
William  Tompson  of  Braintree.  Simon  Crosby,  second  son  of  Simon  the 
emigrant,  was  b.  in  Cambridge  Aug.,  1C37.  He  became  a  large  landholder 
and  was  a  leading  citizen.  He  was  the  first  innholder  in  that  town  and  a 
representative  several  years.  He  md.  July  15,  1659,  Rachel  Brackett,  dau. 
of  Richard  Brackett  of  Braintree.  He  d.  Jan.  22,  1725-6.  Among  his  nine 
children  were  Simon  and  .Tosiah  and  Joseph  whose  descendants  have  resided 
in  this  town.  Josiah,  son  of  Simon  and  Rachel  (Brackett)  Crosby,  was  b. 
Nov.  1],  1677;  md.  Nov.  2,  1703,  Mary  Manning,  dau.  of  Samuel  and 
Elizabeth  (Stearns)  Manning.  He  resided  in  Billeriea,  where  he  d.  about 
1745.     His   son   Josiah,    b.  Aug.  5,  1704,  md.  Feb.    •'     ■'^""  ""     x^k-^u^^u 


3,    1729-30,  Elizabeth 


GENEALOGICAL    REGISTER.  657 

French,  dau.  of  William  and  Sarah  (Danforth)  French.  She  d.  Nov.  27, 
1739,  and  he  d.  previous  to  1743.  Hazen's  History  of  Billerica  credits  a 
tradition  that  he  was  killed  by  the  Indians.  Josiah  Crosby,  eldest  son  of 
Josiah  and  Elizabeth  (French)  Crosby,  was  b.  Nov.  24:,  1730.  He  was  a 
soldier  in  the  French  and  Indian  War.  Subsequently  he  settled  in  Monson, 
now  Milford,  N.  H.  He  was  a  Captain  in  Col.  James  Reed's  regiment  which 
served  in  the  siege  of  Boston  and  participated  in  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill. 
In  this  engagement  his  company  contained  44  men.  He  was  a  millwright,  a 
man  of  great  energy  and  enterprise  and  a  prominent  and  influential  citizen. 
He  md.  Aug.  28,  1750,  Rachel  Fitch,  dau.  of  Joseph  and  Rachel  Fitch  of 
Billerica.  She  was  a  niece  of  John  Fitch  in  whose  honor  the  city  of  Fitchburg 
was  named,  and  who  while  residing  near  the  borders  of  this  town  was  taken 
captive  by  the  Indians  July  5,  1748.  He  d.  Oct.  5,  1793.  Fitch  Crosby,  the 
youngest  of  ten  children,  removed  to  this  town,  and  is  number  1  in  the 
following  register.  Among  the  numerous  descendants  of  Capt.  Josiah  and 
Rachel  (Fitch)  Crosby  are  many  eminent  men  Avhose  lives  have  adorned  the 
professions  and  the  lialls  of  learning. 

Another  son  of  Simon  and  Rachel  (Brackett)  Crosby  was  Simon  Crosby, 
b.  in  Billerica  16G3.  His  wife  Hannah  d.  May  6,  1702,  and  he  md.  (2d) 
March  16,  1702-3,  Abigail  (Whittaker)  Parker,  widow  of  John  Parker  and 
dau.  of  John  Whittaker.  Among  his  thirteen  children  was  Samuel  Crosby, 
by  first  wife,  b.  Oct.  4,  1698.  Previous  to  1723  he  removed  from  Billerica 
to  Shrewsbury  and  was  one  of  the  original  members  of  the  church  in 
Shrewsbury  of  which  Rev.  Job  Gushing,  father  of  Rev.  John  Gushing,  was 
the  first  minister.  He  md.  Dec.  9,  171^9,  Dorothy  Brown,  dau.  of  George 
and  Sarah  (Kidder)  Brown  of  Billerica.  He  d.  in  Shrewsbury  Jan.  23, 
1748-9.  His  son,  Elisha  Crosby,  was  b.  Jan.  10,  1737-8.  He  md.  Tabitha 
Harrington  of  Worcester.  He  resided  a  few  years  in  Petersham  and 
subsequently  returned  to  Shrewsbury,  where  he  and  his  wife  d.  of  small-pox 
1792.  Their  eldest  son  was  Frederick  Crosby  of  Ashburnham.  He  is 
namber  14  in  the  register. 

Mary  Crosby,  wife  of  Isaac  Stearns,  was  a  descendant  of  Joseph  Crosby, 
son  of  Simon  and  Rachel  (Brackett)  Crosby,  who  was  b.  in  BillericaJuly  5, 
1669.  He  md.  May  6,  1691,  Sarah  French,  dau.  of  William  and  Mary 
(Lathrop)  French.  Their  son,  William  Crosby,  b.  Feb.  13,  1697-8,  md. 
Hannah  Ross,  dau.  of  Thomas  Ross.  He  d.  Jan.  1,  1754.  His  son, 
Jessaniah.  b.  Oct.  7,  1728,  md.  Dec.  19,  1751,  Mary  Hosley,  dau.  of  Thomas 
and  Martha  (Richardson)  Hosley.  He  resided  in  Billerica,  where  his  dau. 
Mary,  the  wife  of  Isaac  Stearns,  was  b.  May  16,  1754,  and  youngest  dau. 
Sarah,  wife  of  Phinehas  Randall,  was  b.  Dec.  25,  1763. 


FiTCii  Crosby,  son  of  Capt.  Josiah  and  Sarah  (Fitch) 
Crosby,  was  b.  in  Milford,  N.  H.,  July  14,  1773.  He 
md.  March  1,  1798,  Rebecca  Davis,  dau.  of  Josiah  and 
Abigail  (Hubbard)  Davis  of  New  Ipswich,  and  removed 
to  Ashburnham  in  the  year  1801.  He  was  a  clothier  and 
owned  and  occupied  the  mill  in  the  Central  Village  in 
which  Horace  Black  subsequently  manufactured  furniture 
and  which  was  destroyed  by  the  freshet  in  1850.  A  man 
of  even  temper  and  unblemished  character,  he  was  held  in 
high  esteem  by  all  who  knew  him.  He  d.  March  17,  1852. 
His  wife,  a  most  estimable  woman,  survived  him  and  d.  in 
this  town  May  20,  1857. 

I.   Charles  Fitch,  b.  July  8,  1799.-|- 
11.  Jonas  Hale,  b.  Jan.  7,  1804;    d.  Oct.  10,  1809. 
42 


658 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


4 

5 

(2) 


9 
10 

(4) 


m.  Josiah  Davis,  b.  March  1,  1807.-}- 
IV.  Hale  EstabrooJc,  b.  Oct.  15,  1816.-}- 


Charles  Fitch  Crosby  md.  Maj'  3,  1821,  Susan 
Wilker,  dau.  of  George  Wilker,  q.  v.  He  was  a  wool- 
carder  in  Ashby,  where  he  d.  1880.    She  d.  May  25,  1879. 

I.   George  F.,  d.  young. 
II.  Sarah  Rebecca,  d.  unmd.  1875. 

III.  George    Fitch,    md.    Catherine    Willard,    dau.    of 

George  A.  Willard,  q.  v.      They  live  in  Fiteh- 
burg. 

IV.  Mary  Ann,   md.    William   H.  Jewett ;    reside   in 

Fitchburg. 

V.  Susan  Amanda,  md(. Fitzgibbon  ;  she  resides, 

a  widow,  in  Charlestown. 


Rev.  Josiah  Davis  Crosby,  a  Congregational  clergy- 
man, now  retired  from  active  labor,  is  residing  in  Ash- 
burnham.  An  outline  of  his  education  and  ministerial 
labor  is  given  in  Chap.  VIII.  For  many  years  he  has 
been  a  student  of  the  annals  of  this  town  and  has  pre- 
pared many  historical  papers  concerning  men  and  promi- 
nent events  in  the  town's  histoi-y.  Mr.  Crosby  has  ever 
been  a  consistent  and  earnest  supporter  of  the  reforms  of 
his  time.  He  md.  April  16,  1839,  Elvira  Willard,  dau.  of 
Ephraim  and  Lucy  Willard  of  Athol.  She  d.  April  1, 
1882.     No  children. 


(5) 


11 


Hale  Estabrook  Crosby  attended  the  public  schools  of 
this  town  and  Appleton  Academy,  New  Ipswich.  In  boy- 
hood he  became  a  printer  and  was  emplo3'ed  as  a  com- 
positor in  Lowell  and  Andover  and  in  Concord,  N.  H. 
While  at  work  at  Concord  he  was  also  a  student  at  the 
Concord  Literai'y  Institute.  In  this  institution  Gen. 
Harrison  C.  Hobart  and  Vice-President  Wilson  were  his 
•classmates.  He  was  successively  a  printer  in  Concord 
and  a  merchant  in  Ashby,  in  Fisherville,  N.  H.,  and  in 
New  Buffalo,  Mich.,  until  1845.  Since  the  last  date  he 
has  been  a  farmer  and  resides  at  Three  Oaks,  Mich.  He 
has  been  a  member  of  the  Legislatui-e,  and  has  held  many 
local  offices.  He  md.  Nov.  3,  1838,  Mary  F.  Chamber- 
lain, dau.  of  Moses  and  Mary  (Foster)  Chamberlain  of 
Concord,  N.  H.    Of  their  six  children  three  d.  in  infancy. 

I.  Josiah  Birney,  b.  June  2,  1842 ;  md.  Sept.  2, 
1869,  Cornelia  F.,  dau.  of  Samuel  and  Susan 
A.  Hammt)nd.     A  farmer  at  New  Buff'alo. 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  659 

Henri/  Chamberlain,  b.  Nov.  22,  1852  ;  md.  June 
18,  1884,  Stella  V.  Greenamjer,  dau.  of  Solo- 
mon Greenam^'er.     A  farmer  at  New  Buffalo. 

John  Abbott,  b.'  Dec.  10,  1854;  md.  June  25, 
1884,  Adelaide  R.  Upton,  dan.  of  John  B. 
Upton.  He  is  a  physician  in  Minneapolis,  Minn. 
A  graduate  of  Harvard  Medical  Sciiool. 


Frederick  Crosby,  son  of  Elisha  and  Tabitha  (Har- 
rington) Crosby,  was  b,  in  Shrewsbury  April  8,  1764. 
He  md.  March  31,  1785,  Martha  Maynard,  dau.  of  Capt. 
John  and  Martha  (Brigham)  Maynard  of  Shrewsbury. 
In  1790  he  removed  to  Winchendon  and  in  1796  to  Ash- 
burnham,  where  he  d.  March  21,  1840.  His  wife  survived 
him  and  d.  April  19,  1851.  When  Mr.  Crosby  came  to 
this  town  he  bought  250  acres  of  land  which  has  since 
been  owned  by  George  L.  Beals  and  Burrage  Brothers. 
The  old  homestead  is  still  known  as  the  Frederick  Crosby 
Place.  The  aged  recall  Mr.  Crosby  with  sentiments  of 
respect  and  represent  him  as  a  man  above  reproach.  In 
this  family  there  were  fourteen  children. 

I.  Henry,  b.  in   Shrewsbury  July  18,  1785.      Vide 

Chap.  XX. 
II.  Joh7i,  b.  Oct.  21,  1787;    md.  Betsey  Brooks,  dau. 
of  Levi  and  Betsey  (Flint)  Brooks  of  Winchen- 
don.    Removed  to  Winchendon  and  from  thence 
to  Gardner. 

III.  Elisha,   b.   in  Winchendon  April  18,  1790  ;    md. 

Oct.  22,  1841,  Elizabeth  Barnes,  b.  Dec.  17, 
1788,  dau.  of  William  and  Elizabeth  (Brigham) 
Barnes  of  Marlboro'.  She  d.  Aug.  29,  1845. 
He  md.  (2d)  June  13,  1849,  Dolly  Wright,  b. 
Oct.  6,  1798,  dau.  of  Elijah  and  Lavina  (Law- 
rence) Wright  of  Ashby.  At  this  date  he  re- 
moved to  Ashby,  where  he  d.  April  2,  1878. 
He  never  did  any  harm,  and  was  constitutionally 
too  indolent  to  do  much  good.  "  Persevere  Mr. 
Crosby  "  was  the  frequent  admonition  of  his 
wife  who  survived  him  and  d.  March  31,  1884. 

IV.  Betsey,   b.   March   2,   1792  ;    md.   July  29,   1816, 

William  Riigg  of  Leominster. 
V.    Walter,  h.   Sept.   29,    1794;    md.    Sally  Wheeler ; 

d.  in  Marlboro  1839. 
A'l.  Patty,  b.  in  Ashburnham  Aug.  8,  1796. 

VII.  Harriet,  b.  June  21,  1799  ;  md. Lovewell ;  d. 

in  Marlboro. 
VIII.  Hejysibeth,  b.  April  13, '1801  ;  d.  Dec.  28,  1819. 


660 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


IX.  Mary,  b.  March  28,  1803  ;   md.  Joseph  Maynard. 

X.  Josiah,  b.  April  6,  1805;  md.  March  21,  1834, 
Lydia  Everbeck  of  Boston ;  she  d.  June  8, 
1841  ;  md.  (2d)  Dec.  7,  1842,  Alice  Ross.  He 
resides  in  Arlington. 

XI.  Almira,  b.  May  1,  1807  ;  md.  Asa  Merriam,  q.  v. 
XII.  Caroline^  b.  Dec.  3,  1809  ;  md.  John  Barrell,  q.  v. 
xm.  Lucy,  b.  Oct.  3,  1812  ;  md.  March  29,  1836,  Free- 
man Howe,  son  of  Jonah  and  Catherine  (Howe) 
Howe  of  Marlboro',  where  she  d.  Aug.,  1885. 


10 
11 

(5) 


Abraham  Cummings  removed  from  Attleborough  to  this 
town  about  1787.  He  was  a  farmer  and  a  blameless  citi- 
zen. He  md.  previous  to  his  arrival  in  this  town  Mary 
BQurne.    Two  children,  not  named  below,  d.  in  childhood. 

I.  Abraham,  b.  July  30,  1787;  d.  June  17,  1809. 
II.   Calvin,  b.  Oct.    10,   1792.     He  was  a  Methodist 
minister   and    removed   from    this   town    about 
1825.     He  md.  Jan.   7,  1817,  Matilda  Wilcott. 
Vide  Chap.  XX. 

III.  Maria,  b.  Oct.  5,  1794  ;  md.  Nov.  10,  1828,  Sam- 

uel Cook.     Resided  in  Franklin. 

IV.  Ariel,  b.  Dec.  30,  1796. -|- 

V.  Adin,  b.  Dec.  4,  1798.  He  resided  in  Rindge 
until  1855  when  he  removed  to  Jaffrey,  N.  H., 
where  he  d.  He  md.  1820,  Sarah  (Wetherbee) 
Breed,  widow  of  Enoch  Breed  of  Rindge.  She 
d.  June  29,  1840;  md.  (2d)  1841,  Cynthia 
Brigham  of  Waltham. 

1.  Adin  Milton,  b.  July  20,  1821  ;    md.  Dec. 

5,  1843,  Elizabeth  M.  Peaslee.     Resides 
in  Sutton,  N.  H. 

2.  John  Calvin,  b.  Feb.  27,  1843  ;  d.  1864. 

VI.  Ivers,  b.  June  22,  1800  ;  removed  to  New  York. 

VII.  Andrew,  b.  May  11,  1802;  md.  Almira  Fuller  of 

Northbridge  ;  removed  to  Wenhall,  Vt. 

vm.  Sally,  b.  Feb.  29,  1806  ;  md.  Rawson ;   d.  in 

Wenhall,  Vt. 


Ariel  Cummings  md.  Feb.  28,  1822,  Malison  Currier, 
dau.  of  John  and  Susan  (Orcut)  Currier  of  Acworth,  N. 
H.,  and  granddau.  of  David  and  Martha  (Ladd)  Currier 
of  Windham,  N.  H.  He  was  a  respectable  citizen  and  a 
farmer,  occupying  the  farm  now  of  M.  T.  Russell  in  the 
north  part  of  the  town.  He  d.  Aug.  28,  1872  ;  she  d. 
Oct.  7,  1874. 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER. 


661 


II. 
III. 


Ariel  Ivers,  h.  June  11,  1823.  He  was  a  physi- 
cian. Vide  Chap.  XX.  He  md.  June  9,  1844, 
Mary  C.  Grant  of  Greenfield,  N.  H.  He  d. 
Sept.  y,  1863.  They  had  one  child,  Helen,  who 
was  murdered  at  four  years  of  age  by  an  insane 
man  in  the  presence  of  her  mother. 

John  Lauren,  b.  Aug.  25,  1824. -|- 

Lorinda.,  b.  May  27,  1826  ;  resides  unmd.  in  Ash- 
burnham. 

Viola  3L,  b.  Aug.  25,  1839  ;  d.  Feb.  3,  1845. 


John  L.  Cummings,  Esq.,  md.  Jan.  4,  1875,  Ellen  J. 
Adams  of  Nashua,  N.  H.  He  has  been  a  Justice  of  the 
Peace  many  years  and  has  frequently  served  on  the  board 
of  Selectman,  Assessors  and  Overseers  of  the  Poor.'  From 
1875  to  1879  he  was  one  of  the  Trustees  of  Westboro' 
Reform  School.  He  resides  in  the  Centre  Village.  No 
children. 


Hezekiah  Cummings,  b.  in  Peacham,  Vt.,  1817,  md. 
Sept.  9,  1842,  Mariah  H.  Burr,  b.  Nov.  14,  1814,  dau. 
of  Seymour  and  Hannah  (Roberts)  Burr  of  Grantham, 
N.  H.  They  resided  in  Barnet  and  Lunenburg,  Vt.,  for 
several  years  and  removed  to  this  town. 

I.  Hattie  Maria,  b.  Oct.  7,  1843  ;  md.  1862,  William 
H.  Wright ;  reside  in  Belmont,  N.  H. 

II.  Albert  Edwin,  b.  Oct.  15,  1847  ;  md.  1867,  Emma 

J.  Willoughby  ;  reside  in  Lawrence. 

III.  Lucia  Ella,  b.  June  5,  1851 ;  md.   1880,  Charles 

S.  Hart;  reside  in  Boston. 

IV.  George  Seywour,  b.  Dee.  12,  1854  ;  is  a  physician 

in  Manchester,  N.  H. 
V.  Milo  Burr,  b.  Dec.  28,  1856;  md.   1881,  Hannah 
L.  Moore.     He  is  a  teacher  of  music  ;  resides 
in  Leominster. 


CUSHING. 

The  emigrant  ancestor  of  all  the  families  bearing  the  name  of  Cnshingwho 
have  resided  in  Ashburnham  was  Matthew  Gushing,  a  son  of  Peter  and  Susan 
(Hawes)  Gushing.  He  was  b.  in  HinKham,  England,  L589.  He  md.  Aug. 
5,  1613,  Nazereth  Pitcher,  dau.  of  Henry  Pitcher.  Matthew  and  Nazereth 
Gushing  with  five  children,  aged  from  eleven  to  nineteen  years,  embarked 
in  the  ship  Diligent,  John  Martin,  master,  and  arrived  in  Boston  Aug.  10, 
1638.  There  were  one  hundred  and  thirty-three  passengers  on  the  Diligent, 
many  of  whom  immediately  commenced  the  settlement  of  Hingham  in  New 
England.  Matthew  Gushing  was  a  deacon  of  the  church  of  which  Rev.  Peter 
Hobart  was  the  pastor.  He  d.  Sept.  30,  1660.  Daniel  Gushing,  eldest  son 
of  Matthew  and  Nazereth  Gushing,  was  h.  1619,  and,  consequently,  was 
nineteen  years  of  age  when  he  emigrated  to  New  England.     He  md.  June  19, 


662  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

1645,  Lydia  Gilman,  dau.  of  Edward  Oilman;  she  d.  March  12,  1689.  He 
md.  (2d)  March  23,  1691,  Elizabeth  (Jacob)  Thaxter,  widow  of  John  Thaxter 
and  dau.  of  Nicholas  Jacob ;  she  d.  Nov.  24,  1725.  He  d.  Dec.  3,  1699.  He 
was  admitted  freeman  1671,  was  a  magistrate  and  for  many  years  the  town 
clerk  of  Hingham.  He  was  representative  1681,  1682  and  1695.  Of  his  six 
children  the  youngest  was  Matthew,  b.  July  15,  1660.  He  md.  Dec.  31, 
1684,  Jael  Jacob,  dan.  of  Col.  John  Jacob  of  Hingham.  She  d.  Dec.  23, 
1708,  and  he  d.  June  23,  1715.  The  fifth  of  their  ten  children  was  Rev.  Job 
Gushing  who  was  b.  July  19,  1694.  He  graduated  at  Harvard  University 
1714  and  was  ordained  the  first  minister  in  Shrewsbury  Dec.  4,  1723.  He 
md.  March  16,  1727,  Mary  Prentice,  dau.  of  Rev.  John  and  Mary  Prentice 
of  Lancaster,  and  continued  in  the  ministry  at  Shrewsbury  until  his  death 
Aug.  6,  1760.  His  widow  d.  May  27,  1798.  The  seventh  of  their  eight 
children  was  Rev.  John  Gushing,  D.  D.,  of  Ashburnham. 

Gapt.  David  Gushing,  who  is  number  17  in  the  following  register,  was  a 
descendant  of  Theophilus  Gusliing,  another  son  of  Daniel  and  Lydia  (Gilman) 
Gushing  who  was  b.  June  17,  1657;  md.  Dec.  7,  1689,  Mary  Thaxter,  dau. 
of  John  Thaxter  and  d.  Jan.  7,  1717.  She  d.  1737.  Of  their  nine  children 
the  fifth  was  Gapt.  Abel  Gushing,  b.  Oct.  24,  1696.  He  md.  Nov.  24,  1720, 
Mary  Jacob  and  d.  May  20,  1750.  His  third  son  was  Gol.  David,  b.  Sept.  7, 
1727;  md.  April  9,  1752,  Ruth  Lincoln  who  d.  July  6,  1761.     He  md.  (2d) 

Mabel who  d.  Aug.  14,   1798.     He  d.  Feb.  15,  1800.     Gapt.  David  of 

Ashburnham  was  a  son  of  the  first  wife  and  George  Russell  Gushing,  Esq., 
number  63  in  the  following  register,  was  a  son  of  the  second  wife. 

The  third  lineage  of  the  Gushing  family  in  this  town  are  descendants  of 
John  Gushing,  who  was  the  youngest  son  of  Matthew  Gushing  the  emigrant 
ancestor.  He  was  b.  in  Hingham,  England,  1627;  md.  Jan.  20,  1658,  Sarah 
Hawke,  dau.  of  Matthew  Hawke.  In  1662  he  removed  to  Scituate.  He  \vas 
a  prominent  citizen  and  frequently'  employed  in  public  affairs.  He  was 
selectman  and  a  member  of  the  General  Gourt  many  years.  He  d.  March 
31,  1708;  his  wife  d.  1678.  Their  fourth  child  was  Jeremiah  Gushing,  b. 
July  13,  1666.  He  md.  April  12,  1693,  Judith  Parmenter  and  resided  in 
Scituate,  wliere  he  d.  May  30,  1710.  Ebenezer  Gushing,  third  son  of 
Jeremiah  and  Judith  (Parmenter)  Gushing,  was  b.  May  25,  1704;  md.  Oct. 
19,  1732,  Elizabeth  Daniels.  He  removed  from  Scituate  to  Boston,  where 
he  d.  1792.  Their  fourth  child  was  Benjamin  Gushing,  b.  July  16,  1739 ; 
md.  Oct.  13,  1761,  Susannah  Salter;  md.  (2d)  July  26,  1770,  Mary 
Colesworihy.  The  seventh  child  of  Benjamin  and  Mary  (Golesworthy) 
Gushing  was  Stephen  Gushing  wlio  is  number  71  in  the  register. 

It  will  be  observed  that  Rev.  John  Gushing  was  of  the  fifth  generation  of 
this  lineage,  that  Gapt.  David  and  George  Russell  Gushing,  Esq.,  and  Stephen 
Gushing,  Esq.,  were  of  the  sixth  generation. 


Rev.  John  Gushing,  D.  D.,  younsest  son  of  Rev.  Job 
and  Mary  (Prentice)  Gushing,  was  b.  in  Shrewsbury 
Aug.  22,  1744.  Graduated  at  Harvard  University  1764, 
ordained  at  Ashburnham  Nov.  2,  1768,  and  d.  in  the 
fifty-fifth  year  of  his  ministry  April  27,  1823.  For  some 
account  of  an  able  and  faithful  minister  vide  Ghap.  VIII. 
He  md  Sept.  28,  1769,  Sarah  Parkman,  dau.  of  Rev. 
Ebenezer  and  Hannah  (^Breck)  Parkman  of  Westboro' 
and  granddaughter  of  Rev.  Robert  Breck  of  Marlboro'. 
She  was  a  woman  of  dignified  manner,  of  superior  mental 
ability  and  most  estimable  character.  She  d.  March  12, 
1825,  aged  82  years.     They  had  eight  children. 


10 

11 

12 

(12) 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  663 

I.  Jolin^  b.  Aug.  17,  1771  ;  md.  April  5,  1795,  Julia 

Keith  of  Bridgewater.  He  was  a  merchant  in 
Boston,  where  he  d.  May  17,  1806. 

1.  Julia  Ann,  b.   1796;  md.  1817,  Benjamin 

F.    Farnsworth.     She   d.,    leaving    one 
son,  1819. 

2.  Mary  K.,   b.   1798;    md.  Moses  Sawyer; 

d.  1828.     She  left  two  children. 

II.  George  Augustus,]:,.  i(\n(t  24,  1773;  rad.  Hannah 

B.  Keith,  a  sister  of  the  wife  of  his  brother 
John.     Hed.  Aug.  8,  1810. 

1.  George  A.,  b.  1802  ;  d.  March  28,  1823. 

III.  Henry,  b.  Nov.  4,  1774;  d.  unmd.  April  17,  1839. 

IV.  Saraii,  b.    Feb.    23,   1777;   md.    Nov.  11,    1802, 

Dea.  Heman  Lincoln,  son  of  Heman  and 
Elizabeth  Lincoln  of  Hingham.  In  1801  the 
parents  of  Dea.  Lincoln  removed  from  Hingham 
to  the  north  part  of  Westminster  and  became 
members  of  the  church  in  this  town,  Dea. 
Lincoln  resided  here  a  few  years  and  removed 
to  Boston.  He  was  one  of  the  trustees  of  the 
will  of  Thomas  Parkman  Gushing. 

V.  Doddridge,  h.  Oct.  27,  1779;  d.  unmd.  in  Ash- 
burnham  .Jan.  12,  1866. 

VI.  Mary,  b.  April  27,  1782  ;  md.  Elisha  Coolidge,  q.  v. 

VII.  Cyrus,  b.  Feb.  17,  1784;  d.  Feb.  6,  1795. 

VIII.  Thomas  Parkman,  b.  Oct.  7,  1787.-f- 


TiiOMAs  Parkman  Gushing.  Vide  Ghap.  XX.  He 
md.  Nov.  4,  1824,  Sarah  Barker  Sigourney ;  md.  (2d) 
1831,  Mrs.  Martha  Ann  Sigourney  Tmd.  (3d)  May  18, 
1843,  Sarah  Thompson  Wayland.    "^He  d.  Nov.  23,  1854. 

13  I.  Sarah  E.  S.,  b.  Feb.  26,  1832;  md.  May  17, 
1854,  Edward  Tuckerman,  LL.  D.  Since  1858 
he  was  Piofessor  of  Botany,  Amherst  Gollege, 

j  until  his  death  March  15,  1886. 

14  I         II.  Anna  Louisa,  b.  April  26,  1834. 

15  !        HI.  John  Cargill,  b.  Feb.  17,  1836  ;  d.  Aug.  21,  1836. 

16  I  IV.  Martha,  b.  Nov.  14,  1837;  md.  July  18,  1867, 
William  G.  Esty,  son  of  Rev.  Isaac  and  Anna 
G.  (Cole)  Esty.'  He  is  professor  of  Mathematics 
and  Astronomy,  Amherst  Gollege. 


17 


Capt.  David   Gushing,  son  of  Gol.  David   and  Ruth 
(Lincoln)   Gushing,    was  b.   in   Hingham  July  2,    1754. 


664 


HISTOllY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


21 


24 


(18) 


He  md.  Oct.  17,  1779,  Hannah  Gushing,  dau.  of  Joseph 
and  Sarah  (LeavitL)  Gushing,  granddau.  of  Solomon 
and  Sarah  (Loring)  Gushing,  and  great-granddau.  of 
Matthew  and  Jael  Gushing.  She  was  a  sister  of  the 
second  wife  of  Gol.  Francis  Lane  and  was  b.  in  Hingham 
April  26,  1760.  Gapt.  Gushing  removed  to  this  town 
1798.  He  was  an  innholder,  a  tanner  and  a  farmer.  He 
resided  where  Nahum  Wood  now  lives.  Tradition  and 
the  records  are  united  in  the  assertion  that  Gapt.  Gushing 
was  a  man  of  good  abilitv  and  a  respected  citizen.  He 
d.  May  3,  1827.  She  d.  March  13,  1823.  Seven  children 
were  b.  in  Hingham  and  one,  the  youngest,  in  Ashburnham. 

I.  Joseph,  b.  Jan.  23,  1781.-}- 

II.  Hannah,  b.  June  9,  1783  ;  md.  Silas  Whitney,  q.  v. 

III.  David,  b.  Nov.  7,  1785.     He  md.  April  17,  1807, 

Polly  Adams,  dau.  of  John  Adams,  q.  v.,  and 
resided  in  Walpole,  N.  H.  Three  children. 
She  d.  Aug.  15,  1854.     He  d.  1827. 

IV.  Susaiinah.h.  Nov.  7,  1785;  md.   Oct.   8,    1811, 

Joseph  Jewett,  Jr.,  q.  v. 

V.  Laban,  b.  April  29,  1791. + 

VI.  Deborah,  b.  Sept.  6,  1793  ;  md.  Josiah  P'letcher, 
Jr  ,  q.  V. 

VII.  Moses,  b.  March  20,  1796.  Resided  in  Catharine, 
Schuyler  Go.,  New  York;  the  town  is  now 
called  Havana.  He  md.  Dec.  25,  1818,  Gert- 
rude, dau.  of  Peter  PoUey,  q.  v.  He  d.  Dec. 
29,  1883.  She  d.  Feb.  26,  1867.  They  had 
five  children. 

1.  Susan,  b.   Sept.  20,  1820;   d.  March  20, 

1841. 

2.  Betsey,   b.   Aug.   31,    1823;    md.   Joseph 

Gushing,  g.  v. 

3.  Herman,    b.    Feb.    9,    1826 ;    resides    at 

Havana. 

4.  Mary,  b.  April  12, 1830  ;  d.  June  19, 1859. 

5.  Joseph,b.  Oct.  31,  1838;  d.  June  30, 1858. 

VIII.  Sarah  Leavilt,  b.  Dec.  7,  1798 ;  md.  Ephraim 
May  Gunuingham,  a  law^-er,  who  removed  from 
this  town  lo  Reading  a  few  years  after  his 
marriage.     She  d.  about  1830. 


Joseph  Gushing,  son  of  Gapt.  David  Gushing,  removed 
from  Ashburnham  to  Amherst,  N.  H.,  where  he  established 
the  Farmers'  Cabinet.  The  first  number  was  issued  Nov. 
11,  1802,  and  the  paper  has  been  continued  to  the  present 


31 

32 
33 

34 

35 
36 
37 

(22) 


39 
40 
41 


42 


43 
44 


GENEALOGICAL   KEGISTER.  665 

time.  With  Mr.  Gushing  and  in  this  office  Hon.  Isaac 
Hill  learned  the  art  of  printing.  In  1809  Mr.  Cashing 
removed  to  Baltimore,  Md.,  where  for  many  years  he  was 
a  well-known  publisher  and  bookseller.  He  was  a  member 
of  the  city  government  and  of  the  State  Legislature  and 
for  twenty-five  years  he  was  president  of  "The  Savings 
Bank  of  Baltimore."  He  md.  1805,  Rebecca  Edmands 
and  d.  1852. 

I.  Joseph,   b.    1806;    md.     1832,    Ann    Mackenzie. 
Four  children. 

II.  John,  b.  Aug.  29,  1808  ;  md.  Frances  Cromwell, 

who  d.  March  13,  1865.     Eight  children. 

III.  David,    b.     1811  ;     md.     1834,    Catharine    Jane 

McClennan.     He    d.    Aug.    26,    1875.     Eight 
children. 

IV.  Rebecca,  md.   Hon.  J.   Wiley    Edmands,   son  of 

Thomas  and  grandson  of  Thomas  and  Elizabeth 
(Wiley)  Edmands.     They  reside  in  Newton. 
V.  Mary,  md.  Erastus  Edgarton. 

VI.  Sarah,  md.  William  H.  Calwell  of  Baltimore. 

VII.  Elizabeth,  md.  W.  F.  Sloan  of  Baltimore. 


Laban  Cushing,  son  of  Capt.  David,  was  in  the  war  of 
1812.  In  1817  he  removed  to  Brooklyn,  Penn.,  and 
returned  to  Ashburnham  in  1830.  He  md.  April  23, 
1811,  Nancy  Whitney,  dau.  of  Silas  Whitney,  q.  v.  He 
d.  in  this  town  Oct.  17,  1847;  she  d.  in  Fitchburg  Jan. 
27,  1871.     They  had  twelve  children. 

I.  Nancy    Whitney,    b.    June    20,    1813 ;    md.    John 
Munroe,  q.  v.. 

II.  Sarah,  b.  May  18,  1815  ;  md.  Samuel  Ellis,  g.  v. 

III.  Joseph,  b.  Oct.  6,  1817. + 

IV.  Laban,  b.  March  22, 1820.     Besides  in  Fitchburg  ; 

md.  May  31,  1847,  Adaline  Keyes,  dau.  of 
Silas  and  Julia  (Brooks)  Keyes  of  Princeton. 
Three  children. 

1.  Addie  Auretta,  b.  Dec.  5,  1848  ;  md.  July 

22,  1874,  Herbert  N.  Rugg,  son  of  Capt. 
William  S.  and  Clarissa  (Sawtelle)  Rugg 
of  Rindge.  He  is  a  wholesale  and  retail 
confectioner  in  Fitchburg. 

2.  Eva  Josephine,  b.  Oct.  1,  1852;  md.  May 

24,  1881,  Granville  Nutting  of  Waltham. 

3.  Emma  Julia,  b.  Sept.  10,  1855  ;  md.  Jan. 

27,  1881,  Robert  M.  Jones,  son  of 
Henry  E.  and  Lydia  H.  Jones. 


666 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


45 
46 

47 

48 
49 

50 
51 

52 

53 

54 

55 
56 

57 

58 

59 

(40) 


V.  Rebecca  A.,    b.   Sept.    12,    1822;    md.    Isaac   D. 

Ward,  q.  v. 

VI.  Susan  A.,  h.  Nov.  13,  1824;   md.  Jonas  Corey, 

q.  V. 
VII.  Mary  Jane,  b.  Feb.  27,  1826  ;  md.  May  21,  1844, 
Gardner  P.  Hawkins  of  Fitehburg  ;  she  d.  Dec. 
5,  1874.     Four  children. 

1.  Ellen  C,  b.  March  7,  1847;  md.  April  7, 

1881,  William  H.  McGrathof  New  York. 

2.  Herbert  G.,  b.  June  28,  1849;  md.  Oct. 

24,  1876,  Hattie  R.  Wilson  ;  she  d.  July 
3,  1879. 

3.  Abbott  C,  b.  Dec.  4,  1855;  md.  Feb.  6, 

1886,  Carrie  M.  Eldridge. 

4.  Gertrude,  b.  Dec.  5,  1858  ;  md.  June  12, 

1879,  Charles  F.  Wilson  of  Fitehburg. 

vm.  Charles  G.,  b.  Feb.  16,  1829  ;  md.  Oct.  23,  1856, 
Jane  E.  Willard,  dau.  of  John  Willard,  q.  v. 
They  subsequently  removed  to  Fitehburg  and 
now  reside  in  Lunenburg. 

1.  Martha  W.,  b.  Oct.  13,  1862  ;  d.  Jan.  22, 

18G3. 

2.  John  W.,  b.  April  12,  1864;  d.  Aug.  1, 

1864. 

3.  Charles  W.,  b.  Sept.  4,  1866. 

IX.  Harriet  Maria,  b.  Aug.  22,  1831 ;  md.  Porter  E. 

Barton. 

X.  George    Russell,    b.    Sept.    8,    1835 ;    md.    Julia 

Thompson. 
XI.  David  M.,h.  Oct.   11,  1839;   md.  Oct.  6,   1860, 

Ellen  A.  Foster. 
XII.  Hannah  Elizabeth,  b.  July  29,  1841  ;    md.  Dec. 
14,  1859,  George  S.  Doe  of  Great  Falls,  N.  H. 


Joseph  CusHixa  has  been  a  resident  of  Fitehburg  about 
forty  years.  Early  in  life  he  began  business  on  a 
moderate  scale  and  without  capital.  The  most  available 
means  which  sustained  his  early  ventures  was  a  cheerful 
temperament  and  unflinching  courage.  After  a  reasonable 
measure  of  success  in  the  livery  business,  he  engaged  in 
company  with  David  F.  Mclntire  in  the  lumber  trade  in 
which  he  continued  until  1858.  Mr.  Cushing  at  this  time 
opened  a  flour  and  grain  store  under  the  American  House 
and  here  he  industriously  laid  the  foundations  of  an 
extensive  trade  which  he  has  successfully  conducted  to 


60 

I. 

Milton  J/.,  b.  Sept.  4,  1844;  md.  June  12,  1867, 
Ellen  M.  Leland.     He  d.  in  Fitchburg  Ma}-  9, 
1879. 

61 

II. 

Joseph. 

62 

III. 

Susan,  md.  C.  P.  Dickinson  of  Fitchburg. 

63 


64 


69 
70 


GENEALOGICAL   KEGLSTER.  667 

the  present  time.  About  twenty  j^ears  ago  he  purchased 
the  "  Stone  Mill"  and  from  time  to  time  he  has  enlarged 
the  business  to  a  present  volume  of  three-fourths  of  a 
million  dollars  annually.  His  shipments  of  corn  and 
other  supplies  of  grain  and  of  flour  from  the  West  are 
sold  in  Fitchburg  and  at  branch  stores  in  Waltham, 
Wincheudon,  Keene  and  Bellows  Falls.  The  first  freight 
through  Hoosac  Tunnel  was  a  train  of  twenty-two  cars 
laden  with  grain  and  consigned  to  Mr.  Gushing. 

In  his  intercourse  with  his  fellow-men  he  is  frank  and 
cordial,  and  in  his  sympathies  and  tastes  he  is  one  of  the 
people.  He  md.  July  22,  1841,  Elmira  Marble,  dau.  of 
Stephen  Marble,  q.  v.;  she  d.  1845;  md.  (2d)  Feb.  31, 
1847,  Mary  Ann  Arnold  who  d.  Aug.  23,  1866;  md. 
(3d)  1868, Betsey  Gushing,  dau.  of  Moses  Gushing,  q.  v.; 
she  d.  Sept.  23,  1875. 


George  Russell  Gushing,  Esq.,  son  of  Col.  David  and 
Mabel  Gushing,  and  a  half  brother  of  Capt.  David 
Gushing,  was  b.  in  Ilingham  April  24,  1768.  He  removed 
to  Ashburnham  in  1800.  In  early  life  he  was  a  sea-faring 
man  and  had  commanded  several  vessels  in  the  European 
and  West  India  trade.  He  was  a  man  of  good  judgment 
and  maintained  a  piominent  position  in  public  affairs. 
He  md.  Aug.  13,  1801.  Gatharine  Willard,  dau.  of  Jacob 
Willard,  q.  v.  She  d.  April  28,  1825.  He  md.  (2d) 
March  22,  1826,  Hannah  Russell  Hill,  dau.  of  Isaac  Hill, 
q.  V.     He  d.  Feb.  2,  1851. 

I.  George  Willard,  b.  Oct.  21,  1811  ;  md.  Julia  Anna 
Gibson,  dau.  of  Samuel  Gibson  of  Ashby.  He 
d.  Nov.  5,  1856  ;  she  d.  Oct.  1,  1880. 

1.  Pyam  Burr,  b.  Dec.  19,  1842  ;  d.  1843. 

2.  Sewell  Gibson   (twin),  b.  Dec.   19,   1842; 

d.  1843. 

3.  Gatherine,  md.  Brown. 

II.  Charles  AVenshy,h.  May  31,  1816;  md.  Nov.  5, 
1837,  Mary  Bathsheisa  Dakin.  Removed  to 
New  Hampshire. 

1.  George  G.,  b.  Sept.  10,  1838. 

2.  Gharles  R.,  b.  Oct.  27,  1840. 


668 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


71 


79 


Stephen  Gushing,  son  of  Benjamin  and  Mary  (Coles- 
worthy)  Gushing,  was  b.  in  Boston  June  21,  1784.  He 
md.  May  13,  1812,  Eliza  Goodale,  b.  in  Boston  Dec.  11, 
1790.  For  several  years  he  was  a  mast-maker  and  was 
engaged  in  this  business  in  company  with  an  older  brother. 
In  1818  the  brother  retired  and  the  business  was  success- 
fully continued  by  Mr.  Gushing  until  1830  when  he  re- 
moved to  this  town.  He  was  upright  and  conscientious 
in  all  his  business  and  social  relations  and  as  a  citizen  the 
influence  of  his  exalted  character  was  firm  and  salutary. 
He  was  distinguished  for  integrity,  and  through  a  long 
and  useful  life  the  purity  of  his  motives  and  an  unfailing 
kindness  to  his  fellow-men  were  conspicuous.  His  name 
is  frequently  mentioned  in  the  annals  of  Ashburnham.  In 
1838  he  represented  the  town  in  the  Legislature.  At  this 
time  the  first  petition  to  the  Legislature  for  a  restrictive 
temperance  law  originated  in  this  town  and  to  Mr.  Gush- 
ing fell  the  honor  of  presenting  it  in  the  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives. The  names  of  all  who  voted  for  the  measure, 
headed  by  Mr.  Gushing,  was  posted  in  one  of  the  public 
inns  of  Boston  as  a  mark  of  disapproval  of  prohibitory 
legislation.  From  that  time  to  the  present,  neither  the 
courage  of  men  like  Mr.  Gushing  nor  the  spirit  of  the 
hotels  have  sufl^ered  any  abatement.  He  d.  July  22,  1872. 
His  wife  d.  Sept.  12,  1854. 

I.  Stephen,  b.  March  15,  1813.  Vide  Ghap.  XX. 
Rev.  Stephen  Gushing  md.  April  13,  1834, 
Levina  Glazier  Whitney  of  Westminster.  Two 
children. 

1.  Joseph   Whitney,   b.    Jan.    26,    1837;     a 

physician  in  IBoston. 

2.  Stephen,  b.  May  29,  1841  ;    a  physician  in 

Boston. 

11.  Eliza,  b.  April  18,  1815  ;    md.  May  9,  1832,  John 

Whitue}^  of  Westminster. 
nr.  Benjamin,  b.  Feb.  19,  1817;  md.  May  30,  1838, 
Belinda  Whitney  of  Westminster.  She  d.  Jan. 
5,  1841.  He  md.  (2d)  May  18,  1841,  Lois  S. 
Holbrook,  dan.  of  Jesse  Holbrook,  q.  v.  He 
resides,  a  farmer,  on  the  old  homestead  on  the 
east  side  of  the  common. 

1.  Sarah   Page,   b.  Aug.   24,    1840;    resides 

unmd.  in  Ashburnham. 

2.  Edwin  James,   b.   March  20,    1842 ;    md. 

Laura  E.  Bean  ;  resides  in  Gardner. 

3.  Benjamin,  b.  Feb.  23,  1844. 


GENEALOGICAL    REGISTER. 


669 


80 

81 
82 
83 


4.  Linda   Whitney,   b.   Feb.    17,    1846;    md. 

1870,  John  J.  Greenough  of  Deerfield. 

5.  Joseph  G.,  b.  Dec.  26,  1847. 

6.  Eliza,  b.  July  18,  1849. 

7.  Anna  Elizabeth,   b.   May  15,   1851  ;    md. 

Nov.  2,  1883,   F.   Herbert  Andrews  of 
West  Deerfield. 

8.  Henry  E.,  b.  Nov.  30,  1853  ;    a  physician 

in  Champion,  111.      Vide  Chap.  XX. 

9.  Frederic,  b.  Feb.  23,  1857. 

10.  Mary  Ellen,  b.  July  28,  1859. 

11.  Alfred  Holbrook,  b.  Oct.   10,    1861;    md. 

Hattie    M.   Reed,  dau.   of   George   and 
Laura  (Kelton)  Reed. 

IV.  Sarah  Page,  b.  April  22,  1819  ;  md.  June  19,  1851, 
Joseph  B.  Jewett.  She  d.  Aug.  21,  1874,  and 
he  md.  her  youngest  sister. 

V.  John  Fletcher,  b.  Sept.  15,1823;  md.  May  18, 
1853,  Lucy  Ann  Whittemore.  He  is  a  chair- 
maker  ;  resides  in  Ashburnham. 

VI.  A7in  Bowker,  b.  April  17,  1826  ;  md.  Nov.  17, 
1875,  Joseph  B.  Jewett  of  Ashby. 


CUTLER. 

James  Cutler,  the  emigrant  ancestor  of  one  branch  of  the  Cutler  families 
of  this  country,  was  b.  in  England  1G06,  and  probably  was  md.  to  his  wife 
Anna  before  he  left  England.  He  was  in  Watertown  in  1635,  where  he  was 
admitted  an  inhabitant  and  a  lot  of  land  was  assigned  him.  About  1G50  he 
sold  his  lands  in  Watertown  and  removed  to  Cambridge  Farms,  and  at  a 
point  which  is  now  in  Bedford.  His  wife  Anna  d.  Sept.  30,  1644;  he  md. 
(2d)  March  9,  1645,  Mary  King,  widow  of  Thomas  King  of  Watertown.  She 
d.  Dec.  7,  1654,  and  he  md.  (3d)  Phebe  Page,  dau.  of  John  and  Phebe  Page. 
He  d.  May  17,  1794,  aged  88  years.  Thomas  Cutler,  the  sixth  of  the  twelve 
children  of  the  emigrant  ancestor  and  the  eldest  son  of  the  second  wife,  was 
b.  about  1648.  He  was  styled  a  lieutenant  and  was  a  constable,  assessor  and 
selectman  of  Lexington.  He  d.  July  13,  1722.  By  wife  Abigail  he  had 
seven  children,  and  among  them  was  Jonathan  Cutler,  b.  1688.  He  md.  Aug. 
17,  1710,  Abigail  Bigelow,  b.  May  7,  1687,  dau.  of  Samuel  and  Mary  (Flagg) 
Bigelow  of  Watertown.  He  removed  to  Connecticut,  residing  in  Colchester 
and  Killingly,  now  Thompson.  He  md.  (2d)  Abigail  Dewing  of  Bellingham 
and  it  appears  that  he  was  a  resident  of  Bellingham  a  short  time,  about  1727. 

Capt.  William  Cutler,  son  of  Jonathan,  b.  March  24,  1726,  removed 
from  Killingly  to  Plainfield,  Conn.,  where  he  md.  Nov.  7,  1750,  Susannah 
Shepherd  who  d.  1798.  He  was  again  md.  and  d.  in  1802.  He  was  a  man 
of  enterprise  and  he  acquired  a  good  estate.  Jonathan  Cutler,  son  of  Capt. 
William,  b.  about  1755,  md.  Keziah  Hutchins  and  settled  in  Plainfield.  He 
is  described  as  a  man  of  excellent  character,  of  pleasing  manners  and  of  fine 
personal  appearance.  Of  their  six  children  Dr.  William  H.  Cutler  of  this 
town  was  the  eldest. 


Dr.  William  Hutchins  Cutler,  son  of  Jonathan  and 
Keziah    (Hutchins)   Cutler,  was  b.   in  Plainfield,  Conn., 


670 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


12 


July  27,  1787.  For  many  years  he  was  a  resident  physi- 
cian and  esteemed  citizen  of  this  town.  Vide  Chap.  XX. 
He  md.  June  16,  1814,  Abigail  Hale  Lowe,  dau.  of  Dr. 
Abraham  Lowe,  q.  v.  He  d.  in  Andover,  at  the  home  of 
his  daughter,  July  16,  1867.  Three  children  were  b.  in 
Wiuchendon  ;  four  in  New  Salem  and  four  in  this  town. 

I.  William  Jonathan^  b.  April  19,  1815  ;  he  is  the 
senior  partner  in  the  well-known  firm  of  Cutler 
Brothers,  importers  and  wholesale  druggists, 
Boston.  He  md.  April  4,  1843,  Lucia  C.  Wash- 
burn of  Bridgewater;  (2d)  March  21,  1855, 
Cordelia  A.  Ripley  of  Brookliue  ;  (3d)  Feb.  18, 
1857,  Mrs.  Lucy  L.  Carter  of  Newtonville. 

II.  Abigail  Hale,  b.  June  8,  1816 ;  md.  Jan.  25, 
1836,  Dea.  Albert  Abbott,  a  prominent  and  use- 
ful citizen  of  Andover. 

III.  Abraham  Lowe,  b.  June  3,   1818  ;    he  resides   in 

Brookline  and  is  senior  member  of  the  firm  of 
A.  L.  Cutler  &  Co.,  wholesale  dealers  in  Paints 
and  Oils,  Boston.  He  md.  Oct.  30,  1844,  Har- 
riet H.  Sewall  of  Bath,  Me. 

IV.  Sarah  Lincoln,  b.  Nov.   12,   1819  ;    d.   Sept.   25, 

1839. 
V.   George,  b.  April  23,  1821  ;    of  the  firm  of  Cutler 

Brothers ;    resides   in    Boston ;    md.    May   23, 

1855,   Julia    S.    Hinks ;    (2d)    July    9,    1863, 

Josephine  Hinks  of  Brewer,  Me. 
Edimrcl,  b.  Feb.  9,  1824  ;  d.  Jan.  16,  1825. 
Edioard  Waldo,  b.  June  17,  1826  ;  of   the  firm  of 

Cutler  Brothers  ;  resides  in  Boston.     Md.  Sept. 

28,  1853,  Caroline  M.  Henderson  of  Boston. 
Charlotte  Keziah,  b.   Jan.   29,   1831  ;    d.  Feb.  2, 

1831. 
Charles,  b.  Jan.  29,  1831  ;  d.  Feb.  3, 1831. 
Catherine  Mary,  b.   Jan.    29,   1831  ;    d.   Feb.   4, 

1831. 

The  three  children  were  buried  Feb.  6. 
Charles  Henry,  b.  March  29,  1833  ;    he  is  of  the 

firm  of  C.  T.  Raynolds  &  Co.,  Paints  and  Oils, 

Chicago,  111.     He  md.   Oct.   23,  1872,  Hannah 

S.  Coffin  of  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 


VI. 
VII. 


Nathaniel  Cutter  removed  from  Westminster  to  Ash- 
burnham  1816.  He  was  b.  in  Westminster  June  5,  1789, 
and  was  a  son  of  Josiah  and  Sally  (Seaver)  Cutter  and  a 
grandson  of  Nathaniel  and  Submit  (Whitcomb)  Cutter  of 
Sudbury.     He  was  a  farmer  in  the  southeast  part  of  the 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  671 

town.  In  1850  he  removed  to  Fitchburg  and  subsequently 
to  Worcester.  He  md.  March  23,  1813,  Abigail  Taylor, 
dau.  of  Samuel  and  Prudence  (Winship)  Taylor  of  West- 
minster. She  d.  in  Fitchburg  Aug.  22,  1861.  He  d.  in 
Worcester  Sept.  27,  1880. 

I.  Nathaniel  F.,  b.  in  Westminster,  Sept.  26,  1815.-}- 
11.  Abigail  P.,  b.   in  Ashburnham  Sept.   18,    1817; 
md.  Joseph  Smith,  q.  v. 

III.  Sarah  Arvilla,  h.  Ju]y  18,   1820;    md.   Sept.   25, 

1843,  Charles  Leland  of  Milford.    Four  children. 

IV.  Louisa  J/.,  b.  April  1,  1824;    md.  1847,  Warren 

Ellis  of  Milford.    She  d.  April  18,  1861.    Three 
children. 


Nathaniel  F.  Cutter  md.  Oct.  14,  1835,  Nancy  H. 
Clark,  dau.  of  David  and  Betsey  (Rugg)  Clark  of 
Worcester;  she  d.  April  6,  1863  ;  he  md.  (2d)  Sept.  15, 
1864,  Eliza  B.  Rugg,  dau.  of  John  and  Sally  (Phelps) 
Rugg  of  Worcester.  She  d.  Aug.  17,  1885.  He  was  an 
officer  in  the  Light  Infantry.  He  resided  in  this  town 
until  1850,  when  he  removed  to  Worcester  and  was  there 
engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  plows.  He  had  by  first 
wife  one  son  b.  in  this  town. 

I.  Charles  Nathaniel,  b.  Dec.  21,  1837;  md.  July  9, 
1863,  Louisa  M.  Parker,  dau.  of  Fessenden  and 
Louisa  (Hall)  Parker  of  Westmoreland,  Vt.  ; 
she  d.  in  Worcester  Feb.  14,  1864  ;  he  md.  (2d) 
Abbie  T.  Moore,  dau.  of  Wentworth  and  Abi- 
gail M.  (Howe)  Moore  of  Worcester. 


Ephraim  Cutter  was  not  a  resident  of  Ashburnham, 
but  after  his  death  his  widow  and  children  resided  here. 
He  was  a  son  of  Ephraim  and  Deborah  (Locke)  Cutter 
and  was  b.  in  Charlestown  Dec.  2,  1794.  He  md.  Oct. 
12,  1817,  Sarah  A.  Russell,  dau.  of  Thomas  Russell,  g.  v. 
He  was  a  grain  dealer  in  West  Cambridge  where  he  d. 
April  4,  1826  ;  his  widow  md.  Joseph  Harris,  q.  v. 

I.  Ephraim,  b.  Oct.  4,  1818  ;  resides  unmd.  in  this 
town. 

II.  Sarah  Adams,  b.  Nov.  12,  1820;  md.  Nov.  29, 
1838,  Luther  L.  Barrel),  son  of  Luther  Barrell 
of  Westminster.  They  removed  to  St.  Louis, 
Mo.,  where  he  d.  May  20,  1866.  Five  of  their 
seven  children  d.  in  infancy. 

HI.   Clara  C.  b.  Jan.   12,  1823  ;  md.  Feb.  14,  1842, 


672 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


11 


12 


13 


14 


15 


William  Fillebrown  of  West  Cambridge.  He  d. 
May  8.  1883.  Six  children. 
Charles  Russell,  b.  Jan.  27,  1825  ;  md.  Dec.  23, 
1847,  Antoinette  Pamelia  Parker,  dau.  of  Hollis 
and  Pamelia  A.  (Pease)  Parker.  Resided  in 
Boston.     He  d.  Feb.  12,  1877.     Two  children. 


Joseph  Cutter,  b.  in  Watertown  Sept.  9, 1810,  removed 
to  this  town  1837.  He  md.  July  1,  1841,  Ruth  Ann 
Gilchrist,  dau.  of  John  Gilchrist  of  Lunenburg ;  she  d. 
Aug.  8,  1845.  He  md.  (2d)  Nov.  7,  1848,  Martha  V. 
Milliken,  dau.  of  William  and  Anna  (Carlton)  Milliken 
of  Sharon,  N.  H. 

I.  Gertrude  Sarah  Louisa,  b.  Jan.  22,  1844 ;  md. 
1862,  Frank  A.  Wood,  son  of  Allen  Wood  of 
Westminster. 


James  Cotter  removed  from  Pelham,  N.  H.,  to  this 
town  1860.  He  is  a  son  of  John  and  Phebe  (Rhoades) 
Cutter  of  Grafton,  Vt.,  and  a  grandson  of  Seth  and 
Abiah  (Tallant)  Cutter  of  Pelham,  N.  H.  He  was  b.  in 
Grafton,  Vt.,  March  28,  1817,  and  is  of  the  seventh 
generation  of  his  family  in  this  country.  He  md.  Dec. 
28,  1846,  Lydia  Ann  Sweetser  of  North  Yarmouth,  Me. 
Their  three  children  were  b.  in  Pelham,  N.  H. 

I.  Sophia  E.,  b.  Nov.  28,  1847;  md.  July  31,  1866, 
Sumner  H.  Upham  ;  resides  at  South  Village. 

II.  Samuel  S.,  b.  Oct.  31,  1851  ;  d.  Dec.  16,  1851. 

III.  James  S.,  b.  May  4,   1853;  md.  Oct.   14,   1878, 

Mary  Ellen  Puffer,  dau.  of  Charles  H.  Puffer, 
q.  v.;  resides  in  this  town. 


CUTTING. 

Samuel  Cutting,  the  first  of  the  name  in  Ashhurnham,  was  of  the  fifth 
generation  of  his  family  in  this  country.  The  successive  generations  appear 
in  Bond's  "Watertown.  Richard  Cutting,  aged  eleven  years,  embarked  at 
Ipswich,  England,  for  America  in  April,  1634.  "With  him  came  William 
Cutting,  perhaps  an  elder  brother.  He  settled  in  "Watertown  and  was 
admitted  freeman  April  18,  1690.  His  wife  Sarah  d.  Nov.  4,  1685,  aged  60 
years.  He  d.  March  21,  1695-6.  His  son  James  Cutting,  b.  Jan.  26,  1647-8, 
md.  June  16,  1669,  Hannah  Cotler.  Their  fourth  son  was  Jonathan  Cutting, 
b.  Jan  12,  1687-8.  He  md.  Jan.  5,  1709-10,  Sarah  Flagg,  dau.  of  Allen  and 
Sarah  (Ball)  Flagg.  He  d.  May  29,  1754;  she  d.  Sept.  3,  1774.  Their 
eldest  son  Richard  Cutting,  b.  July  30,  1710,  md.  April  20,  1738,  Thankful 
Harrington,  dau.  of  George  and  Abiel  (Parker)  Harrington.  They  resided 
in  "Waltham,  where  their  eight  children  were  b.  and  where  he  d.  Sept.  22, 
1767.  His  widow  md.  (2d)  March  15,  1770,  Samuel  Livermore,  Esq.  She 
d.  Nov.  4,  1772,  aged  55  years. 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER. 


G7a 


Samuel  Cutting,  sou  of  Richard  and  Thankful  (Harring- 
ton) Cutting,  was  b.  in  Waltham  Oct.  19,  1747.  He  md. 
March  9,  17G9,  Eunice  Coolidge,  dau.  of  William  and 
Mary  (Mixer)  Coolidge.  She  was  a  sister  of  the  wife  of 
Col.  Francis  Lane  and  a  niece  of  Elisha  Coolidge,  an 
early  resident  of  this  town.  She  was  b.  in  Waltham  Jan. 
12,  1748.  They  removed  to  Ashburnhara  in  1773.  The 
name  in  this  town  is  generally  written  Cotting.  He  was 
an  intelligent,  active  man,  of  unblemished  character.  He 
d.  Dec.  31,  1794.  Two  children  were  b.  in  Waltham  and 
ten  in  Ashburuham. 

I.  Anna,  b.  1770  ;  md.  Simon  Willard,  q.  v. 
II.  Samuel,  b.   April  20,   1772;    md.   1803,  Hannah 
Goodridge  of  Fitchburg.     Removed  to  Rutland, 
Vt. 

III.  Eepsibah,  b.  Sept.  11,  1773  ;    md.  Nathaniel  Fos- 

ter, q.  V. 

IV.  William,  b.  July  21,.  1775  ;  d.  April  11,  1776.  ■ 
V.  Betty  (twin),  b.  July  21,  1775  ;  d.  June  4,  1776. 

VI.  Elizabeth,  bap.  March  2,  1777  ;  md.  Oct.  18,  1795, 
Jacob  Brooks  ;  d.  in  Cambridge  April  5,  1861 ; 
buried  in  Ashburnham. 

VII.  Rhoda,  bap.  Jan.  17,  1779  ;  d.  Nov.  16,  1794. 

VIII.  Martha,  bap.  July  11,  1781  ;  d.  1783. 

IX.  Mary  (twin),  bap.  July  11,  1781  ;  d.  1783. 

X.  Lucy,  b.  Nov.  15,  1784  ;  md.  Josiah  Davis,  q.  v. 

XI.  John,    b.    Dec.    31,    1786.     He    was   blind    from 

youth  ;  resided  in  this  town  ;  d.  unmd.  Nov.  26, 
1866. 
XII.   Charles,  b.  1791  ;  d.  March  3,  1798. 


Asa  Dame,  son  of  Henry  and  Susan  (Frazer)  Dame, 
was  b.  in  Canada  July  9,  1846.  He  came  to  Ashburnham 
1855  and  has  been  an  overseer  in  the  cotton  mills  many 
years.  He  md.  Dec.  4,  1873,  Amelia  Lesure,  b.  Sept. 
23,  1850. 

I.  Maria  A.,  b.  Jan.  4,  1875. 
II.  Mary  L.,  b.  June  21,  1876. 


DANA. 

The  name  of  Dana  is  intimately  associated  with  the  early  annals  of 
Ashburnham.  Caleb  Dana,  Esq.,  of  Cambridge,  was  the  principal  proprietor 
and  his  name  frequently  occurs  in  the  early  chapters,  but  he  never  resided  in 
this  town.  He  was  a  son  of  Daniel  and  Naomi  (Croswell)  Dana  of 
Cambridge,  b.  1697;  md.  Phebe  Chandler  and  d.  1772.  Richard  Dana,  who 
was  proprietor's  clerk  several  years,  was  a  brother  of  Caleb,  b.  1700;  md. 
Lydia  Trowbridge  and  d.  1772.  He  was  a  distinguished  counsellor-at-law. 
The  following  members  of  this  family  have  resided  in  this  town. 
43 


674 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


11 


14 


George  Dana,  a  son  of  Caleb  and  Phebe  (Chandler) 
Dana,  was  b.  in  Cambridge  1742.  He  md.  Feb.  14, 
1764,  Margaret  Clark,  b.  July  7,  1743,  dau.  of  Capt. 
John  and  Hannah  (Cutting)  Clark  of  Waltham.  They 
resided  a  short  time  in  Stow,  where  she  d.  Oct.  3,  1770. 
He  md.  (2d)  Elizabeth  Park.  They  removed  to  this 
town  probably  in  1773.  He  assumed  control  and  subse- 
quently appears  as  the  owner  of  the  lands  formerly  of  his 
father.  He  was  an  innholder  and  frequently'  employed  in 
public  affairs.  He  was  a  sergeant  in  Capt.  Gates' 
company  1775.  Mr.  Cushiug  records  hi>  death  :  "  George 
Dana  died  of  dropsy  and  consumption  of  ye  liver  April 
11,  1787."  His  widow  md.  (2d)  March  21,  1790,  Capt. 
Alexander  Parmele  and  subsequentlj^  resided  in  Wood- 
stock, Vt..  where  she  d.  1811.  Capt.  Parmele  d.  a  few 
years  previously. 

I.   George,  b.  Nov.,  1764;  md.  Hannah  Lathrop  and 
resided  in  Sharon,  Vt. 

II.  Polly,  b.  1767  ;  md.  Daniel  Comstock  of  Danbury, 

Conn. 

III.  Sarah,  b.  1770;  d.  young. 

IV.  Edmund,  b.  1772. 

V.  Elizabeth,  bap.  1774;  d.  Feb.  15,  1777. 

VI.  Sarah  Ballard,  bap.  1775;  d.  Jan.  22,  1777. 

VII.  Thomas,  bap.  1777. 

VIII.  Johyi  Clark,  bap.  1779. 

IX.  James,  b.  May  29,  1780 ;  md.  May  7,  1812, 
Hannah  D  wight.  He  was  a  merchant  in  Utica, 
N.  Y. 

X.  Charles,  b.  Nov.  6,    1781  ;.md.   Jan.    20,    1808, 

Mar}'  Gay  Swan.     He  d,  at  Woodstock,  Vt. 

XI.  Infant,  d.  May  18,  1783. 

XII.  Infant,  b.  1784;  d.  Aug.  24,  1786. 


Ezra  Dana  resided  in  this  town  from  about  1790  to 
1800.  He  was  a  son  of  William  Dana  and  was  b.  in 
Cambridge  Sept.  29,  1755.  Mr.  Dana  built  the  first  mill 
at  Burrageville  and  soon  after  removed  from  town  and  no 
record  of  his  subsequent  career  has  appeared.  I  have  no 
information  of  his  family  beyond  the  record  of  the  death 
of  an  infant  Jan.  10,  1794. 


Capt.  Deliverance  Davis,  settled  in  this  town  as  early 
as  1764.  He  was  a  son  of  Ebenezer  and  Sarah  Davis 
and  was  born  in  Littleton  June  30, 1 736.  Previous  to  his 
removal  to  this  town  he  married  Dorothy  Wood,  b.  March 
7,  1741,  dau.  of   Bennett  and   Lydia  (Law)   Wood  of 


GENEALOGICAL  REGISTER.  675 

Littleton,  and  granddaughter  of  Jeremiah  and  Dorothy 
(Bennett)  Wood  of  Stow,  and,  subsequently,  of  Littleton. 
Capt.  Davis  was  an  innholder  in  this  town  in  1767  and 
several  later  years.  He  resided  on  the  David  Russell  place, 
and  later,  in  the  north  part  of  the  town,  since  occupied  by 
his  descendants,  and  for  many  years  he  was  a  prominent 
man  in  the  affairs  of  the  town.  He  was  captain  of  one 
of  the  companies  of  minute-men  in  1775.  Vide  Chap.  V. 
He  d.  June  16,  1789.  She  d.  May  10,  1790.  The  eldest 
son  was  b.  in  Littleton. 

I.  Ehenezer  Bennett,  b.  Feb.  4,  1761.+ 
II.   Oliver  Taylor,  b.  Nov.  22,  1762  ;    md.  Mary  Saw- 
yer  and   resided   in    Harvard..      He   d.    1841, 
leaving  eight  children. 

III.  Lydia,   b.   Jan.    15,  1765;    d.    unmd.    Aug.    10, 

1787. 

IV.  /Sam/i,  b.  Feb.   18,1767;    md.  David  Clark,  Jr., 

q.  V. 
V.  Dolly,    b.  May  30,  1769;    md.  Ephraim   Randall, 
q.  V. 

VI.  Lucy,  b.  Junes.  1771 ;  md. Stewart;  resided 

in  Grafton,  Vt. 
VII.  Zadoc,  b.  Nov.  24,  1773  ;  d.  Sept.  4,  1778. 

VIII.  Susannah,  b.  Feb.   11,   1776;    md.   Pratt; 

resided  in  Grafton,  Vt. 
IX.  Milly,  b.   March  8,  1778;   md.   Moore;    re- 
sided in  Maine. 
X.  Zadoc,  b.  May  14,  1780  ;  resided  in  Maine. 
XI.  Deliverance,   b.  Dec.  19,  1783;   resided  in   Maine. 
The  brothers  Oliver,  Zadoc  and  Deliverance 
had  families,  but  no  records  are  at  hand 


15 


Ebenezer  Bennett  Davis  served  three  years  in  the 
Revolution.  Vide  Chapters  V  and  VI.  He  was  a  farmer  and 
lived  in  the  north  part  of  the  town,  where  his  son,  Dea. 
John  C.  Davis,  resided.  Without  ostentation  he  quietl}' 
performed  the  duties  of  a  good  citizen  and  was  respected 
by  all  who  knew  him.  He  md.  Jan.  12,  1786,  Mary 
Townsend,  dau.  of  Joshua  Townsend,  q.  v.  She  d. 
March  16,1787;  he  md.  (2d)  Feb.  5,  1789,  Elizabeth 
Sargent  of  Princeton,  b.  in  Bolton  March  12,  1758. 
He  d.  Jan.  7,  1838  ;   she  d.  Jan.  19,  1838. 

I.  Infant,  b.  and  d.  March  16,  1787. 
II.  Mary  Townsend  (twin),b.  March  16,  1787;  md. 

Jan.  1,  1837,  Abraham  Foster,  q.  v. 
III.  Amos,  b.  July  31,  1789  ;   md.  Almira  Fuller,    and 

resided  in  Grafton,  Vt. 


676 


HISTORY  OF  ASHBURNHAM. 


(17) 


22 

23 

24 
25 

26 
(19) 


IV.  Ehenezer^    b.    July  30,  1792;    d.   unmd.  Nov.  1. 

1835. 
V.  Elizabeth  (twin),  b.  July  30,1792  ;    d.  unmd.  Dec. 

24,  1863. 
VI.  Joseph^  b.  Sept.  5,  1794.-|- 
VII.   Charles,  b.  June  11,  1797.+ 

VIII.   Charlotte  {ivf'm),\).    June   11,1797;    unmd.     She 
is  the  oldest  resident  of  this  town. 
IX.  John  Cushing,  b.  Jan.  29,  1801.-}- 


JosEPH  Davis  was  early  engaged  with  his  brothers  in  the 
manufacture  of  chairs  ;  subsequently  he  was  a  farmer. 
He  owned  the  farm  on  which  the  almshouse  is  situated, 
and  which  he  sold  to  the  town.  He  removed  in  1840  to 
Rindge,  where  he  d.  Oct.  10,<  1873.  He  lived  above  re- 
proach. He  md.  May  26,  1828,  Huldah  Lawrence, 
dau.  of  Reuben  and  Lois  (Tenney)  Lawrence,  of  Ashley. 
She  d.  Dec.  9,  1838  ;  he  md.  ApriflS,  1839,  Jane  Mclntyre, 
dau.  of  Jacob  and  Polly  (Russell)  Mclntyre,  q.v.  ;  she 
d.  Feb.  22,  1846;  he  md.  (3d)  Feb.  11,  1847,  Rachel 
Brooks,  dau.  of  Stephen  and  Rachel  (Taylor)  Brooks  of 
New  Ipswich,  and  a  sister  of  Dea.  Harvey  Brooks  of 
this  town. 

I.  Haro-iet  Augusta,  b.  Aug.  16, 1829;  md.  Nov.,  1858, 
Derostus  P.  Emory,  son  of  Derostus  W.  and 
Mary  (Pierce)  Emory.  They  reside  in  Jaffrey, 
N.  H. 
II.  George  W.,  b.  May  22,  1832  ;  md.  Aug.  16,  1861, 
Melissa  A.  Metcalf,  dau.  of  Erastus  and  Har- 
riet (Aldrich)  Metcalf.  He  is  a  successful  mer- 
chant in  Hudson. 

III.  Andrew  Lysajider,  b.  Dec.  14,  1834;  d.  Feb.   27, 

1836. 

IV.  Emily   F.,    b.   Sept.   15,    1836;   md.    Samuel  W. 

Kimball,  son  of  Samuel  M.  and  Melinda  (Pierce) 
Kimball.     They  resided  in  Rindge  where  she  d. 
V.  Joseph  Lysander,   b.   in   Rindge.  Ma}'  29,    1843  ; 
drowned  in  Deerfield  Oct.  14,  1869. 


Chakles  Davis  was  one  of  the  pioneer  manufacturers  of 
chairs  in  this  town,  and  in  connection  with  his  brothers 
it  is  claimed  that  he  was  the  first  to  employ  water  power 
in  this  business.  He  md.  Oct.  11,  1812,  Elvira  Buss, 
of  Sterling,  who  d.  June  11,  1833  ;  he  md.  (2d)  Aug.  27, 
1834,  Nabby  Buss  of  Sterling.  He  d.  Sept.  20,  1837  ;  she ' 
d.  June  2,  1871. 


GENEALOGICAL   KEGISTEH.  677 

I.  Charles  Edson,  b.  ^lay  11,  1822;  he  was  a  phy- 
sician. Vide  Chap.  XX.  He  md.  May  13, 
1856,  Rebecca  C.  Crowley,  of  Enfield.  He  d. 
June  8,  1863. 

1.  Charles  O.,  b.  June  1,  1857. 

II.  Oliver,  b.  Aug.  7,  1823.  Vide  Chap.  XX.  He 
died  unrad.  March  1,  1853. 

III.  JIary  Elizabeth,  b.  May  1,  1825;  died  in  Boston, 

uumd.  April  30,  1886. 

IV.  Buhamah  Wiitney,  b.  March  30,  1827;   d.   March 

25,  1833. 

V.  Sarah,  b.  March  23,  1829  ;  d.  unmd.  Xov.  9,  1853. 

VI.  Laura  Elvira,  b.   March  6,  1831;  nid.   ]S'ov.    11, 

1858,     David    W.    Miller,     of     Westminister. 
They  reside  in  Gardner. 

1.  Charles O.,  b.  March  9,  1861  ;  md.  Jan.  9, 

1883,  Mary  Dargie. 

2.  George  W.,  b.  Nov.  30, 1866. 

VII.  Ruhamah  }VJiitney,  b.  May  3,  1833  ;  d.  Feb.   17, 
1848. 


Dea.  John  C.  Davis  resided  on  the  farm  occupied  by 
his  father  and  by  his  grandfather.  He  was  a  manufac- 
turer of  chairs  and  a  farmer.  He  d.  June  19,  1883. 
His  widow,  advanced  in  years,  resides  upon  the  home- 
stead and  near  the  place  of  her  birth.  ^«.  f-^Ci  STiMioM^.A 

I.  Lucy  Orintha,  b.  Nov.  22,  1826;  md.  Jan.  25, 
1848,  Charles  Allen,  sou  of  Salmon  and  Sophia 
(Sawtell)  Allen  of  Rindge.  They  reside  in 
Fitcbburg, 
II.  Phebe  Elizabeth,  b.  Nov.  15,  1830  ;  md,  June  11, 
1850,  Edward  F.  Rollins  ;  he  was  a  lieutenant 
in  the  war  of  the  rebellion.  They  reside  in 
Boston. 
III.  Elmira  C,  b.  Dec.  9,  1834  ;  md.  April  30,  1862, 
Frank  N.  Harris,  son  of  William  Harris,  q.  v. 

Amos  Davis,  birth  and  parentage  unknown  ;  removed 
to  this  town  from  Sudbury  about  1818.  He  had  a  large 
family,  and  had  previously  resided  a  short  time  in  Maine. 
I  have  no  record  of  his  marriage,  but  tiud  ample  evidence 
of  the  event  in  the  number  of  his  children.  He  d.  Sept. 
16,  1830,  aged  80  years  ;  his  wife  d.  Aug.  ;5,  1829.  It  is 
probable  that  the  children  are  not  named  in  the  order  of 
age. 


678 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


41 

42 
43 
44 


45 


55 

56 
57 

58 

59 


this  town,  unmd.,  Aug.  2, 


60 


I.  Jonas,  b.  1781  ;  < 

1864. 
II.   Jonathan. 

III.  Susannah,  md.  John  Wilson,  g.  v. 

IV.  Joseph,  md. ;  slie  d.  April  7,  1818  ;  md. 

{2d)    March   7,  1819,   Molly  S.  Gates,  dan.  of 
Henry  Gates,  q.  v.  ;  she  d.  Sept.  27,  1834. 
V.  Amos  was  md.  ;  buried  several  children   in   thi& 

town  ;  removed  to  Vermont. 
VI.  Lucy,  md.  April  20,  1819,  William  Pollard,  q.  v. 
VII.  Aaron,  md.  April  12,  1819,  Rebecca  Anne  Stewart. 
She  was  a  native  of  New  Zealand.    Her  swarthy 
complexion  indicates  that  she  was  born  under  the 
tropical  sun. 

1.  Elizabeth  Inches,  b.  June  20,  1824. 

2.  John  Alexander  Stewart,  b.  July  16,  1825. 

3.  Charles  Robert  Wilson,  b.  March  23, 1827. 

4.  George  Washington,  b.  Oct.  9,  1831. 

5.  Henry  Albert,  b.  April  22,  1833. 

VIII.  Ruth,  d.  young. 
IX.  Sally,  md.  1834,  Joshua  Stowell,  q.  v. 
X.  Adam  S.,  b.   1800;  md.   1826,  Martha   Cowdin  ^ 
she   d.    Oct.    10,    1856.      He    md.    (2d)    1858, 
widow  Lvdia  Stinegar,  of  unsavory  reputation. 
He  d.  May  12,  1881  ;  she  d.  Aug.  14,  1875. 

1.  Mary  Amanda,  b.  Nov.  19,  1828;  d.  Jan. 

12,  1829. 

2.  George  W.,  b.  Jan.  3,  1830;  d.  Feb.  20, 

1830. 

3.  Marv    C,    b.  June  23,   1831  ;  d.  Sept.  9, 

1834. 

4.  Sarah  Samantha,  b.  Oct.  30,  1833. 


JosiAH  Davis,  b.  May  6,  1779  ;  md.  1800,  Sarah  Piper, 
b.  Aug.  22,  1783,  dau.  of  Jonathan  and  Elizabeth  Piper. 
They  resided  many  years  in  Ashby,  where  she  d.  about 
1830.  He  md.  (2d)  April  21,  1836,  Lucy  Cutting,  dau. 
of  Samuel  Cutting,  q.  v.,  and  removed  to  this  town, 
where  he  d.     She  d.  Feb.  15,  1869. 


Alonzo  p.  Davis,  son  of  Josiah  and  Sarah  (Piper) 
Davis,  1..  in  Ashby,  July  23,  1818;  md.  July  27,  1841, 
Emily  M.  Russell,  dau.  of  Thomas  and  Hepsey  (Adams) 
Russell,  q.  V.  By  occupation  he  is  a  harness-maker.  He 
has   resided    in    this   town   since    1845.      He   has   been 


GENEALOGICAL   KEGISTEK.  679 

prominently  connected  with  the  Ashburnham  Liglit  In- 
fantry many  years,  and  was  an  officer  from  1855  until  the 
company  was  mustered  into  the  service.  While  in  the 
service  he  was  a  lieutenant.  Vide  Chapters  XVIII  and 
XIX. 

I.    Warreii  A.,  b.  Aug.  23,  1848;  md.  Oct.  8,  1877, 

Isabelle   Roscoe.     He  is  a  railroad  conductor ; 

resides  in  Aurora,  111. 

II.  Joseph  George,  b.  June  3,  1852  ;  d.  April  30, 1853. 

III.   Lona  31.,  b.  Oct.  8,  1854  ;  resides  in  Ashburnham. 


George  Davis,  son  of  Reuben  Davis,  of  Ashby  ;  md. 
Dec.  27,  1836,  Nancy  H.  White,  dan.  of  Josiah  White, 
q.  V.  He  was  a  blacksmith  in  this  town,  where  he  d.  Sept. 
9,  1875  ;  she  d.  March  17,  1856. 

I.  Elizabeth  Matilda,  b.  Nov.  28,  1837  ;  md.  Nov, 
16.  1856,  James  Wheeler,  of  Fitchburg  ;  he  d., 
and  she  md.  (2d)  Jan.  1,  1881,  Robert  Shack- 
ley  ;  resides  in  Charlestown. 
II.  George  Edtvin,  b.  Sept.  6,  1839.  He  was  a  lieu- 
tenant in  21st  Regiment.  Vide  Chap.  XIX.  He 
md.  Feb.  18,  1864,  Helen  M.  Puffer,  dau.  of 
Reuben  Puffer.  He  resides  in  Fort  Madison, 
Iowa. 

III.  John  W.,  b.  Sept.  26,  1846  ;  d.  Sept.  12,  1848. 

IV.  Charles  W.,  b.  Sept.  9,  1852  ;  d.  Nov.  14,  1373. 

Joel  Davis,  son  of  Josiah  Davis,  of  New  Ipswich,  md. 
May  28,  1807,  Rebecca  Adams,  dau.  of  John  Adams,  q.  v. 
She  died,  and  he  md.  (2d)  Orpah  Stearns,  dau.  of  Isaac 
Stearns,  q.  v.  She  died  March  9,  1866.  Mr.  Davis  lived 
on  the  north  turnpike  several  years,  and  kept  the  "  Chil- 
dren of  the  Woods  "  tavern.  About  1828  he  removed  to 
Lowell.  No  record  of  children  has  been  secured.  An 
infant  d.  in  this  town,  March  11.  1824,  and  a  daughter, 
Rebecca,  was  living  when  the  family  removed  from  town. 


Michael  Dempsey,  b.  in  Ireland,  1816,  md.  Ellen 
Connell,  and  in  early  life  emigrated  to  America.  He 
came  to  Ashburnham  1845,  and  for  many  years  he  was  a 
switchman  in  tbe  employ  of  the  Cheshire  R.  R.  His  wife 
d.  about  1856,  and  he  md.  (2d)  1857,  Mary  Kennedy. 
He  d.  March  13,  1882. 

I.  John,   b.  1840;  md.   Alice  Donohoe  ;    a    railroad 

conductor  ;  resides  at  Philadelphia,  Penn. 
II.  Michael,  b.  1842  ;  resides  in  Philadelphia,  Penn. 


680 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


III.  Mary,  h.  1844 ;  md.  John  Sha}'  of  Filchburg. 

IV.  Bridget,  b.  1846  ;  md.  Cornelius  Bresnahan ;  they 

reside  in  Ashburnham. 
V.    William,  b.  1853;  md.  1879,  Nellie  Coughlin ;  he 

is  a  switchman  in  employ  of  Cheshire  R.  R. 
\i.    Timothy,   b.   1855  ;  md.  Mary  Roach ;  resides  in 

Virginia  Cit}'. 
VII.  Jeremiah,   b.   1860 ;    a   switchman    in    employ   of 

Cheshire  R.  R. 


MiLO  Derby,  son  of  Nathan  and  Susan  (Thompson) 
Derby,  was  b.  1802.  Nathan  Derby,  the  father,  resided 
in  Lancaster,  Rindge,  and  Andover,  Vt.  Milo  Derby  md. 
Nov.  27,  1833,  Clara  Cook,  dan.  of  John  Cook,  q.  v.,  and 
resided  in  this  town,  where  he  d.  June  8,  1851.  His 
widow  md.  (2d)  David  Nutting,  who  d.  Feb.  24,  1863. 

I.  Edward  M.,  b.  May  16,  1836;  d.  Nov.  27,  1844. 

II.  Wilbur  31. ,  b.  May  6,  1841  ;  md.  May  10,  1865, 
Martha  A.  Page,  dan.  of  Warren  and  Mary 
(Brown)  Page,  of  Winchester,  N.  H.  They 
resided  in  Rindge  several  years,  and,  subse- 
quently in  this  town  ;  removed  1883  to  Florida. 

III.  Lizzie  C,  b.  March  29,  1848  ;  md.  May  10,  1865, 
Willard  Page,  son  of  Warren  and  Mary  (Brown) 
Page;  she  died  Sept.  27,  1867. 


10 


14 


JosiAH  Derby,  a  brother  of  Milo  Derby,  b.  July  4, 
1805,  resided  many  years  in  this  town,  whei'e  he  d.  April 
4,  1876.  He  md.Feb.  2,  1832,  Betsey  Whitney,  dau.  of 
Capt.  Lemuel  Whitney,  q.  v.  ;  she  d.  Aug.  8,  1868. 

I.  Sarah  E.,  h.  May  23,  1833  ;  d.  June  13,  1844. 
II.  Mary  A.,  b.   Sept.   28,  1834;  md.  Dec.  19,  1860, 

William  Flint ;  he  d.  in  the  army  ;  she  md.  (2d) 

Jona.  Edward  Goodwin,  q.  v. 

III.  Jane  E..  b.  July  9, 1836  ;  md.  Feb.  25, 1869,  John 

H.  Whitney. 

IV.  Emily  A.,   b.   Jan.  14,  1838;  md.  July  29,  1860, 

George  Fuller  of  Shirley  ;  she  d.  July  7,  1867. 
V.  Lvrania,   b.  April    30,    1839;  md.  June   2,1859, 

Boardman  F.  AVarren  of  Townsend. 
VI.  Jusiah,  b.  Nov.  20,  1840;  d.  June  17,  1844. 
VII.  Franklin  (?.,  b.  June  10,  1842  ;  d.  July  20,  1842. 
viii.  Selina,  b.  May  26,  1843  ;    md.  Nov.  21,  1866,  Jo- 
seph N.  Day  of  Lancaster. 
IX.  Josejih  H.,  b.  Oct.  21,  1844  ;  d.  May  26,  1866. 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTEK.  681 

X.  Harriet  E.,  b.  July  31,  1846;  mcl.  March  23, 
1875,  Lafayette  W.  Peirce,  Esq.,  of  Winchen- 
don. 

XI.  Sarah  A.,  b.  Sept.  6,  1848;  ind.   Oct.  10,  1874, 

Louis  INIorse  of  St.  Albaus,  Vt. 

XII.  Fraarena  E.,  b.  Oct.  3,  18.30. 


Geokge  Dickinson  removed  from  Rowley  to  Harvard 
about  1740,  where  five  children  were  born.  About  1760 
he  came  to  this  town.  The  new  settlements  invited  the 
young  and  the  strong,  and  Mr.  Dickinson  found  here  very 
few  hi-i  superior  in  years.  The  name  of  his  wife  was 
Sarah,  but  1  have  not  found  any  record  of  his  marriage. 
He  d.  Nov.  15,  1776,  aged  70;  she  d.  Sept.  10,  1780. 
This  name  appears  in  the  records  Dickinson  and  Dicker- 
son,  with  even-handed  impartiality.  The  following  chil- 
dren were  b.  in  Harvard  : 

I.  Jeremiah,  b.  Dec.  16,  1736. 
II.  Daniel,  b.  June  14,  1739. 

III.  David,  b.  Oct.  7,  1741.+ 

IV.  Amos,  b.  March  14,  1743. -f- 
V.  Francis,  b.  Sept.  20,  1746. 


David  Dickinson,  md.  July  16,  1767,  Persis  Wheeler, 
dau.  of  Seth  Wheeler  of  New  Ipswich,  and  resided,  in 
this  town  until  1779,  when  he  removed  to  Shelburne. 

I.  David,  bap.  1769. 
II.  iSalbj,  bap.  1771. 

Amos  Dickinson  md.  March  12,  1770,  Elizabeth  Stone. 
Mr.  Gushing  records  his  death  Jan.  4,  1788,  with  the 
remark,  "  he  died  of  bilious  colic,  aged  40  to  50  years." 
There  is  a  record  of  birth  of  only  one  child.  Others 
were  bap. 

I.  Aynos,  bap.  in  private  July  27,  1772.     He  d.  the 

same  day. 
II.  Bettfj,   b.    Sept.    14,    1773;   md.    May    10,    1794, 
Isaac  Jackson. 

11  III.  Sarah,  bap.  Oct.  13,  1776. 

12  IV.  Dolly,  bap.  Oct.  3,  1779  ;  md.  James  Adams,  q.  v. 

\  ~~ 

13  ;  John  Dickinson,  probably  connected  with  the  foregoing 
j  families,  resided  in  this  town  several  years,  at  least, 
I  succeeding  the  Revolution.  He  md.  March  22,  1790, 
I  Rose  Gibson  of  Ashby. 


682 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBUKNIIAM. 


2 

I.  Eunice. 

3 

II.  Mary. 

4 

III.  Josiah. 

5 

IV.   yl?ina. 

6 

V.  Betty. 

7 

VI.  Reuben. 

8 

VII.  Daniel. 

9 

VIII.  Ebenezer,  b.  June  30,  1779 

JosiAH  Dodge  md.,  probably  in  Concord,  Hannah 
Conant,  dau.  of  Ebenezer  Conaut,  q.  v.  He  came  to 
Ashburnham  soon  after  the  date  of  incorporation  and 
removed  to  Machais,  Me.,  about  1787.  The  children  are 
named  in  the  records,  but  the  date  of  birth  of  only  one 
was  entered. 


11 


William  Doolan  was  b.  in  the  County  of  Cork  in 
Ireland  1824.  In  1846  he  md.  Mary  Ann  Butler.  They 
came  to  America  about  two  yeai's  after  their  marriage  and 
came  to  this  town  in  1849.  He  was  drafted  in  May,  1864, 
and  served  in  the  19th  Regiment  until  the  following  July. 
He  d.  Sept.  30,  1868  ;  his  widow  d.  March,  1876. 

I.  Richard,  b.  Jan.   15,  1847;   md.  Dec.  21,   1870, 

Margaret  Hayes  ;  resides  in  this  town. 
II.  David,  b.  April  21,  1850;  unmd  ;  resides  in  this 
town. 

III.  Hannah,  b.  Nov.  30,  1852. 

IV.  Margaret,  b.  March  1,  1854. 

V.  William,  b.  March  27,  1856. 

VI.  John,  b.  Aug.  30,  1860. 
VII.  Mary,  b.  Dec.  25,  1862. 

VIII.  Ellen,  b.  May  15,  1863. 
IX.  Josie,  b.  July  15,  1865. 


Thomas  Doolan,  a  native  of  Ireland,  was  b.  in  1836. 
He  is  a  farmer  in  this  town  upon  tbe  Dickerson  Brooks 
farm.  He  came  to  Ashburnham  about  1860.  He  md. 
Feb.  9,  1861,  Honora  Hartnett,  b.  in  Ireland,  1836. 


Anna,  b.  Nov.  14,  1861. 
Thomas,  b.  June  17,  1865. 
Margaret,  b.  Nov.  26,  1869. 
Mary  Elizabeth,  b.  Dec.  30,  1871. 
David  E. 
Daniel. 


12 

I. 

13 

II. 

14 

III. 

15 

IV. 

16 

V. 

17 

VI. 

GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER. 


683 


DUNSTER. 

The  only  permanent  resident  of  this  town  who  bore  the  name  of  Dunster 
was  Samuel  Dunster.  He  was  a  lineal  descendant  of  Henry  Dunster  the 
first  president  of  Harvard  University.  The  generations  are  Henry,  Jonathan, 
Henry,  Jason  and  Samuel.  Jason  Dunster,  a  great-grandson  of  Henry 
Dunster  and  a  son  of  Henry  and  Martha  (Russell)  Dunster,  b.  1725,  md. 
Oct.  26,  1740,  Rebecca  Cutter,  dau.  of  Samuel  and  Anne  (Harrington) 
Cutter.  He  removed  from  Cambridge  to  Mason,  N.  H.,  17G9,  when  Samuel 
was  three  years  of  age.  In  1801  Jason  Dunster  and  his  wife  Rebecca  re- 
moved to  Ashburnham  and  united  with  the  church  in  this  town,  but  the  fol- 
lowing year  they  returned  to  Mason,  where  he  d.  Feb.  19,  1805,  aged  80 
years. 


Samuel  Dunster,  son  of  Jason  and  Rebecca  (Cutter) 
Dunster,  was  b.  in  Cambridge  April  20,  1766.  He  was 
bap.  Samuel  Cutter,  but  omitting  tlie  middle  name  he  was 
known  as  Samuel  Dunster.  He  removed  to  this  town  in 
1802  and  three  j'ears  later  he  bought  a  tract  of  land  at 
Factory  Village.  He  was  an  enterprising  man  and  his 
intimate  connection  with  the  early  manufactures  of  this 
town  is  mentioned  in  the  preceding  chapters.  He  md. 
Jan.  12,  1792,  Hannah  Townsend,  b.  in  Northboro  Aug. 
8,  1770,  eldest  dau.  of  Samuel  and  Hannah  (Lawrence) 
Townsend.  She  d.  Aug.  8,  1826  ;  he  md.  (2d)  March  1, 
1827,  Madamoisella  Townsend,  a  sister  of  his  first  wife; 
she  was  b.  in  Mason,  N.  H.,  March  19,  1794.  He  d. 
April  19,  1839.  His  widow  md.  (2d)  Aug.  29,  1843, 
Samuel  Knight,  q.  v.  There  were  no  children.  The  wife 
of  Joel  Barrett  was  a  sister  of  the  wives  of  .Samuel 
Dunster. 


Salmon  Dutton,  son  of  Joseph  and  Rebecca  (Adams) 
Dutton  and  grandson  of  Thomas  and  Hannah  (Burge) 
Dutton  of  Westford,  was  b.  1744  ;  resided  in  this  town  a 
few  years,  immediately  following  the  date  of  incorpora- 
tion.    He  removed  to  Cavendish,  Vt.,  where  he  d.  1824. 


Thomas  Dutton,  a  brother  of  Salmon,  was  b.  in  West- 
ford,  Jan.  8,  1747-8.  He  md.  1768,  Sarah  Bigelow,  a 
sister  of  Silas  Bigelow,  q.  v.  They  came  to  this  town  in 
1770,  and  a  few  years  later  removed  to  JafFrey,  N.  H., 
where  several  of  their  ten  children  were  b.  She  d.  Dec. 
23,  1811.     He  d.  Dec.  31,  1838. 


Samuel  Dutton  resided  in  this  town  only  a  few  years. 
He  d.  here  Oct.  22,  1815.  His  age  was  recorded  "  30  to 
40  years."     No  record  of  his  marriage  has  been  found. 


684  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

4         Infant,  d.  Julv  19,  1815. 


Timothy  Dwight,  settled  in  this  town  in  1766  and  d. 
April  2,  1769,  being  the  first  adult  who  d.  in  this  town 
after  the  ordination  of  Mr.  Gushing.  He  was  the  son  of 
Samuel  and  Jane  (Bulkley)  Dwight  of  Dedham  and  Sut- 
ton, b.  May  27,  1745.  He  md.  Sarah  Alden  and  in  1770 
the  father  and  the  widow  petition  the  General  Gourt  for 
power  to  sell  the  lands  in  Ashburuham,  and  also  assei't 
that  he  left  two  daughters.  The  widow  md.  Thomas 
Newhall  of  Leicester,  where  she  d.  1797. 

I.  Sarah,  b.  1766;    md.  Edmund  Muzzev  ;    d.  May 

23,  1819. 
II.  Mekitable,  b.  May  6,  1768;   md.  David  Trask  ;  d. 

1800. 


EATON. 

John  Eaton  with  his  wife  Abigail  and  two  children  embarked  at  London 
for  New  England  in  1635.  He  was  admitted  freeman  at  Watertown  1636, 
and  the  following  year  he  settled  in  Dedham,  where  he  d.  Nov.  17,  1658. 
His  son  John,  b.  about  1630,  lived  in  Dedham ;  by  wife  Alice  he  had  seven 
sons  and  one  daughter.  William  Eaton,  son  of  John  and  Alice  Eaton,  b. 
1677,  also  Avas  a  resident  of  Dedham.  He  md.  1704,  Mary  Starr,  and  d. 
1718.  His  son,  Josiah  Eaton,  b.  1711,  md.  1736,  Sarah  Day  and  removed  to 
Needham,  where  he  d.  1802.  Among  the  ten  children  of  Josiah  and  Sarah 
(Day)  Eaton  was  John  Eaton  who  served  in  the  Revolution  and  removed  to 
Winchendon,  and  while  residing  there  he  md  May  17,  1779,  Mary  Larkin  of 
Lancaster.  He  resided  in  the  southeast  part  of  "Winchendon  and  was 
included  in  Gardner  when  that  town  was  incorporated  1785.  He  d.  in 
Gardner  Nov.  24,  1827;  his  wife  d.  Sept.  22,  1817.  He  had  six  children, 
and  among  them  was  Josiah  Eaton  of  Ashburnham,  of  the  sixth  generation 
in  America.     He  is  number  1  in  the  following  register. 

Another  branch  of  the  Eaton  family  is  descended  from  Nathaniel  Eaton,  a 
resident  and  a  leather  dresser  of  Boston,  who  md.  Aug.  26,  1743,  Mercy 
Trott;  md.  (2d)  Sarah  Day,  dau.  of  Jnmes  Day.  He  d.  1750.  Nathaniel 
Eaton,  .Jr.,  b.  July  24,  1744,  was  the  only  child  that  was  living  at  the  death 
of  the  father.  He  was  a  baker  by  trade  and  resided  in  Roxbury  and  later  in 
Lancaster.  He  was  a  captain  of  the  minute-men  in  Lancaster,  where  he  d., 
aged  97  years.  He  md.  Martha  Gridley  of  Roxbury,  dau.  of  Dea.  William 
Gridley.  He  md.  (2d)  Dec.  30,  1778,  widow  Lucy  Bennett.  John  Eaton, 
who  is  number  16  in  the  register,  was  the  ninth  of  fourteen  children  ;  five  by 
the  first  and  nine  by  the  second  marriage.  It  is  suggested  by  Prof.  Daniel  C. 
Eaton  of  Yale  College,  an  acknowledged  authority  in  the  genealogy  of  the 
Eaton  family,  and  to  whom  I  am  indebted  for  many  facts  in  this  register, 
that  probably  the  earlier  generations  in  this  line  of  descent  were  (1) 
Nathaniel;  (2)  Benoni.  b.  1639,  d.  1690,  of  Cambridge;  (3)  Theophilus,  b. 
1674;  (4)  Nathaniel,  who  was  in  Boston  1720,  and  (5)  Nathaniel,  first 
named,  who  md.  Mercy  Trott. 

The  lineage  of  Nathan  Eaton,  number  25,  is  not  allied  to  that  of  the  other 
families  of  Eaton  in  this  town.  The  emigrant  ancestor  of  this  family  was 
William  Eaton  of  Staple  in  the  county  of  Kent,  England.  With  his  wife 
Martha,  three  children  and  one  servant  he  sailed  from  Sandwich  in  1637  and 
settled  first  at  Watertown,  and  subsequently  removed  to  Reading,  where  he 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER. 


685 


d.  May  16,  1673.  His  wife  d.  Nov.  14,  1680.  John  Eaton,  eldest  son  and 
third  of  the  five  children  of  William,  resided  in  Reading;  md.  March  8,  1668 
or  1669,  Elizabeth  Kendall,  dau.  of  Dea.  Thomas  Kendall  of  Reading;  he  d. 
Dec.  17,  1605.  William  Eaton,  the  sixth  of  their  eleven  children,  was  b.  in 
Reading  Dec.  1,  1670.  He  resided  in  Reading  and  in  Lynnfield,  where  he  d. 
1734;  he  md.  April  20,  1695,  Mary  Swain,  dau.  of  Major  Jeremiah  Swain 
who  survived  him.  Jeremiah  Eaton,  second  of  the  nine  children  of  William 
Eaton,  was  b.  July  10,  1698;  md.  in  Lynn  April  10,  1722,  Margaret  Hawks; 
md.  (2d)  Nov.  3,  1730,  Hannah  Osgood,  dau.  of  Samuel  Osgood  of  Andover. 
He  was  a  carpenter,  went  to  Haverhill  1733,  and  to  Hampstead  about  1748, 
where  he  d.  1754.  Jeremiah  Eaton,  son  of  Jeremiah  and  Hannah  (Osgood) 
Eaton,  b.  April  25,  1738,  md.  April  14,  1761,  Lydia  Flint;  md.  (2d)  Nov.  . 
16,  1780,  widow  Hannah  Wardwell  of  Andover.  He  was  a  deacon  of  the 
church  in  North  Reading  and  resided  near  the  line  between  Reading  and 
Lynn.  He  d.  July  17,  1791.  There  were  seven  children  of  the  first  and 
four  of  the  second  marriage.  Osgood  Eaton,  son  of  Dea.  Jeremiah  and 
Lydia  (Flint)  Eaton,  was  b.  Jan.  7,  1770.  About  1805  he  removed  to 
Farmington,  Me.  He  was  a  carpenter.  He  md.  Jan.  22,  1797,  Joanna 
Leighton,  b.  in  Westford  Dec.  30,  1776,  dau.  of  Francis  and  Lydia  (Fitch) 
Leighton;  d.  in  Reading  Sept.  1,  1803.  He  md.  (2d)  Nov.  9,  1804,  Polly 
Jaquith.  He  d.  Sept.  21,  1830.  Nine  children.  Osgood  Eaton,  son  of 
Osgood  and  Joanna  (Leighton)  Eaton,  was  b.  in  Reading  Feb.  2,  1799.  In 
his  childhood  the  family  removed  to  Maine.  He  md.  Feb.  2,  1825,  Hannah 
Wentworth  of  Strong  and  settled  in  Wilton  in  that  State.  He  was  a  farmer 
and  was  frequently  employed  in  public  affairs.  He  d.  Jan.  7,  1877;  she  d. 
June  26,  1871.     Among  their  ten  children  was  Nathan  Eaton  of  Ashburnham. 


JosiAH  Eaton,  son  of  John  and  Mary  (Larkin)  Eaton, 
was  b.  in  Gardner  Jan.  13,  1787.  He  md.  Mary  Reed, 
dau.  of  Jonas  Reed,  q.  v.,  and  removed  to  this  town  about 
1816.  Three  children  were  b.  in  Gardner  and  seven  in 
this  town.  He  d.  Dec.  7,  1862  ;  his  wife  survived  him 
and  d.  Aug.  12,  1872. 

I.  Merrick,  b.  Sept.  30,  1811.-|- 

II.  Mary  Ann,  h.DQC.  14,  1812;  md.  1832,  Samuel 
Kelton,  son  of  Lemuel  and  Patty  (Angler) 
Keiton  of  Gardner. 

III.  Josiah,  b.  May  5,  1814  ;  md.  1839.  Abbie  Wheeler, 
dau.  of  Samuel  C.  and  Abigail  (Wilson)  Wheeler 
of  New  Ipswich.  He  d.  at  Saratoga,  N.  Y., 
March  29,  KSCo. 

IV.  Hosea,  b.  March  10,  1820  ;  md.  Nov.  28,  1845, 
Mary  Wheeler,  dau.  of  Samuel  C.  and  Abigail 
(Wilson)  Wheeler  of  New  Ipswich.  He  resided 
in  New  Ipswich.  Hon.  Hosea  Eaton  was  a  man 
of  quick  perceptions  and  of  marked  ability.  He 
was  Provost  Marshal  during  the  war  of  the 
Rebellion,  and  has  served  with  distinction  iu 
both  branches  of  the  New  Hampshire  Legislature, 
and  for  many  years,  and  until  his  death,  held  an 
appointment    in   Boston   Customs.     He    d.    in 


686 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


11 


(2) 


12 


15 


16 


Rindge,  where  he  was  temporarily  residing  on 
account  of  feeble  health,  Nov.  26,  1879. 

V.  Danforth  Leandki\  b.  July  4,  1822  ;  md.  Dec.  5, 

1848,  Mary  Helen  Look,  dan.  of  John  and 
Charlotte  (Hopkins)  Look  of  Farmers  Creek, 
Mich.  ;  she  d.  1858  ;  he  md.  (2d)  Oct.  2,  1860, 
Octavia  Richards,  dau.  of  Arba  and  Emily 
(Kelsey)  Richards  of  Lowell,  Mich.  He  is  a 
clergyman  residing  in  Lowell,  Mich.  Vide 
Chap.  XX. 

VI.  Otis  TF.,  b.  May  29,  1823  ;  d.  at  Saratoga,  N.  Y., 

Nov.  4,  1871.     He  md.  Dec.  25,  1842,  Harriet 
Wheeler,  dau.  of  Samuel  C.  and   Abigail  (Wil- 
son) Wheeler. 
VII.   George,  b.  May  16,  1826;  d.,  by  accident.  May 

30,  1850. 
VIII.  Lucy  E.,  b.  Sept.  23,  1827;  d.  May  22,  1859. 
IX.  Na7icy  TF.,  b.  June  20,  1833  ;  md.  March  27,  1855, 

Orson  W.  Look;  d.  in  Michigan  Oct.  4,  1860. 
X.   Charles  C,  b.  April  25,  1835  ;  resides  in  Saratoga, 
N.  Y.  ;  md.  Elizabeth  Hosley. 


Merrick  Eaton,  son  of  Josiah  Eaton,  md.  1836,  Eliza- 
beth A.  Gates  of  Gardner,  and  he  md.  (2d)  June  14, 
1860,  Rebecca  C.  Lane,  dau.  of  Francis  Lane,  q.  v.  He 
resided  in  this  town,  where  he  d.  Feb.  16,  1875. 

I.  £ame^  b.  May  11,  1839;  md.  Noah  Hardy  of 
Hollis,  N.  H. 

II.  Albert,  d.  in  infancy. 

HI.  Mary,  b.  Sept.  10,  1845 ;  md.  April  15,  1864, 
William  H.  Cruse,  b.  March  2,  1843,  son  of 
John  G.  T.  Cruse  of  Westminster.  They  reside 
in  the  South  Village.     Three  children. 

IV.  Ellen,  d.  in  infancy. 


17 


18 


John  Eaton,  son  of  Nathaniel,  was  b.  in  Lancaster, 
Oct.  21,  1784;  md.  June  12,  1808,  Eunice  Jones,  dau. 
of  Enos  Jones,  q.  v.  He  was  a  cabinet-maker.  He  re- 
sided in  this  town  from  1805  to  1809  or  1810,  when  he 
removed  to  Royalston,  and  about  1830  he  removed  to 
Fitzwilliam,  N.  H.,  where  he  d.  Sept.  22,  1835.  She  d. 
1852. 

I.  Albin  Jones,  b.  June  19,  1809  ;  md.  March  27, 
1838,  Delight  Stone,  dau.  of  David  Stone  of 
Fitzwilliam.     He  was  a  ph3'sician  at  Oakham. 

H.  Harriet  M.,  b.  Oct.  6,  1811 ;   md.  Aug.  31,  1841, 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER. 


687 


26 


VII. 
VIII. 


Otis  Whiltemore,  son  of  William  S.,  and  Molly 

(Locke)     Whittemore    of    Fitzwilliam.       They 

removed  to  Richland,  Iowa. 
John  H.,  h.   June  6,  1814  ;    removed  to  Richland, 

Iowa. 
Nathaniel  L.,  b.  May  23,  1816  ;    resides  uumd.  in 

vVshburnham,   where    he    has    been   engaged  in 

business  and  frequently  employed  in  town  affairs. 
Eunice  Ann,   b.   June    21,    1819;    md.   Nov.   20, 

1839,  Chauncy  Davis,  son  of  Chauncy  Davis  of 

Fitzwilliam. 
Charles  i.,  b.  March  21,  1822  ,    resides  unmd.  in 

the  West. 
Lucy  A.,  b.Aug.  12.  1824;  d.  Feb.  13,  1829. 
Francis  W.,  b.  Feb.  26,  1827;    d.  Dec.  12,  1837. 


Nathan  Eaton,  of  the  eighth  generation  in  the  lineage 
of  William  Eaton,  is  a  son  of  Osgood  and  Hannah  (Went- 
worth)  Eaton.  He  was  b.  in  Wilton,  Me.,  April  5,  1836. 
He  is  a  contractor  and  builder  and  has  resided  in  this 
town  since  1862.  He  has  been  an  efficient  member  of 
the  school  committee  many  years  and  has  never  failed  in 
the  support  of  any  laudable  enterprise.  He  md.  June  27, 
1865,  Mary  I.  Maynard,  dau.  of  Antipas  Maynard,  g.  v. 
She  d.  May  20,  1866;  he  md.  (2d)  Nov.  29,  1868, 
Emma  C.  Maynard,  dau.  of  Antipas  Maynard,  q.  v. 


Wendell  Eaton,  not  immediately  related  to  the  fore- 
going families,  a  son  of  John  and  P^unice  (Kemp)  Eaton 
of  Westminster,  b.  Sept.  5,  1834,  md  April  7,  1870, 
Serepta  A.  Johnson,  b.  March  20,  1842,  dau.  of  Daniel 
and  Phileta  (Fitts)  Johnson  of  Templeton.  He  is  a 
farmer  and  mechanic  residing  on  the  Litch  place  in  the 
south  part  of  the  town. 


EDDY. 

The  Eddy  families  of  New  England  are  descendants  of  John  and  Samuel 
Eddy,  sons  of  William  Eddy,  Vicar  of  the  Church  of  St.  Dustan  in  Cran- 
brook,  County  of  Kent,  England.  The  brothers  arrived  at  Plymouth  Oct. 
29,  1630.  John  Eddy,  who  was  b.  in  March,  1597,  settled  in  Watertown  in 
1631.  He  was  admitted  freeman  Sept.  3,  1634,  and  was  a  Selectman  of 
Watertown,  1635,  '36,  '37.     By  wife  Amy  he  had  nine  children.     He  md. 

(2d)  Joana who  d.  Aug.  25,  1683;  he  d.  Oct.  12,  1684.     Samuel  Eddy, 

son  of  John  and  Amy  Eddy,  was  b.  in  Watertown  Sept.  30,  1640,  and  was 
admitted  freeman  March  22,  1689-90.  He  resided  in  Watertown  and  was 
many  times  elected  to  office.  He  md.  1664,  Sarah  Meade.  He  d.  Nov.  22, 
1711.  A  fac-simile  of  his  signature  is  preserved.  Samuel  Eddy,  eldest  child 
of  Samuel  and  Sarah  (Meade)  Eddy,  b.  June  4,  1668,  md.  Dec.  13,  1693, 
Elizabeth  Woodward,  dau.  of  George  and  Elizabeth  (Hammond)  Woodward. 


688 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


He  was  living  in  1722.  The  sixth  of  his  seven  children  was  Ebenezer  Eddy, 
b.  probably  1705;  md.  Ruth  Ward,  b.  May  19,  1710,  dau.  of  Eleazer  and 
Deliverance  (Trowbridge)  Ward  of  Newton.  He  removed  to  Oxford,  now 
Auburn,  where  he  d.  1767.  Abel  Eddy,  the  second  of  his  five  children,  b. 
April  15,  1741,  removed  to  Belchertown,  where  Abijah  Eddy,  the  second  of 
nine  children  was  b.  June  1,  1776;  he  [Abijah]  md.  June  2,  1801,  Beulah 
Cheney,  b.  in  Orange,  Jan.  26,  1784,  dau.  of  Eben  Cheney.  He  removed  to 
Warwick,  where  he  d.  March  23,  1836;  his  widow  d.  April  3,  1833.  Abijah 
Eddy,  son  of  Abijah  and  Beulah  (Cheney)  Eddy,  b.  Aug.  6,  1807,  md.  Jan. 
1833,  Lucretia  Ball  Stearns,  b.  Feb.  19,  1814.  He  d.  in  Somerville,  Nov. 
25,  1880. 


George  Wells  Eddy,  son  of  Abijah  and  Lucretia  B. 
(Stearns)  Eddy,  was  b.  in  Warwick  July  24,  1837,  and 
has  resided  in  Ashburnham  since  1859,  where  he  has  been 
an  accountant  for  George  C.  Winchester  and  for  the 
Boston  Chair  Manufacturing  Company.  He  has  been 
president  of  the  Ashburnham  National  Bank  since  1879, 
and  in  1880  he  represented  the  district  in  the  Legislature. 
He  was  an  early  and  earnest  advocate  of  a  public  library 
and  to  his  continued  support  the  enterprise  is  indebted. 
In  1883  he  was  chosen  a  deacon  of  the  Congregational 
church.  He  md.  Nov.  27,  1883,  Etta  Elizabeth  Stratton, 
b.  Oct.  9,  1844,  dau.  of  Stillman  and  Maria  (Keyes) 
Stratton  of  Winchendon. 


Eliphalet  Eddy,  who  resided  in  this  town  sixteen 
years,  was  b.  in  Auburn  Oct.  12,  1810.  He  was  a  son  of 
Jesse  Eddy,  a  grandson  of  Levi  Eddy  of  Oxford  and  a 
great-grandson  of  Samuel  Edd}'  who  was  a  brother  of 
Ebenezer  Eddy  named  in  the  preceding  record.  He 
owned  the  mill  now  of  Robert  W.  Mclntire  several  years 
and  removed  from  town  about  1848.     He  was  not  md. 


Elijah  Edson  removed  from  Bridgewater  to  this  town 
in  1769.  He  was  a  son  of  Dr.  Elijah  and  Anne  (Packard) 
Edson  and  grandson  of  Capt.  Josiah  Edson.  He  md.  in 
Bridgewater  Martha  Washburn  and  three  children  were 
b.  previous  to  their  removal  to  this  town.  He  was  a 
drummer  in  Capt.  Gates'  company  in  1775  and  is  named 
in  the  records  a  short  time  after  that  date.  The  family 
disappears  about  1778. 


I.  Sarah. 

II.  Olive. 

III.  Ziba. 

IV.  Infant,  b.  1' 


75;  d.  May  13,  1776. 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER. 


689 


Daniel  Edson,  a  younger  brother  of  Elijah,  was  a 
resident  of  Ashburnhani  in  1775  and  a  short  time 
subsequently.  He  was  in  Capt.  Gates'  and  Capt. 
Wilder's  companies  and  participated  in  the  siege  of 
Boston  until  Jan.  1,  177G.  I  find  no  record  of  his 
marriage  nor  does  the  name  of  his  wife  appear  in  the 
records. 

I.  Infant,  b.  and  d.  Jan.  14,  1775. 


ELLIS. 

The  older  branch  of  the  Ellis  family  of  Ashburnham  is  descended  from 
the  Dedham  family.  The  parentage  of  Joseph  Ellis  wlio  was  b.  1666  I 
cannot  state  with  accuracy  as  two  of  the  same  name  were  b.  in  Dedham  the 
same  year.  One  was  a  son  of  Joseph  and  Ruth  Ellis,  the  other  a  son  of 
Richard  and  Elizabeth  Ellis.  One  of  these  md.  1703,  Sarah  Hemenway. 
He  d.  1721,  aged  55  years.  Aaron  Ellis,  a  son  of  Joseph  and  Sarah 
(Hemenway)  Ellis,  md.  Jan.  -1,  1726-7,  Zipporah  Lewis.  Their  children 
were  Nathan,  Aaron,  Abel,  Paul,  Jesse,  Oliver,  Zipporah  and  Sarah.  He 
d.  1746  and  his  widow  md.  1747,  Timothy  Colburn  of  Dedham.  Aaron 
Ellis,  son  of  Aaron  and  Zipporah  (Lewis)  Ellis,  served  in  1754  in  the  French 
and  Indian  AVar  and  subsequently  resided  in  Winchendon,  Jesse  Ellis, 
brother  of  Aaron  P^Uis,  and  perhaps  other  members  of  this  family,  removed 
to  Winchendon.  Sarah  (Hemenway)  Ellis,  the  grandmother  ot  Aaron  and 
Jesse  Ellis,  d.  in  Winchendon  at  an  advanced  age  and  was  the  second  person 
buried  in  the  old  cemetery  in  the  southwest  part  of  the  town. 


Jesse  Ellis,  son  of  Aaron  and  Zipporah  (Lewis)  Ellis, 
was  b.  in  Dedham  Oct.  25,  1740.  He  md.  Mary  Harding, 
dau.  of  Moses  Harding  of  Medfield.  They  resided  in 
Medfield,  where  she  d.  Sept.  28,  1776.  Soon  after  this 
date  he  sold  his  real  estate  and  removed  to  Winchendon. 
He  md.  (2d)  Miriam  Hill  and  continued  to  live  in 
Winchendon  until  1799,  when  he  removed  to  Ashburnham 
and  was  the  first  of  the  name  in  this  town.  In  1793 
while  of  Winchendon  he  was  one  of  a  committee  to  build 
school-houses  in  that  town  and  his  name  is  occasionally 
mentioned  in  the  Ashburnham  records.  He  d.  Dec.  31, 
1822  ;  his  widow  d.  Feb.  11,  1831.  Two  children  by  first 
wife  were  b.  in  Medfield  and  three  by  second  wife  were  b. 
in  Winchendon. 

I.  06ed,  b.  April  27,  1768;  md.  July  17,  1794. 
Margaret  C.  Adams,  dau.  of  Nathan  Adams  of 
Medfield  ;  he  resided  in  Medfield,  where  he  d. 
June  4,  1819  ;  she  d.  May  31,  1844.  No 
children. 

ir.  Mary,  b.  1773;  md.  July  17,  1794,  William 
Peters  of  Medfield.  He  d.  Feb.  26,  1843  ;  she 
d.  March  18,  1835.     Two  children. 


690 


HISTORY    OF    ASHBURNHAM. 


(8) 


1.  Mary,    nid.    Nov.    27,    1814,    Dr.    Jame& 

Hewins. 

2.  Amy,  md.  Oct.  1,  1823,  Eev.  C.  C.  SewelL 

m.  Miriam,  b.  April   7,   1780;    md.    April    7,    1803, 
Stephen  Mayuard,  q.  v. 

IV.  Zipporah,  h.   Nov.   29,   1782  ;  md.   Dec.  2,  1802, 

Joseph  Miller,  q.  v. 

V.  Jesse,  b.  June  19,  1789.-[- 


10 


Jesse  Ellis,  son  of  Jesse,  was  a  farmer  in  this  town. 
He  resided  on  the  farm  now  owned  by  Samuel  J.  Bradlee 
of  Ashby.  He  md.  Nov.  8,  1807,  Abigail  Whitney,  dau. 
of  Silas  Whitne}',  q.  v.,  who  d.  Jan.  24,  1869  ;  he  d.  July 
17,  1870.     Nine  children. 

I.  3Iary  W.,  b.  March  13,  1809  ;  md.  Oliver  G. 
Caldwell,  son  of  John  Caldwell,  q.  v. 

II.  Samuel,  b.  April  1,  1811;  md.  April  23,  1837, 
Sarah  W.  Cushing,  dau.  of  Laban  Cushing,  q.  v. 
He  resided  in  this  town,  in  Burlington,  Vt.,  in 
Union  City,  N.  Y.,  and  later  in  Fitchburg, 
where  he  d.  Aug.  17,  1880.  He  was  esteemed 
for  judgment  and  intelligence  in  business,  and 
for  man}^  years  was  in  the  staging  and  livery 
business.  Subsequently  he  was  engaged  in  the 
shipment  of  flour,  grain  and  lumber  from  the 
West.     His  widow  resides  in  Fitchburg. 

III.  William  Peters,  b.  Jan.  31,  1813.4- 

IV.  Obed,  b.  March  13,   1815;  md.    Sept.    13,    1842, 

Mercy  Stoddard,  b.  Dec.  23,  1817,  dau.  of 
Charles  and  Lovisa  (Brigham)  Stoddard.  He 
resides,  a  farmer,  in  Dublin,  N.  H. 

1.  Charles  J.,  b.  Oct.  26,  1845;  md.  Anstis 
Brooks  ;  resides  in  Dublin,  N.  H. 

V.  Nancij,  b.  Sept.  3,  1817;  md.  Nov.  10,  1839, 
Bailey  Marble,  son  of  Samuel  Marble  ;  she  d. 
Dec.  15,  1873  ;  he  d.  Nov.  3,  1878. 
VI.  Sarah,  b.  Jan.  20,  1822;  md.  Sept.  17,  1849, 
Ohio  Brown,  son  of  Josiah  Brown ;  resided  in 
Stow  and  in  this  town. 

VII.  Lucy  Caldiv ell,  b.  Dec.   11,  1824;  md.  Noyes  B. 

Herrick,  q.  v. 

VIII.  Susan  Broicn,  b.  April  28,   1829  ;   md.  May  29, 

1867,  Jonathan  A.  Perham,  b.  in  Tyngsboro- 
Dec.  4,  1820,  son  of  Ralph  and  Sybil  (Perham) 
Perham  ;  reside  in  Ashburnham. 


GENEALOGICAL   KEGISTEK.  691 

IX.  Marxj  Jane,  b.  Aug.   13,   1833;   md.  William  H. 
Brown  of  Stow. 


William  P.  Ellis,  Esq.,  pursued  a  partial  course  of 
stud}^  at  Oberlin  College  and  was  engaged  in  teaching 
several  j'ears,  including  four  j'ears  near  Newark,  N.  J., 
and  two  terms  among  the  colored  refugees  in  Canada.  In 
1845  he  returned  to  Ashburnham,  where  he  has  since 
resided.  He  has  been  engaged  in  manufactures  and  was 
a  merchant  several  years.  He  has  ever  been  a  loyal  citi- 
zen and  has  frequently  been  called  to  positions  of  trust 
both  in  town  and  parish  affairs,  and  was  enumerator  of  the 
census  1880  and  1885.  In  every  laudable  enterprise  his  in- 
fluence has  been  constant  and  salutary.  He  was  a  deacon 
of  the  Congregational  Church  from  1849  until  his  resigna- 
tion in  1862.  Dea.  Ellis  has  been  deeply  interested  in 
the  preparation  of  the  History  of  his  native  town  and  has 
furnished  a  generous  measure  of  statistics  and  of  family 
records.  To  his  willing  efforts  the  reader  and  the  author 
are  under  enduring  obligations.  He  md.  April  21,  1841, 
Anner  Green  Randall,  dau.  of  Samuel  Randall,  q.  v.  ;  she 
d.  March  10,  1885.  He  md.  (2d)  Oct.  18,  1885,  Martha 
(Swain)  Wellington,  dau.  of  Nathaniel  and  Sally  (Da- 
mon) Swain,  and  widow  of  Albert  Wellington  of  Ashby. 


Daniels  Ellis,  a  son  of  Bethuel  Ellis  and  a  grandson 
of  John  Ellis  ofWrentham,  was  b.  in  Sherburn  Oct.  17, 
1799.  He  md.  Nov.  9,  1820,  Laura  Spear,  in  Billing- 
ham  Feb.  4,  1797.  They  resided  in  Barre,  Templeton 
and  Winchendon  until  1850  when  they  removed  to  the 
North  Village  in  this  town.  He  was  a  farmer  and  was 
also  engaged  man}^  years  in  the  manufacture  of  lumber. 
He  d.  Feb.  22,  1885  ;  she  d.  Jan  1,  1881.      Six  children. 

I.  Bethuel^  b.  Nov.  17,  1822  ;  md.  Jane  H.  Hapgood, 
dau.  of  John  and  Betsey  (Temple)  Hapgood  of 
Winchendon;  md.  (2d)  Etta  (Carter)  Whitney, 
dau.  of  Ebenezer  and  Clarissa  (Colburn)  Carter 
of  Fitzwilliam,  N.  H.  He  was  a  surveyor,  con- 
veyancer and  Trial  Justice. 
II.  Daniels,  b.  Jan.  18,  1824. -|- 
III.    William  Franklin,  b.  Dec.  28,  1825  ;  d.  Jan.   13, 

1827. 
rv.  Laura  Maria,  b.  March  13,  1829  ;    md.  May  12, 

1846,  George  Lewis  of  Winchendon. 
V.  Lyman,  b.  Dec.  28,  1830  ;    md.  Emeline  Thomp- 
son ;  resides  in  Everett. 
VI.  Georgianna,  b.  April  30,  1833  ;  d.  Aug.  28,  1859. 


692 


HISTORY   OF    ASHBURNHAM. 


(21) 


26 


27 


Daniels  Ellis  has  been  actively  engaged  in  the  manu- 
facture of  lumber  and  wood  ware  and  is  now  employed  in 
farming  and  as  a  merchant  at  North  Ashburnham.  He 
md.  June  23,  1850,  Harriet  L.  Perry  of  Concord,  Vt.,  b. 
Jan.  19,  1824. 

I.   Charles  Z>.,  b.  Jan.  22,  1851  ;  md.  Oct.  11,  1876, 

Ada  M.  Fletcher,  dau.   of  Joshua  Fletcher,  q. 

V.  ;  reside  in  Gardner. 
II.  Jennie  Z.,  b.  Aug.  23,  1858;  md.  Aug.  23,  1883, 

John   W.    Griswold,    adopted   son   of   ApoUos 

Griswold,  q.  v. 


Enos  Emory  was  b.  in  Rindge  Oct.  23,  1791.  He  was 
the  youngest  son  of  John  and  Elizabeth  (Perkins)  Emory 
who  removed  from  Topsfield  to  Rindge  1771.  Enos 
Emory  md.  April  22,  1817,  Zipporah  Hale,  b.  Dec.  12, 
1789,  dau.  of  David  and  Bathsheba  (Barker)  Hale  of 
Rindge.  He  was  a  manufacturer  of  spice  boxes,  and  re. 
sided  in  Keene,  N.  H.,  and  in  Groton  until  1833,  when 
he  removed  to  Lane  Village  in  this  town,  where  he  was 
engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  lumber  and  wood  ware. 
His  wife  d.  of  small-pox  Sept.  14,  1848  ;  he  d.  Feb.  20, 
1867. 

I.  Mary  J.,  b.  Jan.  23,  1818  ;  md.  George  E.  Lane, 

son  of  Elias  Lane,  q.  v. 
II.  William  H.^h.  March  27,  1821;  md.  June  11, 
1856,  Mary  A.  Lane,  dau.  of  John  Lane,  q.  v. ; 
resides  in  this  town. 
III.  CJiarles  H.,  b.  March  29,  1823;  md.  Oct.  11, 
1848,  Eliza  M.  Lane,  dau.  of  Elias  Lane,  q.  v. 
Resides  in  Fitchburg.     He  is  a  machinist. 


1.  Lizzie  M.,  b.  June  28,  1857. 
Pascal  P.,  b.  July  21,  1825  ;   md.  Nov.  27, 


1850, 
They 


Marilla  J.  Lane,  dau.  of  Elias  Lane,  q.  v 
reside  in  Springfield. 

1.  Etta  E.,  b.    Sept.   2,  1856;    d.   Nov.   3, 

1878. 

2.  Flora  J.,  b.  April   17,  1861;    d.   Aug.    9, 

1861. 

3.  Carrie  J,,  b.  Feb.  23,  1863. 


FAIRBANKS. 

Jonathan  Fairbank,  with  his  wife  Grace  (Lee)  and  six  children  came 
from  Somerby,  Parish  of  West  Riding,  County  of  Yorkshire,  England, 
about  the  year  1630,  and  settled  in  Dedham.  He  is  supposed  to  be  the  an- 
cestor of  all  of  his  name  in  this  country.     Richard,  a  brother  of  Jonathan, 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  693 

came  over  at  the  same  time,  and  was  for  a  time  postmaster  in  Boston,  but  is 
not  known  to  have  left  any  descendants.  The  Fairbank's  mansion,  near  the 
centre  of  Dedham,  built  by  Jonathan  in  163G,  still  remains  in  a  good  state  of 
preservation,  and  has  never  tfone  out  of  the  family,  and  is  said  to  be  the 
oldest  house  in  America.  The  town  of  Dedham  granted  a  tract  of  land  to 
Jonathan,  15th  of  7  mo.,  1641. 

Jonathan  d.  at  Dedham  Dec.  5,  16G8.  His  will,  June  1,  1668,  bequeaths 
the  home  place  to  his  eldest  son  John.  George,  the  second  son,  settled  in 
the  south  part  of  Sherborn  (now  Medway)  and  is  the  ancestor  of  the  families 
in  St.  Johnsbury,  Vt. 

Jonas,  the  third  son  settled  in  Lancaster,  and  had  a  numerous  posterity 
in  Lancaster,  Harvard,  Sterling  and  West  Boylston,  and  is  the  ancestor  of 
the  Ashburnham  families.     Jonathan,  the  youngest  son,  settled  in  Dedham. 

In  the  early  records  the  name  is  sometimes  Fairbank,  and  sometimes 
Fairbanks.  The  early  name  in  England  is  said  to  have  been  Fairchild,  and 
in  Scotland  Fairbairn. 

Jonas  Fairbanks,  son  of  Jonathan  and  Grace  (Lee)  Fairbanks,  settled  in 
Lancaster  about  1G58,  and  signed  the  Covenant  March  7,  1659.  He  md. 
March  28,  1658,  Lydia  Prescott,  dau.  of  John  Prescott  of  Lancaster.  This 
is  the  first  marriage  recorded  in  Lancaster.  They  had  seven  children.  Jonas 
the  father  was  killed  by  the  Indians,  Feb.  10,  1676,  and  his  widow  md.  Elias 
Barrow  of  Watertown.  Lieut.  Jabez  Fairbanks  is  supposed  to  be  the  only 
son  of  Jonas  and  Lydia  (Prescott)  Fairbanks  who  left  any  sons.  He  was  b. 
Nov.  8,  1670.  His  first  wife  Mary  d.  1718;  he  md.  (2d)  March  25,  1719, 
Elizabeth  Whitcomb  who  d.  May  11,  1775,  aged  80.  He  d.  1758,  aged 
88.  Dea.  Joseph  Fairbanks,  son  of  Lieut.  Jabez  and  Mary  Fairbanks,  was 
b.  in  Lancaster  1604.  He  md.  April  21,  1718,  Mary  Brown  of  Lancaster. 
Four  of  their  sons  left  children,  and  a  granddaughter  was  the  wife  of  Dan- 
iel Knight  of  Ashburnham.  Dea.  Joseph  Fairbanks  d.  Dec.  6,  1772,  aged 
78;  his  widow  d.  Nov.  14,  1791,  aged  91  years  11  months.  Capt.  Joseph 
Fairbanks,  son  of  Dea.  Joseph  and  Mary  (Brown)  Fairbanks,  was  b.  in 
Lancaster,  now  Harvard,  Nov.  4,  1723.  He  md.  Mary  "Willard  of  Lancaster. 
Their  daughter,  Anna,  md.  Ebenezer  Burgess  of  Ashburnham.  His  wife  d. 
Aug.  26,  1748,  aged  25.  He  md.  (2d)  Abigail  Hodgman  of  Groton.  Among 
their  nine  children  b.  in  Harvard,  was  Cyrus  Fairbanks  who  removed  to 
Ashburnham,  and  is  No.  1  in  the  following  register.  Dea.  Amos  Fairbanks, 
another  son  of  Dea.  Joseph  and  Mary  (Brown)  Fairbanks,  was  b.  in  Harvard 
1738.  He  was  a  farmer  and  a  blacksmith  in  Harvard.  His  first  wife  Lucy 
d.  Nov.  12,  1767,  aged  28;  he  md.  (2d)  Rhoda  Sawyer  who  d.  Feb.  23,  1813, 
aged  72;  he  d.  Jan.  14,  1809,  aged  71.  Dea.  Noah  Fairbanks,  son  of  Dea. 
Amos  and  Rhoda  (Sawyer)  Fairbanks,  was  b.  in  Harvard  May  21,  1771.  He 
md.  Hannah  Whitcomb  of  Boxborough  and  in  1806  removed  to  Gardner.  He 
was  a  farmer  and  a  miller.  He  d.  1852,  aged  81.  Among  the  nine  children 
of  Dea.  Amos  and  Hannah  (Whitcomb)  Fairbanks  Avere  Emory,  Asaph  and 
Joel  who  have  resided  in  Ashburnham,  and  are  named  in  the  following  reg- 
ister. Dea.  Amos  Fairbanks  of  Gardner  was  a  cousin  of  Cyrus  Fairbanks 
of  Ashburnham. 

1  ]  Cyrus  Fairbanks,  son  of  Capt.  Joseph  and  Abigail 
I  (Hodgman)  Fairbanks  was  b.  in  Harvard  May  17,  1752. 
!  He  served  in  the  Revohition  and  was  the  last  of  the  pen- 
I  sioners  in  this  town.  He  md.  Aug.  25,  1779,  Mercy  Hale 
I  of  Stowe,  b.  Feb.  7,  1756,  and  removed  to  this  town  in 
1 1788.  A  part  of  the  time  at  least  between  1815  and  1820 
j  he  resided  in  Troy,  N.  H.,  but  subsequently  he  lived  in 
'  this  town,  where  he  d.  June  18,  1852,  aged  100  years  ;  his 
i  wife  d.  1840. 


694 


HISTORY    OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


(3) 


I.  Sally,  b.  Aug.  8,  1780  ;  md.  Joseph  Gibbs,  q.  v. ; 

md.  (2d)  Nov.  19,  1835,  Lewis  Hill  of  Chester, 

Vt.     She  d.  April  14,  1857. 
11.  Jacob,  b.  March  17,  1782.-}- 

III.  Mercy,    b.    Oct.    7,    1784;     md.    Walter   Russell 

Adams,  q.  v. 

IV.  Cyrus,  b.  Nov.  17,  1786.-)- 

V.  Abigail,  b.  Feb.  24,  1789  ;  md.  Aug.  28,  1806, 
Leonard  Patch ;  md.  (2d)  Walter  Russell 
Adams,  q.  v. 

VI.  Artemas,  b.  May  26,  1791  ;  d.  unmd.  in  Troy,  N. 
H.,  Aug.  27,  1863. 

VII.  Betsey,  b.  April  10,  1796  ;  md.  Amos  Rice,  b.  Feb. 
5,  1797,  son  of  Samuel  Rice  of  Ashby.  They 
removed  to  the  State  of  New  York. 


Jacob  Fairbanks,  son  of  Cyrus  Fairbanks,  was  b.  in 
Harvard  March  17,  1782.  He  md.  May  25,  1808,  Lydia 
Phillips,  b.  April  19,  1784,  dau.  of  Seth  and  Elizabeth 
(Hamlin)  Phillips  of  Fitchburg  and  a  cousin  of  Hon. 
Hannibal  Hamlin  of  Maine.  He  was  a  farmer  and  a 
citizen  of  good  repute.  He  d.  Jan.  21,  1850  ;  she  d.  Jan. 
22,  1852. 

I.  Laura   Olivia,  b.   March   11,    1809  ;    md.   Emery 

Rice,  q.  v. 
II.  Europe  Hamlin,  b.  Sept.  14,  1810. -|- 

III.  Seth  Phillips,  b.  March  11,  1812. + 

IV.  Sherman  Dexter,  b.  Jan.  6,  1814. 

V.  Lydia  Harriet,  b.  April  10,  1816  ;  md.  Jacob  V. 

Ward,  son  of  Jacob  Ward,  q.  v. 
VI.  Mercy  Elizabeth,  b.  April  18,  1818  ;  md.  Joseph  B. 

Woods,  son  of  Asa  Woods,  q.  v. 
VII.  Caroline  Arclelia,  b.  Feb.  22,  1820  ;  md.  Nov.  2, 
1843,  Artemas  R.  Smith,  b.  in  Rindge  June  16, 
1814,  son  of  Henry  and  Asenath  (Rand)  Smith. 
He  was  successfully  engaged  in  business  in 
Fitchburg,  where  he  d. 

1.  Margaret  Lydia,   b.   April  4,    1850;   md. 

Dec.  23,  1874,  Edgar  R.  Ray  of  Franklin, 
Mass. 

2.  Ralph  Hamlin,  b.  Feb.  19,  1855  ;  d.  March 

23,  1863. 

3.  Gertrude  Elizabeth,  b.  Nov.  14,  1860. 

VIII.  Sarah  Dwelly,  b.  July  11,   1822;  d.   unmd.   June 
13,  1847. 


GENEALOGICAL    REGISTER.  695 

IX.  Jacob  Horatio,  b.  Sept,  7,  1826 ;  rad.  June  2, 
1858,  Margaret  Emma  Fersou  ;  he  is  a  farmer 
and  has  been  engaged  in  the  grain  and  iron 
trade  in  Fitchburg,  where  he  resides. 

1.  Emma  Isabel,  b.  Jan.   14,  1863;  d.  July 
25,  1863. 

X.  Albert  Porter,  b.  March  17,  1829  ;  d.  unmd.  Nov. 
14,  1851. 


(10) 


Cyrus  Fairbanks  md.  July  3,  1817,  Betsey  Jackson  of 
Westminster.  About  the  date  of  his  marriage  he  removed 
to  Troy,  N.  H.,  where  he  d.  Nov.  23,  1861  ;  she  d.  April 

29,  1868. 

I.  Eliza,  b.  March  22,   1818;  md.  Ranson  Ingalls  ; 

she  d.  Aug.  15,  1857. 
II.  Silas  H.,  b.  Dec.  7,  1819  ;  md.  Catherine  (Woods) 
Aldrich,  dan.  of  Asa  Woods,  q.  v.  ;  removed  to 
Jaffrey  1856,  where  he  d.  Oct.  24,  1858.  Their 
son,  Arthur  Walter,  b.  Aug.  24,  1857,  is  a 
druggist  in  Providence,  R.  I. 

III.  Mary  Ann,   b.   Dec.   3,   1822  ;  md.   July  9,  1844, 

Edward  P.  Kimball,  Esq.,  b.  in  Hillsboro', 
N.  H.,  Feb.  23,  1819  ;  he  resides  in  Troy,  N.  H., 
where  he  has  been  a  merchant  since  1842.  He 
was  postmaster  eight  years,  sheriff  of  Cheshire 
County  1874-0,  and  deputy-sheriff  many  years. 

IV.  George,  b.  Oct.  22,  1825  ;  md.   Abbie  Wright  who 

d.  Aug.  27,   1848;  md.   (2d)  Nancy  Watkins ; 
she  d.  July  27,  1858;  md.   (3d)   Oct.  26,  1859, 
Marietta  S.  French ;  resides  in  Jaffrey,  N.  H. 
V.   Charles,  b.  March  15,  1827  ;  d.  June  18,  1843. 
VI.    Walter  A.,  b.   Jan.   5,  1830;  md.   Aug.   4,   1864, 
Maiy  J.  Nourse  ;  resides  in  Fitchburg. 

VII.  Sarah  W.,  b.  May  8,  1832;   md.  June  28,   1865, 

Daniel  H.  Sawver  of  Keene,  N.  H. 

VIII.  Caroline  A.,  b.  June  6,  1836  ;  md.  Nov.  24,  1863, 

Dr.  Daniel  Farrar  ;  he  was  an  esteemed  physician 
in  Leominster;  he  d.  June  3,  1875;  his  widow 
resides  in  Leominster. 


Europe  H.  Fairbanks  rad.  Oct.  2,  1833,  Sally  E. 
Crehore,  dau.  of  Col.  Timothy  Crehore,  q.  v.  They 
resided  in  Ashburnham  until  1869,  when  they  removed  to 
Worcester  ;  now  reside  in  Fitchburg. 

I.  Henry  Augustus,  b.  May  12,  1838. 


696 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBUllNHAM. 


32 
33 

34 

(11) 


35 

36 

37 
38 
39 

40 


II.  Herbert  Hamlin,  b.  Sept.  16,  1846. 

III.  Herbert  Lewis,  b.  Jan.  13,  1848. 

IV.  Albert  Phillips. 


Seth  p.  Fairbanks  resided  in  the  Central  Village.  He 
md.  Oct.  27,  1836.  Alraira  Fairbanks,  dau.  of  Ithamar 
F'airbanks,  q.  v.  ;  she  d.  Jan.  7,  1848.  Hemd.  (2d)  Nov. 
30,  1848,  Charlotte  E.  Brown,  dau.  of  Joel  and  Lucy 
(Stearns)  Brown  of  Lowell.     He  d.  March  1,  1886. 

I.  Charles  Lewis,  b.  Dec.  12,  1839  ;  md.  Aug.  30^ 
1866,  S.  Augusta  Deaue,  b.  Feb.  3,  1839,  dau. 
of  Charles  P.  and  Anna  F.  (Carter)  Deane  of 
Fitchburg.  They  reside  in  Fitchburg.  For 
several  years  he  was  engaged  in  the  Hardware 
and  Iron  trade,  and  now  in  the  Coal  trade. 

II.  Elleji  Almira,  b.  Oct.  16,  1841  ;  md.  April  8, 
1868,  Rodney  King,  b.  March  26,  1837,  son  of 
Rodney  King  of  Dover,  Vt.  They  reside  in 
Central  Village. 

HI.  Albert  Willis,  b.  Sept.  5,  1846;  d.  Aug.  10,  1847. 

IV.  Harriet  Elizabeth,  b.  Jan.  4.  1850  ;  d.  May  7,  1867. 

V.  Frank  Everett,  b.  Dec.  9,  1857  ;  md.  May  1,  1880^ 

Z.  Irene  Warren,  dau.  of  Thomas  and  Zilpah 

(Merritt)   Warren  of  Whitingham,  Vt.     They 

reside  in  Fitchburg. 

VI.  Adalaicle  Ellsworth,  b.  Aug.  1,  1861  ;  graduated 
from  Cashing  Academy  1880  ;  now  bookkeeper 
for  Wilbur  F.  Whitney. 


41 


42 


43 
44 


Emory  Fairbanks,  son  of  Dea.  Noah  and  Hannah 
(Whitcomb)  Fairbanks  of  Gardner,  was  b.  in  Harvard 
May  15,  1800.  He  md.  1829,  Eunice  Haywood  of 
Boxborough,  and  in  the  spring  of  1830  he  purchased  the 
farm  of  Oliver  Marble  and  removed  to  this  town.  He 
was  a  man  of  excellent  character  and  was  justly  held  in 
high  esteem.  He  d.  March  2,  1871  ;  she  d.  Sept.  21, 
1865. 

I.  Einory  Hayward,   b.   Oct.   30,    1829  ;  md.    1857, 

Julia  Bacon  of  Sutton  ;  md.  (2d)    1864,  Laura 

Coolidge  of  Sherburn  ;  resides  at  Jamaica  Plain. 

He  is  a  jeweller. 

II.  Andrew  Stevens,  b.  Jan.  30,   1832  ;   d.  Aug.   12, 

1835. 
III.  Francis  Joel,  b.  Sept.  8,  1835  ;  md.  May  1,  1865, 
Abbie  S.  Russell,  dau.  of  Philemon  Russell,  q.  v. 
He  is  a  Congregational  clergyman.      Vide  page 
506.     Five  children. 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  697 

IV.  James   Henry,    b.    May    15,     1837;    md.     1861, 

Josephine  E.  Brewer  of  Framingham.     He  is  a 

jeweller  in  Fitehburs;. 
V.  Eunice  Elizabeth,  b.  Feb.    14,   1839  ;    mcl.   1857, 

Hosea  F.  Lane  of  Templeton,  son  of  Francis 

Lane,  Jr.,  q.  v. 
VI.  Joseph  Whitcomb,  b.  March  26,  1841  ;  md.  Jan.  1, 

1869,  Ellen  Cutting  of  Templeton.      Vide  page 

506.     He  is  a  tutor  at  St.  Paul,  Minn, 
vn.  Susan  Augusta,  b.  April  14,    1843  ;    md.  Charles 

E.  Woodward,  q.  v. 
VIII.  Luey  Aiin,  b.   Dec.   8,   1846  ;    md.   Jan.   9,   1875, 

George  N.  Ells  of  Norwalk,  Conn. 
IX.  Laura  Amelia,  b.  Oct.   30,    1848;    d.   April   29, 

1855. 


Asaph  Fairbanks,  a  brother  of  Emory  Fairbanks,  was 
b.  March  3,  1804.  He  md.  Hannah  Whitcomb  of  Box- 
borough,  and  removed  to  this  town  about  1830,  where  he 
continued  to  reside  until  1837,  when  he  removed  to  Shel- 
burne  Falls,  and  subsequently  to  Iowa,  where  he  d.  Nov. 
12,  1855.     Three  children. 

I.  Asaph  Waldo. 
II.  Joel  Whitcomb. 
III.  Martha  Malvina. 


Joel  Fairbanks,  a  brother  of  Emory  and  Asaph  Fair- 
banks, was  b.  in  Gardner,  July  17,  1814.  He  md.  Esther 
Leland.  He  resided  in  Ashburnham  several  years.  He 
was  a  mechanic  and  for  a  few  years  he  was  engaged  in 
the  manufacture  of  chairs.  He  now  resides  in  Templeton. 
No  children. 


Ithamar  Fairbanks,  b.  March  2,  1767,  md.  Jerusha 
Williams,  b.  Feb.  22,  1769.  He  was  not  closely  allied  in 
kinship  to  the  other  families  of  Fairbanks  in  this  town. 
They  removed  to  Ashburnham  with  four  children  in  1795. 
He  lived  in  the  west  part  of  the  town.  About  1813  he 
removed  to  Fitchburg  where  he  d.  Sept.  20,  1847.  She 
d.  Aug.  28,  1847. 

I.  Sally  Williams,  b.  Aug.  7,  1789.  ^ 

II.  Jerusha  Williams,  b.  Nov.  21,  1790. 

III.  Sophia,  b.  April  4,  1793. 

IV.  Ebenezer  Willia7ns,  b.  Dec.  16,  1794  ;  d.  in  Dalton, 

Nov.  9,  1869. 
V.  Ma7-y  Curtis,  b.  Sept.  16,  1796. 


698 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


62 
63 
64 

65 

66 
67 

68 


VI.  Elijah  Williams,  b.  Dec,  1797;  d.  Julv  13,  1799. 
VII.  Eliza,  b.  Oct.  19,  1799  ;  d.  Aug.  1,  1818. 
VIII.  Elijah  Williams,  b.  March  16,  1801  ;    d.  in  Day- 
ton, O.,  June  2,  1871. 
IX.  3foses,  b.  June  28,  1803  ;  d.  in  Fitciiburg  July  23, 

1874. 
X.  Joseph  Warren,  b.  Aug.  13, 1805  ;  d.  Feb.  10, 1827. 
XI.   Charles  Lewis,  b.  Jan.  15,  1808  ;    d.   in  Utica,  N. 

Y.,  July  25,  1843. 
XII.  Almira,  b.   Nov.    15,    1810;    md.    Seth   P.  Fair- 
banks, q.  V. 


John  Farrar,  b.  April  15,  1784,  son  of  Jacob  Farrar 
of  Concord,  md.  Dec.  20,  1810,  Caile  Stearns,  dau.  of 
William  Stearns,  g.  v.  ;  she  d.  March  26,  1843,  leaving 
eight  children ;  he  md.  (2d)  March  13,  1844,  Lucy 
Houghton,  dau.  of  Robert  and  Sarah  (Jones)  Houghton 
of  Leominster  and  Wiuchendou.  He  resided  several 
3'ears  in  this  town,  in  Stoddard,  N.  H.,  and  in  Winchen- 
don  where  he  d.  Jan.  25,  1859. 

I.  Eliza  Caroline,  b.  Oct.  21,  1811  ;  md.  June  25, 
1825,  Oliver  Brooks,  son  of  Stephen  Brooks  ; 
reside  in  Denmark,  Iowa. 
II.  George  L.,  b.  Oct.  3,  1813;  md.  June  5,  1838, 
Sophronia  M.  George  ;  resided  in  Winchendon  ; 
d.  April  13,  1882. 

III.  Charlotte,  b.  Nov.  27,   1816  ;    md.   Henry  Tucker- 

man,  q.  V. 

IV.  Roxanna,  b.  April  18,  1821  ;  md.  April  14,  1840; 

md.  (2d)  April  21,  1842,  Abraham  Bowden ; 
lived  in  Lowell ;  she  resides,  his  widow,  in  Den- 
mark, Iowa. 
V.  3Iaria,  b.  Sept.  16,  1823;  md.  Aug.  28,  1845, 
Ezekiel  Bartlett ;  he  d.  Oct.  3,  1851  ;  md.  (2d) 
Nov.  15,  1853,  Amasa  Mills,  who  d.  May  13, 
1854;  md.  (3d)  July  23,  1857,  Rev.  Oliver 
Emerson,  who  d.  Nov.  10,  1863  ;  she  resides  at 
Grinnell,  Iowa. 
VI.  Susan,  b.  June  24,  1826;  md.  Sept.  30,  1846, 
Eliphalet  S.  Wood,  q.  v. 

VII.  Lydia,    b.    Sept.    28,    1828;    md.    July    1,   1852, 
George  L.  Beals,  q.  v. 

VIII.   Calla,  b.  Oct.  8,  1830  ;  md.  Edwin  H.  Ely  ;  resides 
in  Cleveland,  Ohio. 


Abel  Far  WELL,  son  of  Dea.  Abel  Farwell  of  Fitch- 
burg,  resided  in  this  town  nearly  twenty  years.  He  md. 
Aug.  27,  1835,  Myra  Ward,  dau.  of  Caleb  Ward,  q.  v. ; 
removed  to  Fitchburg. 


GENEALOGICAL    REGISTEK.  699 

I.   Abel   Stephen^    b.    Jan.    8,    1836 ;    md.    Elsie    A. 
Howe,  dau.  of  Addison  Howe,  q.  v.  ;    resides  in 
Fitchburg. 
II.  Elizabeth  Davis,  b.  May  26,  1837. 

III.  Ivers    Warren,  b.  Jan.  26,   1839  ;  is  in   Montana 

TerritoiT. 

IV.  George  Goodyear,  b.  Nov.  7,  1840  ;  d.  in  tlie  civil 

war. 
v.  Levi  Caleb,  b.  April  11,  1843. 
VI.  Samuel  Ward,  b.  May  31,  1845. 
VII.  Austin. 
VIII.  Lelia. 


Dea.  Samuel  Fellows  removed  from  Harvard  to  this 
town  in  1762.  He  was  much  employed  in  town  affairs, 
and  beginning  with  the  act  of  incorporation  he  was  mod- 
erator of  nearly  every  meeting  while  he  remained  in  this 
town,  and  frequently  was  elected  to  other  office.  He 
was  a  deacon  of  the  church,  and  receives  honorable  men- 
tion in  the  civil  and  ecclesiastical  records.  The  name  of 
his  wife  was  Eunice.  He  removed  to  Shelburne  1772. 
Their  nine  children  were  b.  in  Harvard. 

I.  Eunice,  b.  May  26,  1736  ;  md.  Daniel  Merrill,  q.  v. 
II.  Samuel,  b.  Feb.  13,  1739.     Came  to  Ashburnham 

with  his  father  ;  with  wife  Mary  he  removed  to 

Shelburne  1771. 

III.  Joseph,  b.  May  27,  1748. 

IV.  Thomas,  b.  Oct.  13,  1750. 

V.  Sarah    (twin),  b.   Oct.    13,    1750;    md.   Jeremiah 

Foster,  Jr.,  q.  v. 
VI.  John,  b.  May  11,  175- ;  record  defaced. 
VII.    William,  b.  Oct.  5,  1758. 
VIII.    Willis  (twin),  b.  Oct.  5,  1758. 
IX.  Solomon,  b.  Dec.  5,  1760. 


John  Finan,  a  native  of  Staffordshire,  Eng.,  md. 
Rosena  Hare,  dau.  of  Patrick  Hare,  and  came  to  Ash- 
burnham 1850.  He  served  a  year  and  a  half  in  First 
Regiment  of  Cavalry.     Six  children  were  b.  in  this  town. 

I.  John,  b.  June  9,  1853  ;    md.    Mary  J.   Eggleston  ; 

resides  in  Leominster. 
II.  James,  b.  Feb.  11.  1856  ;   resides  in  Ashburnham. 

III.  Thomas,  b.  Feb.  7,  1858  ;  resides  in  Boston. 

IV.  Maj-y  Ann,  b.  March  31,  I860. 
V.  Elizabeth,  b.  May  31,  1862. 

VI.   George,  b.  July  7,  1864  ;    resides  in  Ashburnham. 


700  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


FISHER. 


There  were  two  or  three  families  of  Fishers  in  this  town  near  the  close  of 
the  past  century.  The  name  occurs  a  number  of  times  in  the  records  of  the 
choice  of  town  officers.  The  births  of  their  children  are  not  recorded  and 
little  information  can  be  gleaned  of  them.  The  wife  of  John  Kiblinger,  Jr., 
was  Betty  Fisher. 


Levi  Fisher  md.  June  2,  1777,  Rebecca  Wheeler  of 
Temple  ton.  Rebecca  at  the  time  of  marriage  had  a  son 
from  which  it  is  inferred  she  was  a  widow.  They  left 
town  a  few  years  later. 


Timothy  Fisher  resided  here  several  years  and  removed 
immediately  preceding  1787.  There  is  no  record  of  his 
marriage.     Three  children  were  bap. 

I.  Timothy,  bap.  May  3,  1779. 
II.  George,  bap.  May  20,  1781. 
III.  Asa,  bap.  June  6,  1784. 


FLETCHER. 

The  common  ancestor  of  the  Fletcher  families  of  Ashburnham  was  Robert 
Fletcher  an  English  emigrant  who  settled  in  Concord  1630.  He  Vas  a 
wealthy  and  influential  citizen.  He  d.  at  the  age  of  85  years  April  3,  1677. 
William  Fletcher,  the  second  of  the  five  children  of  Robert,  was  b.  in 
England  1622,  and  was  admitted  freeman  May  10,  1643.  He  md.  Oct.  7, 
1645,  Lydia  Bates,  and  in  1653  he  removed  to  Chelmsford,  becoming  one  of 
the  early  settlers  of  that  place.  He  acquired  a  large  tract  of  real  estate 
including  a  large  part  of  the  city  of  Lowell.  He  d.  Nov.  6,  1677;  his  widow 
d.  Oct.  12,  1704.  He  left  eight  children  of  whom  the  eldest  son  was  Joshua 
Fletcher,  b.  March  30,  1648,  admitted  freeman  March  11,  1689.  He  md. 
May  4,  1668,  Grissies  Jewell;  she  d.  Jan.  16,  1682;  he  md.  C2d)  July  18, 
1682,  Sarah  Willey.  He  lived  in  Chelmsford,  where  he  d.  Nov.  21,  1713. 
Paul  Fletcher,  a  son  of  Joshua  and  Grissies  (Jewell)  Fletcher,  was  b.  about 
1681 ;  resided  in  Chelmsford  and  served  in  the  Indian  War  in  1724. 
Ebenezer  Fletcher,  youngest  son  of  Paul,  md.  Aug.  8,  1754,  Joanna  Stearns, 
b.  July  29,  1724,  dau.  of  Lieut.  John  and  Esther  (Johnson)  Stearns  of 
Billerica.  He  removed  to  Westford.  Among  his  seven  children  is  Josiah 
Fletcher  who  is  number  1  in  the  following  register. 

Another  son  of  Joshua  Fletcher  by  his  second  wife,  Sarah  Willey,  was 
Capt.  Joseph  Fletcher  who  was  b.  in  Chelmsford  June  10,  1689.  He  md. 
Nov.  17,  1712,  Sarah  Adams  of  Concord.  He  resided  in  Westford  and  was 
a  man  of  influence  and  held  in  high  esteem.  He  d.  Oct.  4,  1772.  Among 
the  ten  children  of  Capt.  Joseph  Fletcher  was  Capt.  Pelatiah  who  was  b.  in 
Westford  May  3,  1727.  He  md.  Jan.  13,  1757,  Dorothy  Hildreth,  dau.  of 
James  and  Dorothy  Hildreth  of  Westford;  she  d.  June  14,  1782,  and  he  md. 
(2d)  Betty  (Hartwell)  Keyes.  He  d.  in  Westford  Feb.  23,  1807.  Pelatiah, 
the  sixth  of  the  twelve  children  of  Capt.  Pelatiah  and  Dorothy  (Hildreth) 
Fletcher,  became  a  resident  of  Ashburnham  and  is  number  11  in  the  following 
register. 

Dea.  Joshua  Fletcher,  a  brother  of  Capt.  Pelatiah  and  a  son  of  Capt. 
Joseph  Fletcher,  was  b.  Nov.  20,  1731.  He  md.  1755,  Elizabeth  Raymond 
and  resided  in  Westford.     He  d.  June  10,  1783.     Among  their  nine  children 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER. 


701 


was  Joshua  Fletcher  who  removed  to  Ashburnliam  and  is  number  23  in  the 
following  register,  and  Patty  the  wife  of  Grant  Houston.  Another  son  of 
Dea.  Joshua  and  Elizabeth  (Raymond)  Fletcher  was  Lyman  Fletcher  who 
md.  179i,  Lois  Gates,  dau.  of  Henry  Gates,  and  resided  a  short  time  in 
this  town. 


JosiAH  Fletcher,  b.  July  7,  1757,  son  of  Ebenezer  and 
Joanna  (Stearns)  Fletcher,  md.  April  9,  1786,  Abigail 
Fletcher  and  the  same  year  removed  to  the  southeast  part 
of  this  town;  where  he  resided  until  his  death  Feb.  6, 
1817.  His  widow  was  a  resident  of  this  town  in  1823. 
Eight  children. 

I.  Joshua,  b.  Jan.  31,  1787;  d.  Oct.  2,  1794. 
II.  Josiah,    b.    Dec.  20,   1788;   md.  Sept.   19,   1815, 
Deborah  Cashing,  dau.  of  David  Cushing,  q.  v. 
They  removed  from  this  town  previous  to  1820. 
One  child  was  b.  in  Ashburnham. 

1.  Deborah  Maria,  b.  July  7,  1816. 

III.  Elizabeth,  b.  April  20,  1791  ;  md.  April  24,  1816, 

Joshua  Fletcher  Reed.  They  buried  a  child  in 
this  town  1818  and  another  1819.  The  date  of 
his  death  is  unknown.  She  md.  (2d)  1823, 
John  Fenno  of  Riudge. 

IV.  Timothy,  b.  Feb.  9,  1794  ;  md.  Jan.,  1819,  Cynthia 

Parker  of  New  Ipswich.     They  resided  a  short 
time  in  this  town.     An  infant  d.  Nov.  21,  1819. 
V.  Joshua,  b.  March  7,  1796. 
VI.  Isaac,  b.  June  4,  1798. 
vii.  Infant,  b.  1800  ;  d.  Aug.  19,  1801. 
viii.  Abigail,    b.    July    17,    1802 ;    md.   Dec.   6,   1817, 
Salmon    Snow;    she    md.    (2d)     1821,    Aaron 
Barton  of  New  Ipswich. 


Felatiaii  Fletcher,  son  of  Capt.  Pelatiah  and  Dorothy 
(Hildreth)  Fletcher,  was  b.  April  4,  1767;  he  md.  Dec. 
5.  1785,  Patt}'  Keyes,  dau.  of  Jonathan  Keyes  of 
Westford  ;  she  d.  Dec.  9,  1786.  At  this  date  he  removed 
to  this  town;  he  md.  (2d)  Sept.  22,  1788,  Sally  Wood- 
ward of  Westford  and  after  a  residence  in  this  town  of 
about  ten  years  he  removed  to  Groton  ;  he  md.  (3d)  June 
2,  1803,  widow  Beulah  (Buttrick)  He^'wood,  widow  of 
Levi  Heywood  of  Winchendon.  He  d.  in  Westford  May 
7,  1811;  she  d.  May  18,  1814.  In  this  family  were 
eleven  children  who  have  filled  honorable  positions  in  life. 
Except  in  childhood  none  have  resided  in  this  town. 

I.  Joel,  b.  Feb.  23,  1786. 


702  HISTORY    OF   ASHBUKNHAM. 


13 


24 


27 
28 
29 
30 
31 


n.  Patty,  b.  June  28,  1789  ;  md.  April  9,  1807,  Jacob 
Osgood,  b.  iu  Westford  1787,  son  of  Col. 
Benjamin  and  Tryphena  (Cummings)  Osgood. 
They  resided  in  Westford  and  among  their 
children  was  Patty  Osgood,  wife  of  Samuel  S. 
Stevens,  q.  v. 

III.  Sally  (twin),  b.  June  28,  1789. 

IV.  Wiley,  b.  Feb.  7,  1791. 

V.  Samuel,  b.  March  2,  1792. 

VI.   Timothy,  b.  Nov.  28,  1795  ;  lived  in  Charlestown. 
VII.   Calvin,  b.  Feb.  20,  1797  ;  lived  in  Groton. 
Till.  Harriet,  b.  July  31,  1800  ;  md.  Nathan  S.  Hamblin. 
IX.  Mary,  b.  June  25,  1803  ;  md.  Thomas  Richardson. 
X.  Pelatiah,  b.  June  27,  1804. 
XI.  Lucy,  b.  Sept.  10,  1806;  md.  Abel  Stevens. 

Joshua  Fletcher,  son  of  Joshua  and  Elizabeth  (Ray- 
mond) Fletcher,  was  b.  in  Westford  Feb.  22,  1760. 
While  a  resident  of  his  native  town  he  was  a  soldier  in 
the  Revolution.  Vide  page  208.  He  md.  April  20,  1815, 
Lucy  Jones,  dau.  of  Enos  Jones,  q.  v.,  and  soon  after 
that  date  he  removed  to  Ashburnham,  where  he  resided 
until  his  death  April  14,  1843.  His  widow  d.  in  Rindge 
Dec.  21,  1850. 

I.  MaryE.,h.   May  1,    1816;  md.   April   18,   1844, 

Dea.  Joseph  Wetherbee,  q.  v. 
II.  Hannah,  b.  Nov.  16,  1817;  d.  Oct.  1,  1839. 
III.  Joshua,  b.  Aug.  27,  1820  ;  md.  April  24,  1846, 
Emeline  Stimson,dau.  of  Edward  Stimson,  q.v. 
She  d.  Sept.  16,  1847,  leaving  a  dau.  who  d. 
young.  He  md.  (2d)  April  14,  1852,  Mrs. 
Frances  (Partridge)  Sampson.  She  d.  May  13, 
1876;  he  md.  (3d)  Jan.  25,  1881.  Mrs.  Delia 
A.  (West)  Cross  of  Bradford,  N.  H.  He  is  a 
farmer,  resided  in  Rindge  until  1882,  when  he 
removed  to  Jaffrey,  N.  H.  Eight  children  were 
b.  in  Rindge. 

1.  Emeline  F.,  b.  Jan.   15,  1853  ;  d.  March 

18,  1854. 

2.  Arthur  J.,  b.  Feb.  22,   1855  ;  d.  April  27, 

1855. 

3.  Ada  Maria,  b.  June  24,  1856  ;  md.  Charles 

D.  Ellis,  son  of  Daniels  Ellis,  q.  v. 

4.  Walter  Irving,  b.  Jan.  28,  1858  ;  md.  Nov. 

2,  1881,  Agnes  Washburn  of  Natick. 

5.  Winslow  Ordway,  b.  March  15,  1859  ;  md. 

May  31, 1886,  Etta  Elliot  (Lawrence  71). 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER. 


703 


32 
33 

34 


8. 


William  Frederick,  b.  June  9,  1861. 
Myrtilla  Ines,  b.  Feb.  4,  1864,  a  teacher  in 

the  public  schools  of  Ashburnham. 
Edwin  C,  b.  Aug.  25,  1866. 


Ebenezer  Flint,  son  of  Edmund  and  Abigail  (Damon) 
Flint,  was  b.  in  Ashby  May  31,  1788.  He  was  a  farmer 
and  resided  in  this  town  from  1813  until  his  death  Dec.  3, 
1835.  He  md.  Jan.  12,  1813,  Emma  Wilder,  b.  Aug.  5, 
1793,  dau.  of  Samuel  and  Hannah  (Lasel)  Wilder  of 
Hingham,  She  was  a  niece  of  the  wife  of  Thomas  Hobart ; 
she  d.  Nov.  25,  1856. 


I.  Emma  H.,  b.  March  11, 
Barrett,  q.  v. 


1814  :  md.  Charles  H. 


Edward  S.  Flint,  son  of  Thomas  and  Betsey  (Keyes) 
Flint  of  Westford  and  a  grandson  of  Henry  Flint  of 
Carlisle,  was  b.  in  Westford  Sept.  2,  1817.  For  many 
years  he  was  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  chairs  at 
South  Ashburnham.  He  is  one  of  the  Board  of  Selectmen 
and  in  1855  he  represented  the  district  in  the  Legislature. 
He  md.  June  5,  1845,  Betsey  C.  Glazier,  dau.  of  John  C. 
Glazier,  q.  v. 

I.  Mary  Elizabeth,  b.   Jan.   13,    1847 ;  d.   March  7, 

1852. 
II.  Jtdia  Evangeline,  b.  June  3,  1862  ;  d.  Sept.  25, 

1863. 
III.  Helen  Eliece,  b.  Dec.  2,  1865. 


FOSTER. 

The  numerous  families  of  Foster  in  Ashburnham,  whose  names  appear  in 
the  following  record,  are  descended  from  Reginald  Foster,  an  English 
emigrant,  who  settled  in  Ipswich  about  1638  and  was  one  of  the  earliest 
inhabitants  of  that  town.  His  name  occasionally  appears  in  the  early  records 
and  in  a  connection  that  presents  him  as  an  active  and  useful  citizen  who 
bore  a  full  share  of  the  burdens  of  the  settlement.  In  1645  he  was  a 
subscriber  to  the  fund  for  the  payment  of  Maj.  Dennison  who  was  in 
command  of  the  military  force  of  that  vicinity.  In  1652  the  settlement 
granted  Reginald  Foster  and  Thomas  Clark  £10  "  for  cutting  a  passage  from 
this  river  into  Chebacco  river  of  ten  feet  wide  and  see  deepe  as  a  lighter 
may  pass  through  laden."  In  1658  for  £50  he  bought  of  Roger  Preston  a 
considerable  tract  of  land  with  buildings.  The  name  of  his  wife  was  Judith ; 
their  five  sons  and  two  daughters  were  b.  in  England.  His  wife  d.  1664  and 
the  following  year  he  md.  Sarah  Martin,  widow  of  John  Martin.  The  date 
of  his  death  is  not  known,  but  his  will  was  probated  June  9,  1681.  Jacob 
Foster,  son  of  Reginald,  was  b.  in  England  1635.  He  resided  in  Ipswich 
and  was  a  deacon  of  the  church.  He  md.  Jan.  12,  1658-9,  Martha  Kinsman 
who  d.  Oct.  15,  1666;  he  md.  (2d)  Feb.  26,  1666-7,  Abigail  Lord,  dau.  of 
Robert  and  Mary  (Wait)  Lord,  who  survived  him  and  d.  June  4,  1729 ;  he  d. 


704 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


-June  9,  1710.  His  grave  in  Ipswicli  is  marked  by  a  stone  monument. 
There  were  five  children  by  the  first  and  nine  by  the  second  marriage. 
Abraham  Foster,  the  sixth  child  and  the  eldest  child  by  the  second  marriage, 
was  b.  in  Ipswich  Dec.  4,  1667;  by  his  first  wife  Abigail  who  d.  Oct.  8,  1732, 
there  were  nine  children.  He  was  a  carpenter  in  Ipswich,  where  he  d.  Dec. 
25,  1720-1. 


(4) 


9 
10 

(5) 


Jeremiah  Foster,  a  son  of  Abraham  and  Abigail  Foster 
and  of  the  fourth  generation  from  Reginald  Foster  the 
emigrant,  was  b.  in  Ipswich  about  1710.  In  this  line  of 
descent  he  was  the  first  to  leave  the  town  of  Ipswich  the 
home  of  his  ancestors.  He  md.  1735,  Ruth  Metcalf,  and 
in  1743  he  removed  to  Harvard  and  ten  years  later  he 
settled  in  Ashburnham  on  laud  west  of  Lake  Naukeag 
still  known  as  Foster  Hill.  Vide  page  91.  He  was  a 
man  of  exemplary  character,  reserved  in  manner,  in- 
dustrious, honest,  a  kind  neighbor  and  an  excellent 
citizen.  He  d.  Dec.  12,  1788  ;  his  wife  d.  Feb.  6,  1776. 
Four  children  b.  in  Ipswich  and  two  in  Harvard. 

I.  JeremiaJi,  bap.  Aug.  8,  1736  ;  d.  young. 
II.  Abigail,  bap.  Feb.  17,  1737-8. 

III.  Jeremiah,  bap.  Jan.  6,  1739-40. -|- 

IV.  Samuel,  bap.  Jan.  8,  1 741-2. -f- 

V.  Judith,  b.  March  15, 1747  ;  md.  Dr.  Peter  Brooks, 

q.  V. 
VI.  Rebecca,  b.  Oct.  20,  1750;  md.  Caleb  Ward,  q.  v. 

Jeremiah  Foster,  Jr.,  md.  Oct.  29,  1765,  Sarah 
Fellows,  dau.  of  Dea.  Samuel  Fellows,  q.  v.  They 
resided  in  Ashburnham  until  1773,  when  they  removed  to 
Shelburne.     Three  children  were  b.  in  this  town. 

I.  Sarah,  b.  Aug.  10,  1766. 
II.  Amos,  b.  Oct.  13,  1768. 
III.  Nathan,  b.  Nov.  27,  1771. 


Samuel  Foster  was  a  worthy  and  influential  citizen. 
His  name  is  frequently  and  honorably  named  in  the 
records,  and  many  incidents  in  his  life  may  be  gleaned 
from  the  early  part  of  this  volume.  He  md.  July  6, 
1769,  Susanna  Wood,  b.  April  14,  1750,  dau.  of  Bennett 
and  Lydia  (Law)  Wood  of  Littleton,  and  a  sister  of  the 
wife  of  Capt.  Deliverance  Davis.  He  d.,  says  Mr.  Gush- 
ing, "  of  bilious  colic  terminating  in  a  fever,"  April  15, 
1793;  she  d.  Oct.  31,  1839. 

I.  Abraham,  b.  April  8,  1770.-}- 
11.  Nathaniel,  b.  Dec.  26,  1771.4- 


13 


19 
20 


21 
22 
23 
24 
25 
26 
27 
28 


29 
tl2) 

30 
31 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  705 

III.  Jeremiah  Bennett^  b.  Oct.   11,   1778;    resided  in 

this  town  ;  d.  unmd.  Aug.  3,  1846. 

IV.  Samneh  b.  Feb.  Q,  1776. -f- 

V.  Hosea,  b.  Aug.  1,  1778  ;  md.  Dec.  8,  1803,  Molly 
Joslin,  and  removed  to  Verona,  N.  Y.     He  d. 
Feb.  23,  1855.     Four  chikh-en. 
VI.  Joel,  b.  Aug.  21,  1780.+ 

VII.  Amos,h.  Nov.  16,  1782  ;  d.  unmd.  Sept.  21,  1812. 

VIII.   Obadiah,  b.  Oct.   25,    1786.     July  15,   1809,  his 

intentions  of  marriage  to  Deborah  Willard  were 

published.     He  d.  July  24,  1809. 

IX.  Siisanna,  b.  Sept.   25,   1789  ;    md.  Francis  Lane, 

Jr.,  q.  V. 
X.  Dorothy,  b.  Nov.  25,  1793  ;    md.  Ezekiel  Metcalf, 
q.  V. 


Abraham  Foster,  son  of  Samuel,  md.  Jan.  26,  1792, 
Sarah  Willard,  dau.  of  Dea.  John  Willard.  He  was  a 
blacksmith  and  a  farmer,  residing  where  Michael  Coughlin 
now  resides.  His  wife  d.  July  24,  1831;  he  md,  (2d) 
Jan.  1,  1837,  Mary  T.  Davis,  dau.  of  Ebenezer  Bennett 
Davis.     He  d.  Nov.,  1837  ;  his  widow  d.  April  29,  1853. 

I.  Sarah,  b.  Oct.  17,  1792. 
II.  John  TF.,  b.  May  12,  1794. 
in.  Abigail,  b.  July  6,  1796. 
IV.  Lucinda,  b.  June  9,  1798. 
V.  Sophia,  b.  Sept.  21,  1800. 
VI.  Abraham,  b.  July  14,  1802. 
VII.  Harriet  Willard,  b.  June  16,  1805. 
VIII.  Elijah  Willard,  b.  Oct.   8,   1807;    md.  Tryphena 
Lovewell,  and  resided  in  Gardner.     Eight  chil- 
dren. 
IX.  Mary  J.,  b.  June  20,  1810. 


Nathaniel  Foster,  son  of  Samuel,  md.  Jan.  11,  1795, 
Hepsibeth  Cutting,  dau.  of  Samuel  Cutting,  q.  v.  He 
was  a  farmer  in  the  northwest  part  of  the  town  and  con- 
ducted a  saw-mill.  Until  the  death  of  another  Nathaniel 
Foster,  he  was  styled  Nathaniel  Foster,  Jr.  He  d.  Sept. 
30,  1826. 

I.  Rhoda,  b.  Dec.  15,  1795;  md.  Nov.  23,  1820, 
Asa  Smith  of  Gardner.  She  d.  Oct.  30,  1821, 
leaving  a  son. 

1.  Asa   F.,  b.   Oct.    20,   1821  ;    md.    Fidelia 
Jackson. 
15 


706 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


32 
33 
34 
35 

36 

37 

38 

39 

40 

41 

(14) 


42 
43 

44 
45 

46 


II.  Hepsibeth,  h.  Oct.  13,  1797;  d.  Dec.  14,  1809. 

III.  Samuel,  h.  July  28,  1799.+ 

IV.  Emma,  b.  Sept.  3,  1801 ;  d.  young. 

V.  Emma,  h.  Dec.  29,  1803;    md.   Thomas  Bennett,. 

q.  V. 
VI.  Eunice,  b. ;    md.  Henry  Carter  of  Leom- 
inster ;  four  children. 
VII.  Nancy,  b. ;  md.  Metaphor  Kendall  of  Leom- 
inster ;  she  d.  1843,  leaving  five  children. 
VIII.  Mary,    b.    1807 ;    md.    Stillman    D.    Benjamin, 
q.  V. 
IX.  Adaline,  b.  Sept.  30,  1809;    md.   Sept.   11,   1832, 
Albert  Lamb  of  Leominster. 

X.  Elvira  F.,  b.  ;     md.    Stephen   Dodge   of 

Leominster. 
XI.  Leonard,  b.  April  14,  1814.-}- 


Samuel  Foster,  son  of  Samuel,  md.  Feb.  5,  1799, 
Lydia  Stearns,  dau.  of  William  Stearns,  q.  v.,  and  the 
same  year  he  removed  to  Stoddard,  N.  H.  He  was  a 
blacksmith  and  a  farmer.  He  d.  April  24,  1868  ;  she  d. 
July  1,  1867. 

I.  Stearns,  b.  Dec.  26,  1799;  md.  Feb.  3,  1825, 
Cynthia  Willson  of  Stoddard;  she  d.  July  9, 
1844  ;  he  md.  (2d)  Dec.  3,  1845,  Mary  Fuller 
of  Hancock,  N.  H.  He  resided  in  Stoddard 
until  1860,  when  he  removed  to  Keene,  N.  H., 
where  he  d.  Aug.  23,  1882.     Seven  children. 

II.  Lydia,  b.  Aug.  22,  1801  ;  md.  Nov.  24,  1824, 
Dea.  Luke  Joslin,  son  of  David  and  Rebecca 
(Richardson)  Joslin  of  Stoddard,  and  grandson 
of  John  and  Susannah  (Carter)  Joslin  of  Leom- 
inster. Dea.  Joslin,  in  1855,  removed  to 
Keene,  N.  H.,  where  he  d.  June  3,  1875.  Three 
children. 

III.  Maria,   b.  April  29,    1804;    md.  Nov.   4,   1823, 

Stephen  Wood  of  Hancock,  N.  H.  ;  he  d.  April 
30,  1874. 

IV.  Hosea,  b.   April   13,   1806;    md.   Nov.    7,    1833, 

Mary  G.  Rice,  dau.  of  Peter  and  Sally  (Moore) 
Rice  of  Stoddard,  N.  H. ;  he  resided  in  Stod- 
dard, N.  H.,  until  1868,  when  he  removed  to 
Keene,  N.  H.,  where  he  d.  by  accident,  Feb.  7, 
1872.  Six  children, 
v.  Selina,  b.  July  5,  1809  ;  md.  Feb.  16,  1830,  Mark 
Bowers  of  Hancock,  N.  H.  Seven  children. 
Rev.  Albert  Bowers,  formerly  pastor  Congrega- 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  707 

tional  church,  Huntington,  W.  Va.,  now  of 
Kuggles,  O.,  and  George  Bowers,  D.  D.  S.,  of 
Nashua,  N.  H.,  are  their  sons. 

VI.  EmUxj,  b.  Dec.  19,  1811;  md.  Oct.  10,  1833, 
Dea.  Edward  Hay  ward  of  Hancock.  They 
removed  1869  to  Keene,  N.  H.,  and  subse- 
quently to  Hyde  Park,  to  reside  with  their  chil- 
dren. He  d.  Nov.  6,  1883.  Seven  children, 
vii.  Samuel,  b.  Nov.  29,  1815;  md.  Nov.  5,  1845, 
Mary  S.  Palmer.  He  d.  in  Boston,  Aug.  5, 
1850;  she  d.  Sept.  25,  1846. 
vm.   Electa,  b.  Nov.  10,  1817;  d.  Dec.  25,  1818. 

IX.  Electa,  b.  June  10,  1825;  md.  July  15,  1850, 
James  Downing,  son  of  James  and  Lydia 
(Ayers)  Downing  of  Marlow,  N.  H.  Four 
children. 


Joel  Foster,  son  of  Samuel,  was  a  valuable  citizen. 
He  was  in  town  office  several  years  and  ably  and  faithfully 
discharged  every  trust.  He  md.  1805,  Dolly  Wetherbee 
of  Boxboro',  b.  Feb.  21,  1774 ;  she  d.  May  23,  1838  ;  he 
md.  (2d)  April  23,  1839,  Ruth  Fuller,  widow  of  Benjamin 
Fuller.  He  d.  Sept.  6,  1859  ;  she  d.  April  3,  1850,  aged 
76  years. 

I.  Harriet,  b.  Sept.  10,  1806;  md.  April  1,   1830, 
James   Hayward   of  Ashby ;  she   d.  April  10, 
1839  ;  he  md.  (2d)  Melinda  Corey,  q.  v. 
II.  Joel,  b.  July  15,  1808  ;  d.  March  31,  1814. 
III.  Jerome  W.,  b.  Dec.  15,  1810.-1- 
rv.  Dorothy,  b.  Sept.  6,  1813;  md.  June   12,    1833, 
Lewis  G.  Houghton,  b.  April  12,  1804,  son   of 
Elijah  and  Sarah  Houghton  of  Ashby.     She  d. 
Dec.  31,  1863. 


Samuel  Foster,  son  of  Nathaniel,  md.  Dec.  15,  1825, 
Emeline  Kibling,  dau.  of  John  Kibling,  q.  v.  They 
resided  in  this  town  and  in  Fitchburg.  They  d.  in 
Fitchburg. 

I.  Sarah  A.,  b.  March  27,  1827. 
II.   Charles  S.,  b.  June  6,  1828. 
m.  Leonard  G.,  b.  Aug.  26,  1837. 
IV.  Ellen. 

V.  Edioin. 

VI.  George. 
VII.  Louisa. 


708 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


(41) 


62 


63 

64 

(53) 


69 
70 

71 
72 
73 

74 
75 

(65) 


76 


77 


78 


Leonard  Foster,  son  of  Nathaniel,  resides  in  the 
northwest  part  of  the  town.  For  many  years  he  has  been 
actively  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  lumber  and  has 
frequently  been  chosen  to  positions  in  town  affairs.  He 
md.  April  18,  1838,  Melvina  Lawrence,  dan.  of  Capt. 
Moses  Lawrence,  q.  v.  She  d.  Aug.  28,  1848  ;  md.  (2d) 
1850,  Clarissa  Cole ;  md.  (3d)  1862,  Sarah  Howard. 

I.    Waldo  A.,  b.  Oct.  6,  1841  ;  md.  Dec.   31,   1870, 

H.  Elizabeth  Chandler.     He  was  in  the  employ 

of  the  Fitchburg  Railroad  several  years.    Resides 

in  Fitchburg. 

II.  Jennie  A.,  b.  Sept.  6,  1839  ;  md.  Webster  Maynard 

of  Winchendon  ;  she  d.  July  16,  1861. 
Ill,  EmmaL.,  b.  Oct.  7,  1847  ;  drowned  June  14, 1850. 


Jerome  W.  Foster,  Esq.,  son  of  Joel,  during  a  useful 
life  was  prominent  in  town  affairs  and  highly  esteemed  by 
the  community.  Vide  page  485  and  lists  of  town  officers. 
He  md.  April  23,  1834,  Mary  Colson,  dau.  of  George  and 
Nancy  (Aldrich)  Colson.     He  d.  March  23,  1871. 

I.   George  O.,  b.  Jan  21,  1835. + 
II.  Mary  C,  b.  March  12,  1838  ;  md.  Feb.  9,  1858, 
Josiah  P.  Sawtell,  q.  v. 

III.  Jerome,  b.  Nov.  5,  1839  ;  d.  April  5,  1841. 

IV.  Harriet  3/.,  b.  July  28,  1843;  md.  July  1,  1875, 

Goldsburg   H.    Pond,    son   of    Goldsburg    and 
Julia  Ann  (Harden)  Pond  of  Franklin,  Mass. 
V.  Susan  B.,  b.  Nov.  5,  1844;  d.  Aug.  14,  1866. 
VI.   C.  Lucretia,  b.  June   1,   1846  ;  resides  unmd.   in 
Ashburnham. 

VII.  Ella  J.,  b.  Nov.  11,  1847 ;  d.  May  29,  1861. 

VIII.  D.  Josephine,  b.  Dec.  26,  1849  ;  d.  Nov.  18,  1869. 
IX.  Emma  D.,  b.  Feb.  6,  1852  ;  d.  Sept.  14,  1852. 

X.  Emma,  b.  June  15,  1853  ;  d.  Sept.  7,  1861. 
XI.  Jerome,  b.  June  5,  1856  ;  d.  Oct.  29,  1856. 


George  C.  Foster  resides  in  Ashburnham.  He  is 
proprietor  of  a  livery  stable  and  a  farmer,  and  an  active, 
useful  citizen.  He.  md.  Aug.  10,  1856,  Sarah  E.  Bemis, 
dau.  of  William  Bemis,  q.  v. 

I.   Charles    W.,  b.  May  16,  1858;  resides  unmd.  in 
this  town.     He  is  of  the  sixth  generation  from 
Jeremiah  and  Ruth  (Metcalf)  Foster. 
II.   George  0.,  b.  June  17,  1862  ;  d.  Feb.  12,  1883. 


Dea.  Moses  Foster  is  a  prominent  character  in  the 
early  annals  of  Ashburnham.     The  date  of  his   arrival 


GENEx\.LOGICAL   KEGISTER.  70<^ 

here  is  not  accurately  known.  In  1750  the  proprietors 
styled  him  "  one  of  the  first  settlers."  Those  who  came 
to  the  wilderness  at  this  time  found  him  improving  a 
considerable  clearing  in  the  northeast  part  of  the  grant  and 
in  the  present  town  of  Ashby.  In  1750  he  removed  to  a  lot 
east  and  adjoining  the  common  and  was  there  an  innholder 
several  3'ears.  In  the  records  he  is  presented  as  an 
influential  man  and  a  prominent  citizen.  He  was  one  of 
the  thirteen  original  members  and  the  first  deacon  of  the 
church.  After  a  prolonged  search  I  am  compelled  to  say 
that  the  place  and  date  of  his  birth  and  record  of  his  early 
life  and  marriage  have  not  been  found.  I  can  only  add 
that  the  name  of  his  wife  was  Mar}';  she  d.  Nov.  11, 
1777,  "aged  70  to  80  years."  He  d.  Oct.  17,  1785, 
"aged  94  years."  The  record  of  two  children  is  im- 
perfectly preserved. 

I.  Moses,  b.  ;  md.  Mary ;  he  lived  in 

the  northeast  part  of  the  grant  and  in  company 
with  Zimri  Heywood  he  owned  a  mill.  The  site 
of  this  early  mill  is  in  Ashby.  He  removed  in 
1770  to  Shelhurne. 

1.  Milicent,  b.  May  1,  1758  ;  d.  Oct.  3,  1760. 

2.  Sarah,  b.  April  14,  1760. 

3.  Kezia,  b.  March  10,  1762. 

4.  Phebe,    b.    April    29,    1764;    md.    Capt. 

David  Merriara,  q.  v. 

5.  Esther,  b.  Jan.  19,  1767. 

6.  Brooks,  b.  March  14,  1769. 

7.  Moses,  b.  in  Shelburne  ;  bap.  in  Ashburn- 

ham  Dec.  29,  1771. 

II.  Jane,  b. ;  md.   June  5,  1756,  Zimri  Hey- 
wood, q.  V. 


Nathaniel  Foster,  whose  lineage  has  not  been  made 
certain,  resided  in  this  town  twenty  years  immediately 
after  the  Revolution.  His  farm  was  near  Ward  pond  in 
the  northeast  part  of  the  town  and  probably  west  of  it. 
His  wife  d.  May  19,  1785;  he  md.  (2d)  Dec.  29,  1785, 
Mary  Kendall  of  this  town.  He  d.  Oct.  12,  1804,  aged, 
says  Mr.  Gushing,  between  40  and  50  years. 

I.  3fary,  b.  Oct.  6,  1786. 

II.  Rebecca,  b.  Dec.  19,  1788. 

III.  Lucy,  b.  Aug.  12,  1791. 

IV.  Catherine,  b.  Dec.  9,  1793. 

V.  Stephen,  b.  Jan.  29,  1796  ;  d.  Feb.  12,  1796. 


710 


HISTORY  OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


VI.  Nathaniel,  b.  Feb.  22,  1797. 
VII.  Joel,  b.  June  9,  1801. 
viii.  Sarah,  b.  Aug.  13,  1803. 


Joel  French,  a  native  of  England,  b.  about  1760, 
with  his  family  came  to  this  country  about  1806,  and 
after  a  short  residence  in  Weymouth,  where  he  followed 
his  trade  as  tailor,  he  removed  to  Ashburnham  about 
1818,  and  subsequently  was  a  farmer.  The  youngest 
child  b.  during  the  voyage  was  named  in  compliment  of 
the  captain  of  the  vessel.     He  d.  March  29,  1829. 

I.  Eliza,  b.  1798;  md.  John  Pratt,  q.  v. 
II.  Zetlmn,    b.    1802 ;     md.    in    Ashburnham    1837, 

Phebe  Ames;    d.  in  Weathersfield,  Vt.,   Nov. 

25,  1884. 
III.  Perez  Drinkwater,  b.  about  1806  ;   d.  in  Reading, 

Vt.,  1841. 


FROST 

Edmund  Frost,  with  wife  Tliomasine,  settled  in  Cambridge  1635.  He  was 
a  ruling  Elder  of  the  church  in  Cambridge.  His  wife  d.  previous  to  1669, 
and  he  md.  (2d)  widow  Reana  Daniel  who  survived  him.  He  d.  July  12, 
1672,  "  leaving  to  his  children  the  example  of  a  godly  life."  Ephraini  Frost, 
son  of  Edmund,  the  emigrant,  resided  in  Cambridge  where  he  d.  Jan.  2, 
1717-18,  aged  72.  By  wife  Hepsibah  who  survived  him,  he  had  five  chil- 
dren;  of  these,  Ebenezer  Frost  b.  1697,  md.  July  2,  1723,  Deborah  Martin. 
He  was  a  currier  and  d.  in  Cambridge  17G8,  leaving  three  sons.  The  second 
of  these,  Ebenezer  Frost,  b.  1725,  md.  April  21,  1748,  Naomi  Dana,  dau.  of 
Thomas  and  Mary  (Parker)  Dana;  about  1760  he  removed  to  Rutland. 
Stephen  Frost,  son  of  Ebenezer  and  Naomi  (Dana)  Frost  was  b.  in  Rutland, 
and  settled  in  Hubbardston.  He  md.  Mary  Warren  of  Brighton,  and  d.  June 
18,  1828;  she  d.  May  31,  1851,  aged  81  years.  Their  son  Ebenezer,  of  the 
fifth  generation,  settled  in  Ashburnham. 


Ebenezer  Frost,  son  of  Stephen  and  Mary  (Warren) 
Frost,  was  b.  in  Hubbardston,  Aug.  18,  1802.  He  re- 
moved to  this  town  about  1823,  and  for  many  years  he 
was  an  eflicient  and  popular  school  teacher,  and  a  farmer. 
He  was  an  intelligent  man,  an  active  citizen,  and  his 
name  frequently  appears  in  the  list  of  town  officers.  He 
md.  Aug.,  1828,  Sally  Sawin,  dau.  of  Asa  and  Susannah 
(Grimes)  Sawin,  q.  v.  He  d.  Nov.  27,  1876  ;  she  d.  Nov. 
11,  1874. 

I.  Spencer,  b.  April  4,  1831  ;  md.  Sept.,  1860, 
Maty  R.  Lamb  of  Westminster ;  he  was  in  the 
service  in  the  53d  Regiment  and  now  resides,  a 
farmer,  in  Arthur,  111. 


GENEALOGICAL   KEGISTEK.  711 

11.  Mary  Susan,  b.  March  23,  1833 ;  md.  Nov., 
1856,  David  Heald  of  Milford,  N.  H. ;  she  d. 
Nov.  9,  1859. 

III.  Charles  II.,  b.  July  6,  1835  ;  resides  in  Arthur,  111. 

IV.  Ellen  E.,  b.  March    27,  1838  ;    md.  1862,  Rinaldo 

H.  Shattuck,  son  of  Andrew  and  Rebecca 
(Green)  Shattuck  of  Townsend.  He  enlisted 
on  the  quota  of  this  town,  and  d.  at  Brashear, 
La.,  May  8,  1863;  she  md.  (2d)  1875,  George 
T.  Samson,  q.  v. 
V.  Huldah  E.,  b.  Jan.  18,  1841  ;  md.  Jan.  6,  1864, 
William  P.  Heald  of  Milford,  N.  H.  ;  she  d. 
Nov.  15,  1866. 


John  Frost  resided  in  this  town  from  about  1778  to 
1787.  His  early  and  subsequent  history  is  unknown.  The 
name  of  his  wife  was  Mary,  and  three  children  were  b.  in 
this  town. 

I.  John,  b.  Oct.  12,  1780. 
II.  Joseph,  b.  July  4,  1783. 
III.   Hannah,  b.  May  12,  1785. 


Chester  B.  Gale,  b.  in  Barnard,  Vt.,  Feb.  17,  1831  ; 
md.  March  15,  1859,  Lucy  A.  Godfrey,  and  removed  to 
this  town  1862.  In  Aug.,  1862,  he  enlisted  in  36th  In- 
fantry and  served  through  the  war.     He  is  a  farmer. 

I.  Alice  G.,  b.  March  14.  1860;  d.    May  29,  1860. 

II.  Alta  E.,  b.  June  30,  1862. 
m.   Charles  B.,  b.  July  23,  1866. 
IV.   Clinton,  b.  July  29,  1868  ;  d.  Aug.  28,  1868. 

V.  Freddie  C,  b.  May  8,  1871  ;  d.  Aug.  16,  1871. 
VI.  Edith  A.,  b.  Nov.  25,  1876. 


Capt.  Joxathax  Gates,  with  wife  Elizabeth,  and  one 
or  more  children  removed  from  Harvard  to  this  town  im- 
mediately preceding  1765.  He  was  frequently  elected  to 
office  and  was  a  prominent  citizen  while  he  remained  in 
this  town.  During  the  first  three  years  of  the  Revolution 
he  was  a  captain  of  the  militia  and  several  times  he  was 
in  active  service.  Vide  Chap.  V,  and  list  of  town 
oflScers.  Several  children  were  bap.,  but  the  birth  of  none 
are  on  record.  It  is  not  certain  that  all  the  Children  are 
named  in  this  register.  The  family  removed  from  town 
soon  after  the  Revolution. 


712 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


3 

II. 

4 

HI. 

5 

IV. 

6 

V. 

7 

VI. 

8 

VII. 

9 

VIII. 

10 


(14) 


(17) 


25 


Jonathan^    b.    in    Harvard    Sept.    27,    1762. 

1818  he  was  residing  in  Champion,  N.  Y. 

page  184. 
Zacclieus. 
Ebenezer  Shedd. 
John. 
Henry. 

Sarah,  b.  1776. 
Freedom,  b.  1778. 
Tliankful  Fletcher,  b.  1780. 


In 

Vide 


Henry  Gates,  by  a  tradition  a  brother  of  Capt.  Jona- 
than, with  wife  Lois,  came  to  this  town  previous  to  1770. 
He  was  a  soldier  in  the  Revolution.  He  settled  on  the 
Howard  farm,  and  remained  in  this  town  during  life.  He- 
d.  Nov.  11,  1807;  his  widow  d.  Jan.  16,  1812. 

I.  Hannah,  b.  1770. 
II.  Lois,  b.  1771  ;  md.  Lyman  Fletcher,  q.  v. 

III.  Molly  Shedd,  b.  1773  ;  md.  Joseph  Davis,  son  of 

Amos  Davis,  q.  v. 

IV.  Henry,  b.  1775.-|- 

V.  Hosea,  b.  1777 ;  d.  in  Stow  March  24,  1835. 
VI.  Persis,  b.  April  16,  1779  ;    md.  Edward  Maynard, 
q.  V. 
VII.    William,  b.  Oct.  13,  1782.-|- 
VIII.  Jonathan,  b.  1786. 


Henry  Gates  md.  Aug.  10,  1796,  Prudence  Priest; 
she  d.  Feb.  5,  1808;  md.  (2d)  1809,  Ruth  Lawrence  of 
Mason,  N.  H.  He  d.  in  this  town  Jan.  27,  1856.  His 
death  is  recorded  William  Gates,  and  the  death  noted  on 
page  552  refers  to  this  Henry  Gates. 

Candace,  b.  Feb.  9,  1797. 

Artemas,  b.  Sept.  6,  1798. 

Mary,  b.  Feb.  19,  1805. 

Louisa  Whitcomb,  b.  March  2,  1807. 

Eveline,  b.  Feb.  15,  1810. 

Sarah  Lawrence,  b.  April  21,  1811. 


19 

I. 

20 

II. 

21 

III. 

22 

IV. 

23 

V. 

24 

VI. 

William  Gates  md.  Sept.  6,  1807,  Betsey  Hosley  of 
Hancock,  N.  H.  They  resided  in  Westminster  from 
1814  to  1818  and  subsequently  in  this  town.  He  d.  Dec. 
7,  1844  ;    she  d.  Aug.  22,  1872. 

I.    William,  b.  Oct.  28,   1809  ;  md.  Aug.  29,  1837,. 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  713. 

Betsey  Hosley  of  Jamaica,  Vt.     He  d.  in  New 
Fane,  Vt.,  1881. 
II.  David,  b.  Nov.  8,  1812  ;  d.  Sept.  17,  1814. 

III.  Sally,  b.  Aug.  11,  1814;  md.  Hezekiah  Matthews, 

q.  V. 

IV.  Mary,  b.  March  7,  1816  ;  md.  Ivers  Burgess,  q.  v. 

V.  Elizabeth,  b.  April  25,   1818  ;  md.   Jesse  Parker, 

q.  V. 


John  Gates,  probably  a  brother  of  Capt.  Jonathan  and 
Henry,  came  to  this  town  about  1770.  He  md.  1773, 
Catherine  Coolidge,  dau.  of  Elisha  Coolidge,  q.  v.,  and 
resided,  a  farmer,  in  this  town. 

1.   Catherine,  b.  Sept.  15,  1773  ;  md.  Melzer  Hudson, 

q.  V. 
II.  Levi,  b.  Aug.  27,  1775. 

III.  Lucy,  b.  Sept.  5,  1778  ;  md.  Luther  Brooks,  q.  v. 

IV.  Betty,    b.    Dec.    18,    1780;    md.    Dec.    27,    1801, 

Josiah   Wheeler,    b.   in  Westminster   Dec.   31, 
1781,  son  of  Josiah  and  Lucy  (Graves)  Wheeler  ; 
md.  (2d)  Joseph  Merriam,  Jr.,  g.  v. 
V.  John,  b.  March  28,  1783.+ 
VI.  Sally,  b.  April  7,  1785. 

VII.  Ezra,  b.  July  26,  1787.     No  record  of  marriage; 

a  child  was  buried  in  this  town  1817,  but  he  was 
not  taxed  that  year. 

VIII.  Amos,  b.  Mav  22,  1790  ;  d.  July  4,  1794. 

IX.  Nayicy,  b.  March  18,  1792  ;  d.  Dec.  13,  1796. 
X.  Asa,  b.  Feb.  18,  1794;  d.  Feb.  19,  1794. 

XI.  Amy,  b.  May  4,  1795;  md.  Dec.  12,  1815,  Samuel 
Beal,  son  of  John  and  Lydia  (Holman)  Beal  of 
Chesterfield,  N.  H.  They  resided  in  Chesterfield, 
where  she  d.  May  23,  1854.  He  d.  Dec.  5, 
1870.  Nine  children. 
XII.  Loring,  b.  Sept.  30,  1797;  md.  1819,  Nancy 
Adams,  dau.  of  James  Adams,  q.  v.  They 
removed  to  Harford,  Penn. 


John  Gates  md.  1808,  Lucy  Pierce  of  Gardner. 

I.  Nancy,  b.  Jan.  13,  1809. 
II.  Alfred,  b.  Aug.  10.  1810. 

III.  Lucy,  b.  June  15,  1812. 

IV.  John,  b.  May  13,  1814. 
V.  Ezra.  b.  Nov.  18,  1816. 

VI.  Warren,  b.  April  7,  1819. 


714 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


49 


(53) 


Everett  Gates,  b.  Sept.  11,  1798,  son  of  Isaiah  and 
Susannah  (Hapgood)  Gates  of  Stow,  md.  Jan.  30,  1822, 
Chloe  Constantine,  dau.  of  Jacob  Coustantine,  g.  v.  He 
was  a  farmer  and  on  a  farm  in  Ashby  adjoining  this  town. 
He  d.  April  20,  1860  ;  his  widow  resides  on  the  homestead 
with  memory  unimpaired. 

I.  John  X.,  b.  Nov.  3,  1822  ;  d.  June  12,  1829. 
II.   Charles  E.,  b.  Feb.  16,  1825;  d.  unmd.  Oct.  23, 
1864. 

III.  James  L.,  b.  May  3,  1827 ;  d.  June  16,  1829. 

IV.  Jacoh  P.,  b.  April  20,  1829. + 

V.   George  0.,  b.  May  8,  1832  ;  d.  March  24,  1839. 
VI.  Mary  E.,  b.  May  6,  1835  ;  resides  unmd.  on  the 
homestead. 

VII.  Timothy  N.,    b.    Jan.    16,   1837;  md.    Sept.    28, 

1859,  Mary  A.  Whittemore  ;   resides  in  Fitch- 
burg.     Six  children. 

VIII.  Otis  E..  b.  Sept.  26,  1839;  resides  unmd.  on  the 

homestead. 
IX.  Francis  3f.,  b.  April  4,  1842  ;  resides  unmd.  on  the 

homestead. 
X.  Eliza  J.,  b.  June  23,  1844  ;  d.  June  27,  1852. 
XI.  Eugene  C,  b.  July  16,  1847  ;  resides  unmd,  on  the 

homestead. 


Jacob  Philbrick  Gates,  sou  of  Everett  Gates,  md. 
Sept.  18,  1855,  Sally  Wilker,  dau.  of  John  Wilker,  q.  v. 
He  is  a  farmer  and  owns  a  part  of  the  original  Wilker 
farm. 

I.  Flora  G.,  b.  Nov.  17,  1856. 
II.    Willie  E.,  b.  Aug.  15,  1862;  d.  Dec.  19,  1863. 

III.  Clara  3L,  b.  Jan.  8,  1865. 

IV.  Fred  E.,  b.  July  24,  1869. 


Charles  Henry  Gentle,  b.  in  Westminster  Sept.  30, 
1857,  son  of  Charles  and  Mary  (Dunn)  Gentle,  md.  Nov. 
23,  1881,  Sarah  Smith,  dau. 'of  Leonard  and  Mary 
(Mansfield)  Smith.  (  Vide  Lawrence  register.)  He  owns 
and  occupies  the  Merrick  Willard  farm  at  South  Village. 


GIBBS. 

•-  The  Gibbs  families  of  America  are  of  English  origin.  The  Ashburnham 
families  are  descendants  of  Matthew  Gibbs  who  was  a  planter  in  Charlestown 
at  an  early  date,  and  where  he  md.  about  1(550,  Mary  Bradish,  dau.  of  Robert 
Bradish  of  Cambridge.  In  1654  he  sold  his  house  and  land  in  Charlestown 
and  removed  to  Sudbury.     He  was  chosen  one  of  a  committee  in  1655  and 


GENEA LOGICAL  REGISTER 


715 


subsequently  was  frequently  mentioned  in  the  Sudbury  and  county  records. 
He  d.  previous  to  1G97.  The  eldest  of  his  seven  children  was  Matthew  Gibbs, 
Jr.,  who  was  b.  about  1G55.  He  removed  from  Sudbury  to  Framingham, 
where  he  d.  March  9,  1732.  He  md.  1678,  Mary  Moore,  b.  in  Lancaster 
1G55,  dau.  of  John  and  Ann  (Smith)  Moore  of  Lancaster  and  Sudbury.  He 
md.  (2d)  Elizabeth  Moore,  b.  1657,  a  sister  of  his  first  wife.  She  d.  in 
Framingham  Jan.  20,  1733-4. 

Joseph  Gibbs,  the  fourth  of  the  six  children  of  Matthew  Gibbs,  Jr.,  was 
b.  Oct.  7,  1G87.  He  md.  July  1,  1712,  Mercy  Clark,  b.  in  Cambridge  Dec. 
18,  1690,  dau.  of  James  and  Sarah  (Champney)  Clark.  He  resided  in 
Framingham  until  about  1717,  when  he  removed  to  Sudbury,  where  his  wife 
d.  Feb.  28,  1733-4.  Joseph  and  Mercy  (Clark)  Gibbs  had  six  children,  of 
whom  Joseph  Gibbs,  Jr.,  the  second  child  and  eldest  son,  was  b.  in 
Framingham,  where  he  was  bap.  Sept.  13,  1719.  He  md.  Hannah  Howe  and 
resided  in  Rutland  and  Princeton.  He  d.  in  Princeton  May  12,  1774.  His 
wife  d.  May  22,  1772.  Two  of  the  sons  of  Joseph  Gibbs,  Jr.,  settled  in 
Ashburnham. 


Daniel  Gibbs,  eldest  sou  of  Joseph  and  Hannah 
(Howe)  Gibbs,  was  b.  Aug.  1,  1751.  He  resided  in 
Princeton  until  1778,  when  he  bought  land  of  John  Gates 
and  a  mill  in  South  Ashburnham  of  Philip  Lock.  He 
probabl}^  removed  to  Ashburnham  in  1778,  as  his  name 
appears  on  the  remnant  of  a  tax  list  for  that  year. 
He  resided  in  this  town  until  1793,  when  he  removed  to 
Peterborough,  N.  H.  From  1804  until  his  death  he 
carried  the  mail  from  Brattleborough,  Vt.,  to  Portsmouth, 
N.  H.,  at  first  on  horseback  and  later  in  a  light  vehicle. 
He  was  killed  while  attempting  to  pass  a  bridge  under 
repairs  in  Peterborough,  Sept.  25,  1824.  He  md.  in 
Princeton  1777,  Ljdia  Woods,  dau.  of  Samuel  Woods  of 
Princeton,  and  a  half-sister  of  Rev.  Dr.  Leonard  Woods  ; 
she  survived  him  and  d.  in  Peterborough  April  14,  1836, 
aged  75.  Tliree  children  were  b.  in  Ashburnham  and  two 
in  Peterborough. 

I.  Polly,  b.  April  12,  1781  ;  d.  April  17,  1795. 

II.  Asa,  b.  Aug.  26,  1789 ;  md.  March  16,  1809, 
Mary  Gregg,  dau.  of  Major  Samuel  Gregg  of 
Peterborough,  N.  H.  She  d.  Feb.  24,  1813  ;  md. 
(2d)  July  4,  1815,  Sally  Porter,  dau.  of  James 
Porter  of  Peterborough.  Succeeding  his  father 
he  carried  the  mails  until  1826.  He  d.  in  Peter- 
borough May  27,  1849  ;  his  widow  d.  Oct.  24, 
1859.     Four  children. 

III.  Ahel,  b.  July  18,  1787;  md.  March  13,  1816, 
Nancy  C.  Porter,  dau.  of  James  Porter.  He  d. 
in  Savannah,  Ga.,  1819.  Their  only  child, 
James  Porter  Gibbs,  d.  in  Woburn,  Oct.  9, 
1842,  aged  26  years. 


716  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


Lydia  Woods,  b.  Aug.  29,  1798  ;  md,  John  Gard- 
ner;  md.  (2d)  Jan.,  1828,  Rev.  William  Hogan 
of  Savannah,  Ga.  He  d.  1848 ;  she  d.  in 
Peterborough  Sept.  30,  1875, 

Sally,  b.  1800 ;  d.  unmd.  May  29,  1820. 


Joseph  Gibbs,  son  of  Joseph  and  Hannah  (Howe) 
Gibbs,  was  b.  Oct.  12,  1756.  He  remained  in  Princeton 
during  the  Revolution,  and  was  taxed  there  until  1783. 
At  this  time  he  removed  to  this  town  and  settled  on 
the  farm  now  of  his  grandson,  George  G.  Samson.  He 
was  intelligent,  industrious,  honest,  a  kind  neighbor  and 
an  exemplary  citizen.  He  md.  Jan.  9,  1787,  Elizabeth 
Laws,  b.  July  28,  1766,  dau.  of  James,  Jr.,  and  Anne 
(Danforth)  Laws  of  Westminster.  She  d.  Nov.  10, 
1809  ;  he  md.  (2d)  June  19,  1811,  Sally  Fairbanks,  dau. 
of  Cyrus  Fairbanks,  g.  v.  He  d.  from  injury  received 
from  a  falling  tree,  March  19,  1829.  His  widow  md.  (2d) 
Nov.  19,  1835,  Lewis  Hill  of  Chester,  Vt.,  and  d.  1858. 
There  were  eleven  children  of  Joseph  and  Elizabeth 
(Laws)  Gibbs,  and  two  of  Joseph  and  Sally  (Fairbanks) 
Gibbs. 

I.  Joseph,  b.  March   20,  1788  ;    md.  Feb.   2,    1813, 
Betsey  Cowee  of  Westminster  ;  resided  in  Ben- 
son, Vt. 
II.  Benjamin,  b.  Feb.  3,  1790.-(- 

III.  Betsey,  b.  March  16,   1792  ;    md.  Jonathan   Sam- 

son, q.  V. 

IV.  Azubah,  b.  Feb.  9,  1794  ;  d.  Aug.  9,  1795. 

V.  Jonatfum  Danforth,  b.  May  24,  1796;  resided  in 
Jaflfrey,  N.  H.  ;  md.  Nov.  18,  1821,  Rhoda 
Locke,  b.  July  27,  1801,  dau.  of  Edward  J.  and 
Rhoda  (Laws)  Locke  ;  she  d.  May  12,  1834  ;  he 
md.  (2d)  Dec.  29,  1835,  Sarah  H.  Wilson  of 
Mason,  N.  H.     He  was  a  public-spirited  citizen. 

1.  Rhoda  Elizabeth,  b.  May  17,  1823. 

VI.  Leavitt  Howe,  b.  March  26.  1798.+ 
VII.  Infant,  b.  and  d.  Aug.  2,  1800. 
VIII.  Azubah,  b.  Dec.  4,  1801  ;   md.  1823,  Alison  Lake, 
Esq.,  of  Rindge  ;  she  d.  Jan.  3,  1832. 
IX.  Leonard,    b.   April    10,   1803  ;    resided   in   Utica, 

N.  Y. 
X.  Cyrus,  b.  Sept.  22,  1806  ;  md.  Elizabeth  Bennett, 

resided  in  Canada. 
XI.  Sylvia,  b.  Sept.  4,  1808;  d.  Sept.  22,  1808. 


GENEALOGICAL   KEGISTER.  717 

XII.  Infant^  d.  Aug.  1,  1814. 

XIII.  Merrick  H..h.T>QC.  21,  1815;  md.  Sept.  19,1842, 
Maria  M.  Whitney,  dau.  of  Noah  and  Mercy- 
Whitney  ;  resided  in  Ashburnham  and  in  Gard- 
ner. He  d.  June  17,  1879.  His  widow  resides 
in  Gardner. 

1.  Merrick  Wallace,  b.   July  18,  1846;  md. 

1874,  Lydia  A.  Whitman,  dau.  of 
Charles  and  Viola  Whitman.  He  d.  in 
Gardner  Oct.  7,  1878  ;  his  wife  d.  Aug. 
23,  1877.  One  dau.,  Maud  E.,  b.  Dec. 
23.  1875. 

2.  Kate  M.,  b.  Sept.  26,  1848  ;  md.  Nov.  28, 

1871,  Edwin  Gates,  son  of  Addison  and 
Nancy  Gates  ;  reside  in  Gardner. 


CoL.  Benjamin  Gibbs  was  an  officer  of  the  militia  sev- 
eral years,  and  was  promoted  Major  1824,  and  Lieutenant 
Colonel  1825.  About  1826  he  removed  to  Cambridge- 
port,  where  he  d.  Sept.  7,  1863.  He  md.  Dec.  19,  1813, 
Sarah  Rice,  dau.  of  Reuben  Rice,  q.  v.  She  d.  Jan.  17, 
1840;  he  md.  (2d)  July  22,  1841,  her  sister,  Lucy  Rice, 
who  d.  Dec.  29,  1885. 

I.  Benjamin  Warren^  b.  Sept.  10,  1815  ;  md.  Oct. 
14,  1838,  Susan  F.  Johnson.  He  d.  at  Cam- 
bridgeport  Jan.  7,  1878. 
II.  Joseph  N.,  b.  July  24,  1817;  md.  Nov.  27,  1845, 
Elizabeth  AYheeler.  He  is  a  jeweller  at  Med- 
ford. 

III.  Reuben  Rice,  b.  Feb.  13,  1820;  d.  Sept.  19, 1824. 

IV.  Sarah  E.,  b.  June  18,  1832  ;   md.  Nov.  22,  1855, 

Frank  W.  Reeves ;  she  resides,  his  widow,  at 
Laconia,  N.  H. 
V.  George  H.,  b.  July  29,  1842  ;  md.  April  23,  1871, 
Ruhamah  H.  Wyman ;  he  d.  at  Cambridgeport 
Nov.  5,  1882. 
VI.  diaries  E.,  b.  Aug.  5,  1844;  md.  April  30,  1868, 
Mary  E.  Hartford  ;  resides  at  Maplewood. 


Leavitt  H.  Gibbs  md.  June  13,  1824,  Charlotte 
Stearns,  b.  July  17,  1800,  dau.  of  Daniel  and  Elizabeth 
(Knowlton)  Stearns  of  Brattleborough,  Vt.  They  resided 
in  this  town  until  1864.  In  the  infirmities  of  age  they  found 
a  pleasant  home  with  their  children.  He  d.  in  Whitins- 
ville  Dec.  11,  1875.     Mrs.  Gibbs  resides  with  her  eldest 


718 


HISTORY    OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


30 

31 

32 
38 

34 


35 
36 


37 


son  in  Fitchburg.     She  is  the  oldest  member  of  the  Con- 
gregational church,  having  been  admitted  to  membership 

May  7,  1826. 

I.  Joseph,  b.  April  28,  1825  ;  md.  Sept.  30,  1849, 
Martha  A.  Dunn,  dau.  of  John  and  Martha 
Dunn  of  Phillipston.  He  is  a  merchant  tailor  in 
Fitchburg. 

1.  Flora  v.,  b.  Feb.  28,  1851 ;  md.  March 
19,  1873,  Frank  L.  Danforth  ;  they  re- 
side in  Chicago,  111. 

II.   Charles  Stearns,   b.    April  10,   1827 ;    d.   unmd. 
April  29,  1856. 

III.  Henry  A.,  b.  April  8,  1831;  md.  Sept.  30,  1858, 

Eliza  A.  Blodgett,  dau.  of  James  Blodgett,  q.  v. 
He  is  superintendent  of  streets  in  Woonsocket, 
R.  I. 

IV.  George  L.,  b.  Feb.  20,  1837.     He  has  resided  in 

Whitinsville  since  1854,  with  the  exception  of 
one  year  in  Fitchburg,  where  he  was  engaged  in 
the  clothing  trade.  He  is  a  successful  merchant, 
and  in  local  and  public  affairs  has  manifested  a 
lively  interest.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
Legislature  1869,  a  member  of  the  Republican 
State  Committee  1881  and  1884,  and  an  alternate 
delegate  to  the  National  Republican  Convention 
1884.  He  md.  Helen  Louisa  Whiting,  dau.  of 
Charles  P.  and  Sarah  J.  (Halliday)  Whiting. 
She  d.  May  9,  1885. 

1 .  George  Melville. 

V.  Ellen  J/.,  b.  July  27,  1839;  md.  Aug.  10,  1864, 

William  H.  Hurd,  b.  Oct.  8,  1834,  son  of  John 
and  Sophia  (Hitchcock)  Hurd  of  Montague. 
Thev  reside  in  Keene,  N.  H. 

VI.  Harriet  C,  b.  Feb.  2,  1842  ;  d.  July  17,  1843. 


Thomas  Gibson  removed  to  the  southeast  part  of  this 
town  about  1783.  The  name  of  his  wife  was  Relief,  but 
no  record  of  the  marriage  has  been  found.  An  account 
of  his  service  in  the  Revolution  appears  in  Chap.  VI. 
He  d.  June  11,  1841  ;  his  widow  d.  Oct.  20,  1849. 

I.  Thomas,  b.  July  4,  1784;  md.  1808,  Hannah 
Cutter,  b.  July  29,  1790,  dau.  of  Ammi  and 
Hannah  (Holden)  Cutter  of  Cambridge.  He 
removed   to   Ashby,  where  their  nine  children 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  719 

were  b.     Among  these  is  Jerome  S.  Gibson  who 
is  number  12  of  this  register. 
II.  Relief,  b.  May  29,  1789. 

III.  Liccinda,  b.  March  25,  1790;  md.   1810,  Bezaleel 

Gibson. 

IV.  Betsey,  b.  Sept.  22,  1791. 

V.  John,    b.    Feb.     12,    1796;    md.     1820,    Rebecca 

Munroe,  dau.  of  Lieut.  Ebenezer  Munroe,  q.  v. 

VI.  Porter,  b.  Sept.  20,  1798. 

vn.  /Sophia,  b.  April  6,  1800 ;   md.  John  Munroe,  son 

of  Lieut.  Ebenezer  Munroe,  q.  v. 
VIII.  Hosea  B.,  b.  Aug.  21,  1802. 


Eber  Gibson,  son  of  Stephen  and  Eliza  (Maynard) 
Gibson  of  Asliby,  was  b.  Nov.  14,  1810.  He  is  a 
grandson  of  Nehemiah  Maynard,  an  early  resident  of  this 
town.  He  md.  Dec.  1,  1836,  Sylvia  Rice,  dau.  of  Levi 
Rice,  q.  v.,  and  has  remained  in  this  town.  Two 
children  d.  young. 

I.  Elizabeth  Ann,  b.   Aug.  9,   1842;  md.  Nov.   27, 
1858,  Fred  M.  Stanley. 


Jerome  S.  Gibson,  b.  Oct.  24,  1822,  in  Ashby,  md. 
April  10,  1845,  Abigail  D.  Sawyer,  dau.  of  Abel  Sawyer; 
resided  in  this  town  many  years  and  recently  removed  to 
Ashby.     His  wife  d.  1886. 

I.  Elwyn  Deloss,  b.  July  19,  1850  ;  md.  Feb.  7,  1877, 

Celia  V.  Marble,  dau.  of  Newell  Marble,  q.  v. 
II.  Lillian  Ardelle,  b.  June  24,  1854  ;  md.  Charles  S. 
Marble,  son  of  Newell  Marble,  q.  v. 


William  Gipson,  b.  in  Lunenburg,  md.  Dolly  Hawks 
and  resided  in  Rindge  and  in  this  town.  He  was  killed 
by  a  falling  tree  July  18,  1839,  aged  about  50  years. 
The  records  name  three  and  it  is  certain  there  were  other 
children. 

I.  3fary  H.,  md.  1840,  Amos  D.  Brooks. 
11.  Irene,  md.  1842,  George  Atkinson. 
III.  Caroline  P.,  md.  1846,  James  C.  Peabody. 


Henry  Gipson,  a  brother  of  William  Gipson,  b.  in 
Lunenburg  Oct.  18,  1793,  md.  1811,  Dolly  R.  Samson, 
dau.  of  Jonathan  Samson,  Jr.  He  resided  a  few  years  in 
Rindge,  returning  to  this  town  in  1827.  He  d.  March  10, 
1861 ;  she  d.  Dec.  18,  1873. 


T20 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


10 

V. 

11 

VI. 

12 

TII. 

13 

VIII. 

14 

IX. 

15 

16 

17 

18 

19 

20 

I.  Susan  Samson,  b.  March  1,  1812. 
II.  Henry,  b.  Nov.  16,  1813;  md.  1836,  Mary  L. 
Perry,  dau.  of  Obadiah  and  Lavinia  (Piper) 
Perry  of  Littleton ;  he  d.  about  1865  ;  she  md. 
(2d)  Charles  Taylor,  son  of  Samuel  and  Persia 
(Jones)  Taylor  of  New  Ipswich. 

III.  Dolly  Bosina,  b.  Oct.  20,  1815. 

IV.  Merrick,   b.   Sept.   14,   1817  ;  md.  Jan.   20,  1842, 
Eoxanna  Townsend  ;  lives  in  Ashby. 

Sarah  Elizabeth,  b.  Oct.  28,  1823. 

3fary  Abigail,  b.  Sept.  8,  1825 ;  md.  Nov.  23, 
1842,  Silas  W.  Winchester,  son  of  Jona.  Win- 
chester, Jr. 

Julia  Ann,  b.  Sept.  29,  1827. 

Jane,  b.  June  24,  1832. 

Charles,  b.  March  12,  1834  :  md.  Jan,  18,  1857, 
Sarah  M.  Jackman  of  Antrim,  N.  H.  He  is  an 
invalid  ;  resides  in  northeast  part  of  the  town. 

1.  Charles  Eugene,  b.  Oct.  18,  1857. 

2.  Merrick  Oswell,  b.  Feb.  14,  1859. 

3.  James  Jackman,  b.  Sept.  22,  1860. 

4.  Oren  R.,  b.  March  2,  1863. 

5.  Willie  E.,  b.  Dec.  22,  1864. 

6.  Mary  Ella,  b.  Nov.  7,  1866. 


Dea.  John  C.  Glazier,  b.  in  Gardner  Sept.  7,  1798, 
was  a  son  of  Dea.  Lewis  and  Betsey  (Coolidge)  Glazier 
and  a  grandson  of  John  and  Sarah  (Temple)  Glazier  of 
Shrewsbury  and  Gardner.  He  md.  Sophia  Bancroft,  b. 
Jan.  19,  1800,  dau.  of  Jonathan  and  Betsey  (Parker) 
Bancroft  of  Gardner.  In  1824  he  removed  to  South 
Ashburuham  and  for  many  years  he  was  actively  engaged 
in  the  manufacture  of  chairs.  He  was  a  deacon  of  the 
Congregational  church  fi-om  1836  to  1857,  when  he 
resigned  and  united  with  the  Methodists.  He  was  a 
selectman  and  in  1846  he  represented  the  town  in  the 
Legislature.     He  d.  Dec.  21,  1860. 

I.  Jonathan  B.,  b.  Nov.  9,  1823  ;  d.  Dec.  16,  1823. 
II.  Betsey  Coolidge,  b.  June  16, 1825  ;  md.  Edward  S. 

Flint,  q.  v. 
III.  Harvey  Bancroft,  b.  Dec.  3, 1828  ;  d.  July  13,  1832. 
.IV.  Leivis,  b.  Nov.  23,  1833;  md.   1855,  Elizabeth  J. 
Lawrence,  b.   1834,  dau.  of  Ithamar  Lawrence 
of  Jaffre}',  N.  H.     He  d.  in  this  town  Nov.  15, 
1863. 
V.  Lucy  Ann,  b.  Feb.  12,   1844;  md.  Alva  S.  Howe, 
son  of  Perley  Howe,  q.  v. 


CxENEALOGICAL   REGISTER. 


721 


Peter  Goodale,  b.  Dec.  12,  1751,  was  a  son  of  Edward 
Goodale  of  Shrewsbury,  grandson  of  Benjamin  Goodale 
of  Marlboro'  and  great-grandson  of  John  Goodale  of 
Marlboro'.  lie  md.  in  Shrewsbury,  March  9,  1775, 
Abigail  Hinds,  b.  July  14,  1752,  dan.  of  Benjamin  and 
Elizabeth  (Temple)  Hinds  of  Shrewsbury.  He  removed 
from  Shrewsbury  to  Ashburnham  in  1776  and  settled  in 
the  southwest  part  of  the  town.  When  Gardner  was  in- 
corporated, his  farm  was  included  and  the  new  town  ac- 
quired a  good  citizen.  He  was  selected  to  warn  the  first 
town  meeting  in  Gardner,  and  was  subsequently  treasurer 
and  selectman.  He  was  a  liberal  contributor  of  material 
for  the  first  meeting-house  in  the  new  town.  He  removed 
to  Boylston,  1791. 

1.  Elizabeth,  b.  in  Shrewsbury  Dec.  23,  1775. 
II.  Benjamin,  b.  in  Ashburnham  Sept.  5,  1778. 

III,  Jason,  b.  in  Ashburnham  Dec.  7,  1780. 

IV.  Peter,  b.  in  Ashburnham  May  3,  1783. 
V.  Asajjli,  b.  in  Gardner  May  13,  1787. 

VI.  Junia,  b.  in  Gardner  April  17,  1789. 


Matthew  E.  Goodwin,  b.  in  Shoreham,  Vt.,  March  25, 
1813,  has  resided  in  this  town  about  fifty  years.  He  md. 
May  4,  1836,  Mary  Burgess,  dau.  of  Joseph  F.  Burgess, 
q.  V.     He  is  a  carpenter  at  the  South  Village. 

I.  Lois  Irene,  b.  Aug.  7,  1838  ;   md.  Charles  Henry 

Puffer,  q.  v. 
II.  Jonathan  Edward,  b.  July  12,    1840;    md.  Jane 

Foster ;  md.  (2d)  Mary  (Derby)  Flint,  widow  ; 

resides  in  Gardner. 

III.  Jesse    Washburn,  b.    Feb.    9,    1843 ;     md.    Nina 

Parsons  ;  resided  in  Camden,  N.  Y.,  until  1886, 
when  he  removed  to  this  town. 

IV.  Matthew  Birchard,  b.  Nov.   28,   1845  ;    md.   Flor- 

ence Ritchie.     He  is  a  chair  maker  at  South 

Village. 

V.  Juliette,  b.  Sept.  13,   1848  ;  md.  March  7,   1864, 

Chester  Burbee ;  they  reside  at  South  Village. 

VI.    Willie  Charles,  b.  March  4,  1854;   drowned  May 

10,  1864. 
VII.  Alice  Jane,  b.  July  21,  1858  ;  md.  June  iQ,  1876, 
Burnard  Duane,  manufacturer  at  South  Village. 


GREEN. 

Simeon  Green,  son  of  William  and  Hannah  (Holden)  Green,  Avas  b.  in 
Groton  Sept.  15,  1729;  he  md.  in  Pepperell,  Sept.  13,  1753,  Mary  Shattuck, 
b.  Sept.  22,  1730,  dau.  of  Jonathan  and  Elizabeth  (Chamberlain)  Shattuck 

46 


722  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

of  Groton.  They  resided  some  years  in  Pepperell,  and  about  1777  re- 
moved to  Jaffrey,  N.  H.,  and  about  1791  removed  to  Townsend.  He  d.  Sept. 
IG,  1813,  aged  Si.  Mary,  his  wife,  d.  June  27,  1810,  aged  nearly  80.  Solo- 
mon Green,  their  son,  removed  to  Jaffrey  with  his  parents.  He  md.  1786, 
Sarah  Hilton  of  Lunenburg,  and  removed  to  Townsend  about  1701,  where 
he  d.  May  31,  1803,  aged  39;  she  d.  Sept.  2,  1850,  aged  82  years.  The 
seventh  of  their  nine  children  was  Rebecca  Green,  b.  March  5,  1801;  md. 
Sept.  26,  1830,  Andrew  Shattuck  of  Pepperell,  son  of  Abijah  Shattuck.  They 
resided  in  Shirley  and  Townsend.  He  d.  Oct.  5,  1844,  aged  42;  she  md. 
(2d)  Walter  Russell,  q.  v. ;  md.  (3d)  Hosea  Green,  q.  v.  Rinaldo  H.  Shat- 
tuck, who  d.  in  the  army  May  8,  1863,  was  a  son  of  Andrew  and  Rebecca 
(Green)  Shattuck.     He  was  b.  in  Shirley  March  18,  1838. 


3 

4 
5 

6 

7 
8 
9 

10 
(10) 


11 


OlfV'Er  Green,  son  of  Simeon  and  Mary  (Shattuck) 
Green,  was  b.  in  Pepperell  March  28,  1754.  He  md. 
July  13,  1780,  Dorothy  Hildreth,  b.  Feb.  5,  1757,  and 
the}"  removed  in  1782  to  Ashby,  where  they  resided  seven- 
teen years.  Living  one  year,  1799,  in  Westford,  they 
removed  in  1800  to  this  town,  where  he  d.  May  15,  1834  ; 
his  widow  d.  Feb.  20,  1845. 

I.   Oliver,  b.  July  4,  1781 ;  a  clergyman  and  teacher ; 

d.  Oct.  24,  1810.      Vide  page  494. 
II.  Dolly,  b.  Dec.  10,  1782  ;  md.  Oliver  Marble,  </,  v. 

III.  Mary,  b.  April  9,  1785  ;  md.  John  Caldwell,  q.  v. 

IV.  Aiiner^'b.  Feb.   10,   1787;    md.   Samuel  Randall, 

q.  V. 
Y.  Asa,  b.  Feb,  11,   1789  ;    a  physician  ;  d.   in  New 

York  City,  1839.      Vide  page  497. 
VI.  Betsey,  b.  Jan.  25,  1791  ;  d.  May  20,  1793. 
VII.  Sally,  b.  Dec.  9,  1792;  md.   John  Hastings,  q.  v. 
VIII.  Rebecca,  b.  June  15,  1795  ;    md.  June   26,   1817, 
Joseph  F.  Cushman ;    resided  at  Rutland,  Vt., 
and  in  Michigan.     She  d.  June  2,  1865  ;  he  d. 
1868.     Ten  children. 
IX.  Hosea,  b.  Sept.  22,  1797.+ 


HosEA  Green,  at  this  date,  1886,  is  the  most  aged  man 
in  Ashburnham.  Quiet  in  his  manner,  refined  in  thought, 
kind  to  his  fellow-men,  his  life  is  blameless  and  crowned 
with  the  fruits  of  good  works  and  faithful  stewardship. 
He  md.  May  22,  1821,  Asenath  Sawin,  dau.  of  Asa  Sawin, 
q.  V.  She  d.  March  10,  1843  ;  he  md.  (2d)  Nov.  16, 
1843,  Susan  (Bemis)  Merriam,  widow  of  James  Merriam, 
q.v.  ;  she  d.  Nov.  10,  1857;  he  md.  (3d)  Feb.  15,  1858, 
Rebecca  (Green)  Russell,  dau.  of  Solomon  Green.  Eight 
children  by  first,  and  two  by  second  marriage. 

I.  Daughter,  b.  Jan.  22,  1822  ;  d.  same  day. 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER. 


723 


17 


20 


II.  Ilosea  Hildreth,  b.   Dec.   26,    1824;  d.   Aug.   13, 
1843. 

III.  Oliver  Marshall,  b,   Jan.  8,  1827  ;    md.  Nov.   15, 

1854,  Lydia  A.  Green  of  Asbby ;  reside  in 
Nortb  Chelmsford. 

IV.  Rebecca  Cushman,  b.  June  29,  1831  ;  md.  May  23, 

1855,  Francis*  Fuller  of  Newton;  reside  in 
Dorchester. 

V.  Harlan  Pliinney.  b.  March  1,  1836  ;   md.  Dec.  30, 

1860,  Eliza  J.  Osgood  ;  a  merchant  in  Towusend. 

VI.  Anner  Randall,  b.  April  5,    1838  ;    md.   May  8, 

1859,  Rev.  William  H.  Dowden,  b.  in  Fair- 
haven,  Jan.  15,  1836,  son  of  Thomas  and  Eunice 
(Simons)  Dowden,  graduate  of  Andover  Theo. 
Seminary,  1866.  Congregational  clergyman, 
having  had  charges  in  Pelham.  Carlisle,  Lunen- 
burg. East  Jaffrey,  N.  H.,  Hanover,  Easton  and 
now,  1886,  Rowley. 

VII.  Sarah  Asenath,  b.  June  24,  1840  ;    md.   Aug.  30, 

1860,  Alson  L.  Marshall  of  Fitchburg  ;  resides 
in  Wakefield. 

VIII.  Susan  Elsie,  b.  March  5,  1843  ;  d.  Jan.  10,  1846. 
IX.  Susan  A.,    b.   Sept.  29,   1845;    md.  William  H. 

White  of  Shirley. 
X.  Hattie  E.,  b.  Aug.  22,  1848;    d.  April  24,  1849. 


GREENWOOD. 

Abijah  Greenwood,  b.  1748,  a  son  of  Joseph  Greenwood  of  Holden, 
removed  to  Hubbardston  about  1770.  He  enlisted  in  1775  and  served  in  the 
siege  of  Boston.  He  md.  July  14,  1774,  Rhoda  Pond,  b.  Oct.  12,  1753,  dau. 
of  Ezra  and  Sarah  (Morse)  Pond  of  Hubbardston  and  a  granddau.  of  Ezra 
Pond  of  Wrentham;  she  d.  June  IG,  1782.  Two  of  her  three  children 
survived  her.  Abijah  Greenwood  md.  (2d)  Oct.  3,  1783,  Elizabeth  Marean 
who  d.  Feb.  15,  1814;  he  d.  Jan.  9,  1814. 

Otis  Greenwood,  son  of  Abijah  and  Rhoda  (Pond)  Greenwood,  was  b.  in 
Hubbardston  Dec.  4,  1781.  He  md.  Nov.  27,  1806,  Sophia  Rice,  b.  in 
Hubbardston  1785,  dau.  of  Edmund  and  Abigail  (Muzzy)  Rice.  He  d.  Oct. 
6,  1814;  his  widow  d.  May  7,  1816. 


Edmund  R.  Greenwood,  son  of  Otis  and  Sophia  (Rice) 
Greenwood,  was  b.  in  Hubbardston  Dec.  1,  1807,  and  was 
left  an  orphan  at  an  early  age.  He  md.  Sept.  4,  1828, 
Susan  H.  Slocomb,  b.  in  Boston  Sept.  9,  1808,  dau.  of 
Peleg  and  Polly  (Phelps)  Slocomb.  He  was  engaged  in 
the  manufacture  of  chairs  in  Hubbardston  until  1851, 
when  he  removed  to  this  town.     He  d.  Jan.  12,  1882. 

I.   Otis,  b.   March  4,   1829 ;   resided   in   California, 

where  he  d.  July,  1863. 
11.  John  Q.,  b,  Sept.  28,  1830;  md.  Sept.  28,  1852, 


724 


HISTORY    OF   ASHBUENHAM. 


Ellen  M.  Joslin,  dan.  of  Levi  and  Dorcas- 
(Wright)  Joslin  ;  resided  in  this  town,  where 
he  d.  Oct.  17,  1858. 

III.  Mary  S.,  b.  Dec.  20,  1833  ;  md.  Col.   George  H. 

Barrett,  q.  v. 

IV.  Theodore,  h.  July  27,  1835  ;  md.  April  5,  1860, 

Ellen  M.  (Joslin)  Greenwood,  widow  of  hi& 
brother,  John  Q.  Greenwood.  He  served  in  the 
Civil  War  and  continues  a  residence  in  this 
town.     He  has  been  an  assessor  sevei'al  3-ears. 

V.  Edmund,  b.  Dec.   18,  1837  ;  resides  in  Memphis,. 

Tenn. 

VI.  Abby  S.,  b.  April  U,  1840;  d.  April  12,  1841. 

VII.  James  B.,  b.  Sept.  10,  1842  ;  d.  Feb.  10,  1846. 

VIII.  Moses  P.,  b.  Dec.  21,  1845;  md.  June  18,  1868, 

Georgie  S.  AVhitney,  dau.  of  Hon.  Ohio  Whitney,. 
q.  V.  He  is  a  merchant  in  this  town.  From 
1881  to  1886  he  was  of  the  firm  of  Adams  and 
Greenwood,  and  now  is  proprietor  of  the 
business  in  the  Brick  Store. 

Apollos  Griswold,  son  of  Apollo s  and  Prudence 
(Crapoe)  Griswold,  was  b.  in  Savo}'  March  17,  1812. 
He  md.  April  23,  1839,  Arvilla  Wetherbee,  dau.  of  Joseph 
and  Nancy  (Conant)  Wetherbee  of  Rindge,  and  resided  in 
Rindge  until  1865.  when  he  removed  to  tbe  Willard  farm 
in  the  north  part  of  the  town.     They  have  one  adopted  son. 

I.  John  W.,  b.  Aug.  1,  1858;  md.  Aug.  23,  1883, 
Jennie  L.  Ellis,  dau.  of  Daniels  Ellis,  q.  v.  He 
is  a  farmer ;  resides  on  the  Charles  Davis  farm, 
near  North  Village. 

Peeks  Gross,  b.  May  24,  1766;  md.  in  Scituate  Jan. 
7,  1799,  Sarah  L.  Whitney.  They  resided  a  few  years  in 
Hanover  and  came  to  this  town  1816.  He  bought  at  this 
time  the  Brooks  mill  and  a  farm  connected  with  the 
propertj',  which  still  remain  in  the  possession  of  the 
family.     He  d.  Sept.  7,  1835. 

I.  Elijah,  b.  July  8,  1806.+ 

II.  Sarah  L.,  b.  *Feb.  23,  1808;  md.  June  10,  1830, 
Levi  Corey,  g.  v. 

III.  Eveline,  b.  March  20,  1810;  md.  Sept.   16,  1832, 

Moses  H.  Ross.  They  removed  to  Sterling. 
Eight  children. 

IV.  James  M..\3.  June  26,  1816  ;  md.  Oct.  28,  1840, 

Sarah  W.  Stowers.  He  resided  in  Chelsea, 
where  he  d.  Oct.  5,  1883. 


GENEALOGICAL  REGISTER.  725 

V.  Alexander  P.,  b.  Jan.  18,  1818.  He  was  a  mill- 
wright ;  he  mcl.  Lucretia  Waldbridge  and  re- 
moved to  Califoruia.  He  d.  in  San  Francisco 
Aug.  4,  1883. 


<2) 


Elijah  Gross  md.  June  G,  1833,  Mercy  Smith,  dau.  of 
Charles  and  Polly  (Burgess)  Smith  of  Westminster  and 
a  granddau.  of  Ebenezer  Burgess,  q.  v.  He  is  a  farmer 
and  a  miller,  doing  business  with  his  son  under  firm  name 
of  E.  Gross  &  Son. 

I.  Harrison  E.,  b.  Oct.  13,  1834  ;  d.  same  day. 
II.  Eveline  Avgusta,  b.  Dec.  18,  1838;  d.  April  21, 
1845. 

III.  Sarah    Wiitney,   h.    Aug.    31,    1840;    resides   at 

home  unmd. 

IV.  Andrew  Porter,  b.  Feb.  11,   1843;  of  the  firm  E. 

Gross  &  Son. 


Gamaliel  Hapley,  son  of  Jerold  Hadley,  was  b.  in 
Woburn  June  5,  1797.  He  came  to  Ashburnham  1819 
and  subsequently  occupied  several  farms.  In  1846  he 
removed  to  Rindge  and  later  to  Michigan.  Returning  to 
Ashburnham  he  occupied  the  farm  now  of  his  son  George 
G.  Hadley  until  his  death.  He  md.  Nov.  8,  1819,  Martha 
F.  Knight,  b.  Sept.  21,  1801,  dau.  of  John  and  Martha 
Knight  of  AVoburn.  He  d.  Oct.  20,  1882  ;  his  widow  d. 
Oct.  26,  1885. 

I.  Martha,  b.  April  28,  1821  ;  md.  Leonard  Lawrence, 

q.  V.  ;  md.  (2d)  Charles  Lawrence,  q.  v. 
II.  Bosnia,  b.  Sept.  12,  1823  ;  d.  July  3,  1824. 

III.  John,  b.  May  10,  1825  ;  was  engaged  several  years 

in  Rindge  in  the  manufacture  of  lumber  and 
wood  ware.  For  several  years  he  has  resided  in 
this  town.  He  md.  Nov.  16,  1857,  Lydia  E. 
Richardson  of  Westminster,  who  d.  Aug.  29, 
1863;  md.  (2d)  1865,  Susan  (Kidder)  Sawin, 
widow  of  John  Sawin,  q.  v. 

IV.  Harriet,  b.   Sept.   5,   1827  ;  md.  Ai   Stone,  b.   in 

Gardner  Aug.  25,  1817,  son  of  Samuel  and 
Lucy  (Wheeler)  Stone.  They  resided  in  Ashby, 
Winchendon  and  Gardner.  She  d.  in  Gardner 
July  13,  1862. 

V.  Sarah,  b.  March  18,  1830;  md.  Uriah  Lawrence, 
q.  V. 

VI.  George  Gamaliel,  b.  June  3,  1832  ;  md.  Aug.  15, 
1876,  Mary  E.  Estey,  b.  March   12,  1861.     He 


726 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


11 


19 


resides  a  farmer  on  the  homestead,  and  where 
Jeremiah  Foster  settled  when  he  came  to  the 
wilderness.     Three  children. 

VII.  Henry^  b.  Oct.   28,   1835  ;  md.  Elmira   Bancroft, 

dau.  of  Dea.  Smyrna  W.  Bancroft  of  Gardner ; 
resides  in  Gardner. 

VIII.  Rebecca,  b.  Dec.  27,  1837;  d.  Jan.  8,  1841. 
IX.  Hosea,  b.  Sept.  29,  1845  ;  d.  Oct.  2,  1845. 


David  Hadley,  a  brother  of  Gamaliel,  was  b.  in 
"Woburn  Feb.  6.  1800.  He  md.  1827,  Abigail  Bruce  of 
Westminster.  She  was  b.  Oct.  10,  1810,  and  d.  March 
22,  1873.  He  was  a  farmer  on  the  farm  now  of  his  son 
Merrick  Hadley.     He  d.  Sept.  7,  1857. 

I.   Charles  B.,  b.  March  1,  1829  ;  d.  March  16,  1829. 
II.  Merrick,h.  Oct.   27,   1830;  md.  April  20,   1861, 
Lucy   E.    (Harris)    Ballon,    b.    Feb.   16,  1829. 
He  is  a  farmer  in  Lane  Village. 

1.  Frank  A.,  b.  Sept.  19,  1864  (adopted). 

III.  Sumner  D.,  b.  Feb.  6,  1833  ;  d.  Mav  23,  1857. 

IV.  Augusta  A.,  b.  Aug.  17,  1835  ;  d.  July  12,  1853. 

V.  Louisa  Jane,  b.  Jan.  15,  1838  ;  md.  Edwin  Scollay, 

son  of  Grover  Scollay,  q.  v. 

VI.  Arvilla  A.,  b.  July  6,   1840;  md.  James  Bullard 

of  Berlin  ;  resides  in  Worcester. 

William  Hadley,  son  of  William  and  Abigail  (Babcock) 
Hadley,  b.  in  Westminster,  Vt.,  Feb.  17,  1836,  removed 
to  this  town  1862.  He  md.  Oct.  13,  1863,  Victoria 
Adalaide  Russell,  b.  Oct.  3,  1842,  dau.  of  Daniel  and 
Amy  (Whittaker)  Russell.  Daniel  Russell  d.  in  this 
town  Feb.  12,  1883.  Mr.  Hadley  is  a  mechanic  residing 
in  Central  Village.     No  children. 


Henry  Hall  was  b.  in  Germany  1711.  He  md.  in  his 
native  land  Anna  Mary  Saunders,  and  came  to  America 
about  1750.  The  name  was  then  written  Hole,  but  it  soon 
was  changed  to  Hall.  He  was  one  of  the  seven  German 
emigrants  who  purchased  in  Dec,  1757,  the  Lexington 
grant.  This  tract  of  land  containing  one  thousand  acre& 
was  subsequently  known  as  the  Dutch  Farm.  In  the  dis- 
tribution of  the  land  Henry  Hall  came  into  possession  of 
two  parcels.  He  settled  on  a  corner  lot  more  recently 
owned  by  Capt.  Lemuel  Whitney.  He  was  an  intelligent 
man  and  a  good  citizen,  and  his  wife  was  an  accomplished 
lady. 


(3) 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  727 

The  births  of  the  children  were  not  recorded  and  possibly 
the  register  is  not  complete.  He  d.  Oct.  14,  1794,  aged 
83.     Mary,  his  widow,  d.  Jan.  27,  1802,  aged  76. 

I.  Mary^  b.  ;    md.   April   27,   1772,   Jedediah 

Cooper.  They  lived  over  the  line  in  Westminster 
but  attended  church  in  this  town  and  maintained 
social  relations  with  the  families  of  Ashburnham. 
It  is  tradition  that  this  dau.  of  the  emigrant 
was  b.  on  the  ocean.  The  younger  children 
were  b.  in  Boston.  He  d.  1832  ;  she  d.  1839. 
Six  children. 
II.  John,  b.  Aug.  18,  17o3.-f- 

III.  Henry,  b.  1754.-f- 

IV.  Katlieriyie,    b.   ;    rad.    Jan.   8,    1778,  Elijah 

Mclntire. 


13 


14 


John  Hall  md.  Nov.  25,  1790,  Betsey  Bennett,  dau. 
of  James  and  Hannah  Bennett,  q.  v.  He  resided  on  a 
farm  near  the  residence  of  Nathan  and  Oliver  Taylor. 
He  d.  Aug.  4,  1834;  she  d.  in  Ashby  July  29,  1839. 
There  were  seven  children. 

I.  John,  b.  Aug.  20,  1791  ;  md.  Oct.  26,  1817,  Lois 
Marble,  dau.  of  Oliver  Marble,  q.  v.  He  resided 
a  few  years  in  Berkshire,  Vt.,  and  in  1825 
returned  to  this  town,  residing  on  the  farm 
formerly  of  his  father.  About  1840  he  removed 
to  Wisconsin.  He  md.  (2d)  Abigail  A.  Shep- 
herd who  was  the  mother  of  his  five  children. 

1.  Amos  S.,  b.  Jan.  24,  1823. 

2.  Otis,  b.  Jan.  2,  1825. 

3.  Eliza,  b.  March  7,  1826. 

4.  John,  b.  Sept.  19,  1827. 

5.  Betsey  Ellen,  b.  Oct.  30,  1831. 

II.  Elizabeth,  b.  June  14,  1793  ;  md.  Jan.  8,  1815, 
Noah  Goen  of  New  Ipswich.  She  d.,  leaving  a 
daughter,  Dec.  6,  1815. 

1.  Elizabeth,  b.  Dec.  1,  1815;  md.  Dec.  10, 
1839,  David  Hill;  resided  in  Lowell, 
where  he  d.  March  17,  1867.  Their 
daughter,  Anna  Elizabeth  Hill,  b.  Sept. 
12,  1843,  md.  Jan.  3,  1870,  George 
Frederick  Smith.  They  had  two  sons  : 
George  Robert,  b.  Oct.  10,  1845,  and 
Edward  Francis,  b.  Oct.  2,  1855. 

III.  liancy,  b.  March  5,   1795;    md.  Nov.   28,   1813, 


728 


HISTORY  OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


17 
18 
19 

20 

(4) 

21 


Joseph  Fletcher  of  New  Ipswich.  They  resided 
in  Enosburg,  Vt.  She  d.  at  the  home  of  her 
youngest  dau.  in  Keene,  N.  H.,  April  10,  1875. 

1.  Nancv,  b.  1815;  md.  Rev.  Silas  S.  Hyde. 

2.  Almira,  b.  Feb.   16,  1820;   md.  Nov.  27, 

1845,  Charles  B.  Jaquith.     They  resided 
in  this  town   until  1872  when  they  re- 
moved to  Keene,  N.  H.     They  have  one 
son,  Ossian  Jaquith. 
IV.  Henry,  b.  Jan.  30,  1797;   md.  Abigail  Crampton, 

and  resided  in  Berkshire,  Vt. 
V.  James,  b.  Aug.   15,  1798;    md.  Mary  Barton  of 
Berkshire,  Vt.  ;  subsequently  lived  in  New  York. 
VI.   Quincy,  b.  May   16,    1800;    md.   Almira  Rublee ; 

resided  in  Wisconsin.     Several  children. 
VII.  Almira,  b.  Oct.   30,    1803 ;    md.   Sept.   26,   1850, 
Samuel  Stearns  of  Rindge  ;  d.  1877. 


Henry  Hall,  son  of  Henry,  md,  Nov.  11,  1784,  Betsey 
Hall  of  Ashby.  He  was  a  farmer  residing  on  the  farm 
of  his  father.  He  d.  Feb.  10,  1822  ;  his  widow  d.  Oct., 
1829.     They  had  one  child. 


I.  Elizabeth,  h.  Feb.   6,    1788;    md.  Dec. 
Capt.  Lemuel  Whitney,  q.  v. . 


4,   1804, 


John  Hammond,  who  had  formerly  been  a  ship  carpen- 
ter, after  a  brief  residence  in  Fitchburg  removed  to  this 
town  in  1844.  He  resided  at  Factory  Village.  In  1870 
he  went  West  to  live  with  his  children  who  had  previously 
removed  from  town.  The  name  of  his  wife  was  Sarah. 
No  record  of  the  family  has  been  furnished  and  a  number 
of  letters  remained  unanswered.  All  the  information 
gleaned  from  the  records  is  included  in  the  following 
register. 

I.  John,  b.  1834 ;  removed  to  Michigan. 
II.  Sarah,  b.  1836  ;  d.  June  20,  1855. 

III.  George  i:^.,  b.  about  1838  ;    removed   to   Detroit, 

Mich. ;  was  largely  interested  in  the  meat 
business  and  in  the  export  trade.  He  was  a 
prominent  owner  of  the  Refrigerator  Car  and 
the  first  to  use  them  in  the  shipment  of  dressed 
meat.     He  d.  in  Detroit. Jan.  6,  1887. 

IV.  Belief,  b. .. 

V.  Martha,  b.  . 

VI.  Thomas,  h.  ;    md.    1866,    Helen    E.  Potter. 

VII.    Walter,  b.  1846  ;  d.  Feb.  5,  1847. 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  729 

VIII.  Frederick,  b.  July  31,  1848  ;  was  in  the  service  in 
the  Civil  War  on  the  quota  of  this  town. 
IX.  Albert,  b.   Sept.   26,    1850;    d.   at  Miama,   Mo., 
Sept.  9,  1873. 

X.  Henry,  b. . 

XI.  Juliette,  b.  Dec.  25,  1852. 
XII.  Herbert,  b.  1854  ;  d.  Aug.  6,  1855. 


Nathan  IIandlet,  b.  in  Acton  Jan.  28,  1795,  removed 
to  Ashburnham  1825,  where  he  resided  until  his  death 
March  31,  1858.  He  md.  Abigail  Wilker,  dau.  of  George 
Wilker,  q.  v.  ;  she  d.  Jan.  24,  1871. 

I.  Sarah  W.,  b.  April  8,  1827;  md.  Dec.   IG,   1849, 

George  C.  Winchester,  q.  v. 
II.  George  W.,  b.  March  26,  1828;  md.  Clarissa  M. 
Green,  dau.  of  Emerson  and  Clarissa  (Wright) 
Green.  Thej'  reside  in  Ashb}'.  He  is  post- 
master. 
III.  3Iart7ia  A.,  b.  Feb.  28,  1830  ;  unmd.  ;  resides  with 
her  sister  in  Ashburnham. 


Patrick  Hare,  b.  1776  in  the  county  of  Down,  Ireland, 
md.  Mary  Daley,  b.  1788  ;  came  to  America  1843,  and 
to  Ashburnham  1856.  He  d.  Nov.  2,  1864  ;  she  d.  Aug. 
3,  1871. 

I.  Elizabeth,  b.   1816;    md.  Michael  Cuddy;    d.   in 

Manchester,  N.  H.,  1874. 
II.  Rosena,  b. ;  md.  John  Finan,  q.  v. 

III.  John,  b.  1826  ;  md.   Joanna  Collins  ;    enlisted  in 

the  autumn  of  1861   in  32d  Regiment  and  d. 
at  Ship  Island,  Miss.,  March  8,  1862. 

IV.  Maria,  b.  1836  ;    md.  1853,  James  Holden,  b.  in 

Ireland  1830.  He  is  a  farmer ;  resided  in 
this  town  since  1874  ;  seven  of  their  eleven 
children  are  living. 
V.  An7i,  b.  1838  ;  md.  William  M.  Young. 
VI.  Ja7nes  P.,  b.  April  25,  1842;  md.  Oct.  10,  1864, 
Mary  F.  Nash,  b.  July  7,  1841,  dau.  of  John 
and  Margai-et  Nash  ;  resides  in  Ashburnham. 
Seven  children. 


Daniel  Harper  was  a  roving  planet  whose  familiar 
name  is  found  in  the  records  of  many  towns  in  this  vicin- 
ity. Perhaps  his  occupation  controlled  his  frequent  re- 
movals. There  were  steelyard  makers  in  the  olden  times 
who  sought  new  fields  whenever  the  demands  of  their 


730 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


immediate  vicinity  had  been  supplied.  It  is  possible  he 
was  a  harper  and  travelled  from  town  to  town.  He  md. 
in  Lunenburg  Nov.  23,  1758,  Rachel  Coleman,  dau.  of 
James  Coleman,  g.  v.,  and  the  following  year  he  was  in 
Dorchester  Canada.  In  1765  he  removed  to  Rindge  and 
his  family  arrived  there  the  next  spring.  Subsequently 
he  lived  in  many  places.  Where  death  overtook  him  in 
his  sudden  movements  has  not  appeared. 

EacJiel,  b.  in  Ashburnham  April  1,  1761. 

James   Coleman,  b.   in   Ashburnham   March    10, 

1762. 
Daniel,  b.  in  Shirley  March  10,  1766. 
Mary,  b.  in  Littleton  Feb.  27,  1770. 
Aaron,  b.  in  Littleton  Jan.  29,  1772. 
EzeMel,  b.  in  Shirley  Feb.  8,  1778. 


2 

I 

3 

II 

4 

III 

5 

IV. 

6 

V. 

7 

VI. 

HARRIS. 

There  are  several  families  of  Harris  in  New  England  that  can  establish  no 
ties  of  kinship.  The  number  of  emigrants  to  this,  country  previous  to  1640 
bearing  the  name  of  Harris  was  eight  or  more.  Some  of  these  probably 
were  relatives,  yet  there  is  ample  evidence  that  there  were  several  distinct 
families  sharing  nothing  in  common  except  the  name.  Dea.  Jacob  Harris, 
the  first  of  the  name  in  this  town,  was  a  descendant  of  the  fourth  generation 
from  Thomas  Harris,  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Ipswich.  He  was  in  Ips- 
wich as  early  as  1636,  and  in  16-i3  he  was  one  of  a  company  of  twenty  who 
marched  against  the  Indians.  He  md.  Nov.  15,  1647,  Martha  Lake,  dau.  of 
John  and  Margaret  (Read)  Lake.  He  d.  Aug.  2,  1687.  Sergeant  John 
Harris,  son  of  Thomas,  b.  Jan.  7,  1653,  md.  Jan.  8,  1686,  Grace  Searle, 
dau.  of  William  Searle  of  Ipswich,  and  resided  in  Ipswich  where  he  d.  Nov. 
21,  1732;  his  widow  d.  .Tune  10,  1742.  Of  their  seven  children  the  youngest 
was  Richard  Harris,  b.  Nov.  13,  1705.  He  md.  1735,  Martha  Foster,  b.  Dec. 
16,  1710,  dau.  of  Jacob  and  Martha  (Graves)  Foster  of  Ipswich.  In  1743 
Richard  Harris  and  Jeremiah  Foster  jointly  purchased  112  acres  of  land  situ- 
ated in  Stow  and  the  same  year  both  of  them  with  their  families  removed  to 
Harvard.  The  wife  of  Richard  Harris  was  a  first  cousin  of  Jeremiah  Foster. 
Not  many  years  later  this  Jeremiah  Foster  and  a  son  of  Richard  Harris  are 
found  residing  in  Ashburnham.  Martha,  wife  of  Richard  Harris,  d.  in  Har- 
vard Sept.  8,  1756;  he  md.  (2d)  Phebe  (Wright)  Atherton,  widow  of  John 
Atherton.  He  d.  Dec.  20,  1776.  Three  of  the  children  of  Richard  Harris, 
Dea.  Jacob,  Nathaniel  and  Rebecca  (Harris)  ScoUay,  were  residents  of  Ash- 
burnham. 


Dea.  Jacob  Harris,  son  of  Richard  and  Martha  (Foster) 
Harris,  was  b.  in  Ipswich  Feb.  15,  1740-1.  In  1743  the 
family  removed  to  Harvard  and  he  came  to  Ashburnh;im 
in  1767.  Among  his  townsmen  he  was  held  in  high  esteem 
and  was  frequently  chosen  to  positions  of  trust.  He  was 
selectman  1781  and  an  assessor  fifteen  years,  serving  in 
this  capacity  nearly  every  year  from  1779  to  1798.  He 
was  a  deacon  of  the  Congregational  church  from  1788 
until  his  death.    He  settled  about  one  mile  northerly  from 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  73I' 

the  old  common.  The  house  he  built  and  occupied  re- 
mains with  slight  change.  His  successor,  so  far  as  the 
house  is  concerned,  was  Townsend  Barrett.  Dea.  Harris 
md.  Oct.  26,  1769,  Elizabeth  Winchester,  dau.  of  Eev. 
Jonathan  Winchester,  q.  v.  She  d.  June  21,  1782  ;  he 
md.  (2d)  Aug.  21,  1783,  Anna  (Merriam)  Warren,  b. 
Oct.  10,  1753,  dau.  of  Samuel  and  Anna  (Whitney)  Mer- 
riam of  Lexington,  and  widow  of  Samuel  Warren  of  Ash- 
burnham,  q.  v.  Slie  d.  Sept.  15,  1790;  he  md.  (3d)  Oct. 
11,  1792,  Ruth  (Poole)  Pratt,  b.  May  27,  1754,  dau.  of 
James  and  Elizabeth  Poole  of  Fitchburg,  and  widow  of 
Edward  Pratt  of  New  Ipswich.  She  d.  Nov.  11,  1817. 
In  182G  Dea.  Harris  removed  with  his  son  Jacob,  Jr.,  to 
Windham,  N.  II.,  where  a  few  months  later  he  d.  Sept. 
26,  1826. 

I.  Betsey,  b.  Sept  25,  1772;  md.  Feb.  13,  1798, 
Jonathan  Merriam,  b.  Feb.  16,  1766,  son  of 
Samuel  and  Anna  (Whitney)  Merriam  of  Lex- 
ington and  a  brother  of  the  second  wife  of  her 
father.  They  resided  in  Gardner,  where  he  d. 
Jan.  13,  1825.  Subsequently  she  resided  in 
this  town  and  in  Fitchburg,  where  she  d.  May 
30,  1865. 

1.  Jacob  Harris,  b.  Jan.  22,  1799  ;  graduated 

Bangor  Theo.  Seminary  1827  ;  not  or- 
dained ;  resided  in  Fitchburg  ;  md.  Nov. 
27,  1834,  Abigail  L.  Wheeler. 

2.  Nathan,   b.  Aug.    7,    1800;    d.   Sept.    19, 

1805. 

3.  Betsev  W\,  b.  Aug.  7,  1802;  d.  Sept.  16, 

1805. 

4.  Sally  H.,  b.  May  16,    1808;    d.  Dec.   2, 

1824. 

5.  Milton,    b.    June  20,    1810;    d.   Jan.    19, 

1825. 

6.  Betsey,  b.  Nov.  17,  1813  ;  md.  her  cousin 

John  31.  Harris,  number  23  of  this  reg- 
ister. 

11.  Samuel^  b.  Aug.  18,  1774.-f- 

III.  Jacob,  b.  April  3,  1777  ;   d.  Oct.  5,  1778. 

IV.  Sally,  b.  Oct.  20,  1779  ;    d.  unmd.  Oct.   11,   1820. 
V.  Martha,  b.  June   10,    1784;    md.   Aug.    8,   1808, 

Joshua  Moore  of  Westminster  where  he  d.  May 
17,  1848  ;  she  d.  in  Gardner  Nov.  11,  1863. 

1.  Emily,  b.  March  18,  1810  ;  d.  unmd.  Nov. 

8,  1881. 


732 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


16 


17 


18 


<9) 


2.  Marius  H.,  b.  May  24,    1814;    mcl.   Aug. 

26,  1847,  Elizabeth  Wood;  resides  in 
Leominster. 

3.  Cordelia  E.,  b.  Aug.  21,  1823  ;  md.  Nov. 

8,  1849,  Franklin  H.  Sprague,  Esq.  ; 
resided  in  Boston  and  during  the  past 
twenty  years  in  Framingham.  He  was 
a  member  of  Legislature  1858,  1873, 
1874. 

4.  John  Milton,  b.  July  22,  1827  ;   md.  Nov. 

29,  1854,  Myra  A.  Sawin,  dau.  of  Joseph 
D.  and  Marcia  M.  (Scribner)  Sawin  of 
Gardner.  Hon.  John  M.  Moore  is  a 
manufacturer  of  chairs  in  South  Gard- 
ner. He  has  served  in  both  branches  of 
the  Legislature,  and  for  many  years  has 
been  a  member  of  the  School  Committee 
of  Gardner. 

Jacob,  b.  Nov.  14,  1786  ;  was  a  farmer  in  Ashburn- 
ham  and  after  1826  in  Windham,  N.  H.  He 
was  a  respected  citizen  and  occupied  several 
positions  of  trust.  He  md.  April  8,  1817, 
Sophia  Smith,  b.  Oct.  24,  1787,  dau.  of  Joshua 
Smith,  Esq.,  r^.  u.  He  d.  Feb.  27,  1860;  his 
widow  d.  April  23,  1869.     No  children. 

Eimke,  b.  Jan.  28,  1790  ;  d.  in  Windham,  N.  H., 
unmd.,  June  18,  1877. 


Rev.  Samuel  HARitrs  resided  in  this  town,  except  two 
or  three  years  in  Fitchburg,  until  about  1804,  He  was 
subsequently  a  Congregational  minister  in  New  Hamp- 
shire. Vide  page  509.  He  md.  April  17,  1798,  Ruth 
Pratt,  a  daughter  by  a  former  marriage  of  the  third  wife 
of  his  father.  She  was  b.  in  New  Ipswich  Aug.  29,  1779  ; 
d.  in  Windham,  N.  H.,  March  22,  1869.  Rev.  Samuel 
Harris  d.  in  AVindham,  N.  H.,  Sept.  5,  1848.  Twelve 
children. 

I.  Sally,  b.  Feb.  20,  1799  ;  md.  Oct.  19,  1852,  Am- 
herst Coult,  son  of  Dr.  Amherst  and  Miriam 
(Giddings)  Coult.  He  was  a  farmer  in  Auburn, 
N.  H.,  where  he  d.  A|iril  12,  1884;  she  resides 
at  the  homestead. 
II.  3Iary  W.,  b.  Nov.  3,  1800;  d.  unmd.  Jan.  18, 
1839. 
III.  Edtvard  P.,  b.  Nov.  17, 1802  ;  gi-aduate  Dartmouth 
College   1826.       Principal  of   Academy,  Brad- 


GENEALOGICAL   KEGISTER.  733 

ford,  Vt.,  aud  Chesterfield,  N.  II.  Subse- 
quentlj'  practised  law  in  Vermont  and  after 
1836  in  Avon,  Midi.  In  1867  be  was  a  mem- 
ber of  State  Constitutional  Convention.  He 
md.  June  29,  1829,  Eliza  Wright,  dau.  of  David 
Wright  of  Hartford,  Vt.  ;  she  d.  Sept.  1,  1834. 
He  d.  March  19,  1868.  They  had  one  son, 
Hon.  Edward  Wright  Pratt,  formerly  a  law 
partner  of  U.  S.  Senator  Omer  D.  Conger  of 
Michigan,  aud  subsequently  a  Judge  of  the 
Sixteenth  Judicial  District  of  Michigan  ;  resides 
at  Port  Huron. 

22  IV.  Samuel,  b.  Dec.  7,  1804 ;  a  printer  in  Boston  with 
residence  at  Melrose.  He  md.  Jan.  16,  1832, 
Mary  Hall  of  Boston.  He  d.  May  6,  1860. 
Seven  children. 

23  V.  John  M.,  b.  Oct.  18,  1806;  a  graduate  Amherst 
College  1839  ;  resided  in  Nashua,  N.  H.,  until 
1843,  aud  subsequently  he  was  a  farmer  in 
Fitchburg.  He  was  a  deacon  of  the  Calvinistic 
Congregational  church  of  Fitchburg.  He  md. 
June  10,  1841,  Betsey  Merriam,  dau.  of  Jona- 
than and  Betsey  (Harris)  Merriam,  number  8  of 
this  register.  He  d.  July  26,  1877.  Their  son, 
Edward  A.,  d.  in  Fitchburg  Sept.  3,  1885,  and 
their  son  Charles  C.  Harris,  a  reporter  for  TJie 
Sentinel,  is  well  known  in  Fitchburg. 

24  VI.  Jacob,  b.  Sept.  30,  1809  ;  resided  in  Windham,  N. 
H.,  where  he  d.  July  5,  1861.  He  md.  June  10, 
1852,  Rufina  MerrWl,  b.  April  12,  1816,  dau.  of 
Amos  and  Mehitable  (Smith)  Merrill.  One 
daughter. 

25  VII.  Lyclia  K.,  b.  Feb.  21,  1813  ;  md.  Dec.  17,  1835, 
Stephen  Dearborn  of  Auburn,  N.  H.  She  d., 
s.  p.,  Aug.  18,  1852. 

26  VIII.    William,  b.  March  19,  1815;  d.  Oct.  5,  1817. 

27  IX.  Elizabeth,  b.  March  5,  1817  ;  md.  March  20,  1849, 
James  Underbill,  b.  Feb.  20,  1822,  son  of  James 

.  and  Elizabeth  (Chase)  Underbill  of  Auburn,  N. 
H.  She  d.  Sept.  22,  1853,  leaving  one  son, 
George  C.  Underbill,  who  resides  in  Unadilla, 
Neb. 
X.  Luther,  b.  Sept.  11,  1820;  d.  unmd.  in  Marlboro', 
N.  H.,  where  he  was  teaching,  Oct.  1,  1841. 
29  XI.  William  C,  b.  Dec.  14,  1822;  resides  on  the 
homestead  in  Windham,  N.  H.  ;  a  member  of 
Legislature  1865,  and  has  been  much  employed 
in  town  affairs.     He  md.  June  23, 1853,  Pbilena 


734 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


30 


31 


32 


34 


35 
36 
37 
38 
39 
40 


H.  Dinsmore,  b.  Oct.  3,  1831,  dau.  of  Dea. 
Samuel  and  Haunali  (Blanchard)  Dinsmore  of 
Auburn,  N.  H.  Three  children.  Of  these, 
"William  S.  Harris  has  published  an  accurate  and 
intelligent  sketch  of  the  descendants  of  Dea. 
Jacob  Harris. 
XII.  Lucinda,  b.  June  10,  1824  ;  d.  April  27,  1825. 


Nathaniel  Harris,  son  of  Richard  and  Martha  (Fos- 
ter) Harris,  was  b.  in  Harvard  April  4,  1752,  and  came 
to  Ashburnham  previous  to  the  Revolution.  He  was  in 
the  company  of  minute-men  commanded  by  Capt.  Jona- 
than Gates  in  1775.  Vide  page  142.  He  settled  on  Main 
street  in  the  Central  Village,  where  Nahum  Wood  now 
resides,  where  he  was  a  tanner  and  was  succeeded  by 
Capt.  David  Gushing  and  Levi  Adams.  In  1779  he  was 
one  of  the  Committee  of  Correspondence  and  at  other 
times  he  was  called  to  assist  in  town  affairs.  He  removed 
in  1798  to  Brandon,  Vt.,  where  he  d.  June  21,  1831. 
He  rad.  March  12,  1778,  Abigail  Harris,  b.  in  Shrews- 
buiy  July  1,  1756,  dau.  of  Daniel  and  Jerusha  Harris. 
When  married  she  was  stj'led  "of  Ashburnham,"  but  I 
find  no  evidence  that  her  parents  ever  resided  in  this  town. 
She  d.  March  5,  1826.  Eight  of  their  nine  children  were 
b.  and  bap.  in  this  town. 

I.  Nathaniel,  b.  Dec.  20,  1778  ;  he  was  a  merchant  in 
Williston,  Yt.  ;  md.  May  16,  1802,  Sally  Ives. 
He  d.  Nov.  6,  1830;  she  d.  Jan.  13,  1826. 
One  child. 
II.  Mufus,  b.  Sept.  27,  1781  ;  a  farmer,  merchant 
and  postmaster  in  Bridport,  Vt.,  where  he  d. 
March  30,  1827.  He  md.  April  7,  1807,  Mary 
Cloyes,  b.  in  Framingham  July  22,  1785,  dau. 
of  Peter  and  Polly  (Nixon)  Cloyes  and  a  niece 
of  Capt.  Elijah  Cloyes  an  early  settler  in  Fitz- 
william,  N.  H.  She  d.  Sept.  8,  1849.  Four 
children. 

III.  Richard,  b.  Nov.  8,  1783  ;  a  merchant  in  Brandon, 

Vt.  He  md.  June  28,  1807,  Hannah  H.  Good- 
now,  dau.  of  Daniel  Goodnow  of  Rutland.  He 
d.  Aug.  22,  1821  ;  she  d.  Dec.  12,  1867.  Five 
children. 

IV.  Otis,  b.  Jan.  22,  1786  ;  d.  May  21,  1805. 
V.  Nahhy,  b.  June  13,  1788  ;    d.  May  4,  1805. 

VI.  Lucinda,  b.  Sept.  23,  1791  ;  d.  May  9,  1805. 
VII.  Matilda,  b.  Feb.  8,  1795  ;  d.  May  2,  1805. 
vm.  Rebecca,  b.  Sept.  7,  1797  ;  d.  July  17,  1803. 
IX.  Sarah  B.,  b.  Dec.  23,  1800  ;  d.  July  12,  1803. 


genp:alogical  rkgister.  735 

William  Harris,  son  of  George  Harris,  was  b.  17(53. 
It  is  tradition  tliat  he  was  a  son  of  George  Harris  of  Con- 
cord. A  prolonged  search  has  not  discovered  a  record  of 
his  birtli  and  his  first  marriage.  About  1796  with  his 
wife  Betsey  and  an  infant  sou  he  settled  in  the  northwest 
part  of  this  town,  adjacent  to  the  line  of  Winchendon. 
His  wife  d.  June  6,  1<S07,  aged,  says  Mr.  Gushing,  "be- 
tween 40  and  50  years."  He  md.  (2d)  1808,  Rebecca 
(Weston)  Ingalls,  dan.  of  Charles  and  Rebecca  (Potter) 
Weston  ;  md.  (3d)  widow  Hannah  Edwards  of  Ashby. 
In  1820  he  removed  over  the  line  into  Winchendon, 
where  he  d.  July  5,  1837.  Hannah,  his  wife,  d.  April  9, 
1837. 

I.  Humphrey,  b.  in  Concord,  March  28,  1795.-1- 
II.  Jonathan,  b.  June  20,  1798;  md.  Sally  Howe,  b. 
Sept.  18,  1801,  dau.  of  Perley  and  Jane  T. 
(Belcher)  Howe  of  Gardner.  He  resided  in 
Ashburnham,  Rindge  and  Gardner.  There  were 
several  children  but  no  record  has  been  received. 

III.  William,  b.  Aug.  28,  1791).-}- 

IV.  Reuben,  b.  Sept.  2,  1801  ;  resided  in  Winchendon. 

He  was  enterprising  in  business  and  prominent 
in  town  affairs.  He  md.  Rowena  Woodbury, 
dau.  of  Col.  Jacob  B.  and  Hannah  (Roberts) 
Woodbury,  He  d.  June  4,  1873  ;  his  widow  d. 
June  14,  1883.  Their  son,  Jacob  B.  Harris, 
represented  the  district  of  Ashburnham  and 
Winchendon  in  the  Legislature  1858. 
V.  Amos,  b.  Sept.  26,  1803  ;  removed  to  New  York. 

VI.  Betsey,  b. ;    md.  Sargent,  and  removed 

to  the  West. 

VII.  Mary,  b. ;  md.  John  Estey  of  Winchendon. 

VIII.  Lucy,  b. ;  md. Conant. 


Humphrey  Harris,  son  of  William,  was  a  Methodist 
preacher.  Vide  page  512.  He  md.  Feb.  28,  1815,  Mary 
Willard,  dau.  of  Silas  Willard,  Esq.,  q.  v.  While  tempo- 
rarily employed  by  his  brother  Reuben  in  Winchendon  he 
was  killed  by  a  falling  tree. 

I.  Humphrey,  b.  March  19,  1815. -|- 
II.   Cynthia,  b.  Jan.  8,  1817;  md.  Sept.   5,   1846,  Al- 
"  .    bert  Richardson. 

III.  Lysander  B.,  b.  Dec.  30,  1823.  He  was  of  the 
firm  Eaton  &  Harris,  manufacturers  of  spools 
and  match  stock,  and  for  twenty-five  years  has 
resided  in  New  York  State. 


736  HISTOKY    OF    ASIIBURNHAM. 

(44)  William  Harris,  son  of  William,  md.  July  2,  1823, 
Hepsibah  Flint,  b.  May  12,  1795,  dau.  of  Nathan  Flint 
of  Winchendon.  He  was  a  fanner  and  rebuilt  the  house 
occupied  by  his  father  in  this  town.  He  d.  Nov.  9,  1867  ; 
his  wife  d.  Dec.  28,  1858.     Six  children. 


53 


56 

57 
58 

59 

(50) 

60 

61 

62 
63 


I.  Minerva   N..    b.    July    22,    1824;    md.   Elvirous 
Waters  ;  he  d.  in  Winchendon;  she  d.  in  Athol 
Oct.  20,  1862. 
II.  Martha,  b.  May  18,  1826;  d.  Oct.  14,  1844. 

III.  Elbridge  jSF.,  b.  Oct.  23,  1828;    resided  in  Athol 

and  now  in  Lawrence.  For  many  years  he  has 
been  connected  with  the  Rodney  Hunt  Machine 
Company  at  Orange,  and  is  treasurer  of  the 
Corporation.  He  has  been  a  deacon  of  First 
Baptist  church  in  Lawrence  twelve  years.  He 
md.  March  19,  1851, Merriam. 

IV.  Charles  II.,  b.  May  25,  1830.     He  resides  at  Ja- 

maica, Long  Island,  N.  Y.,  where  he  has  been 
a  station  agent  thirty-one  years.  He  is  a  dea- 
con of  the  Congregational  church  in  Jamaica. 
He  md.  Dec.  17,  1851,  Sarah  Woods  of  Fitch- 
burg. 

V.  William  Watson,  h.  Nov.  2,  1832;  d.  Nov,  13, 
1847. 

VI,  Frank  A^.,  b.  March  21,  1836  ;  md.  April  30,  1862, 
Elmira  C.  Davis,  dau.  of  Dea.  John  C.  Davis, 
q.  V.  He  d,  at  Jamaica,  Long  Island,  Sept,  20, 
1869  ;  his  widow  resides  in  this  town. 

1,  Arthur  E,,  b,  Jul}-  4,  1863  ;  resides  in  this 
town. 


Humphrey  Harris,  son  of  Humphrey,  md,  March  8, 
1838,  Emeline  W.  Clark,  dau.  of  Levi  Clark,  q.  v.  She 
d,  June  29,  1880;  he  md,  (2d)  Aug.  17,  1881,  Mrs, 
Susan  (Marvin)  Stearns  of  Westminster.  He  is  a  farmer 
in  the  northwest  part  of  the  town. 

I,  Mary,  b.  Jan.  24,  1839  ;  md,  Jan,  22,  1873,  Sid- 
ney W,  Benjamin,  son  of  Stillman  D,  Benjamin, 
q.  V. 

II.  Harriet  L.,  b.  Sept,  20,  1841  ;  unmd. ;  resides  in 
Worcester, 

III.  Frances,  b.  Aug.  6,  1843  ;  d.  Feb,  27,  1846, 

IV.  Charles  F.,  b.  Nov.  30,  1848  ;  md.  May  13,  1879, 

Aletia  R.  Wilder,  b.  Sept,  20,  1853,  dau.  of 
John  R,  and  Sarah  A,  (Stewart)  AYilder  of 
Ashby,     Resides  on  the  homestead. 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER. 


737 


64 


65 


66 


(67) 


George  F.,  b.  Oct.  22,  1854;   md.   Oct.   13,    1886, 
Edith  C.  Wood  of  Winchendon. 


Joseph  Harris,  a  son  of  Joseph  Harris  of  Acton,  was 
b.  Jan.  28,  1780.  He  md.  April  7,  1829,  Sarah  A.  (Rus- 
sell) Cutter,  dau.  of  Thomas  Russell,  q.  v.,  and  widow  of 
Ephraim  Cutter,  q.  v.  He  resided  on  the  Samuel  Wilder 
or  Phillips  farm,  now  owned  by  his  son  Joseph  H.  Harris, 
and  commonly  called  the  Harris  place.  He  d.  July  29, 
1886. 

I.  S^lsan  E.,  h.  April  3,  1830;  md.  -Jan.  12,  1860, 
Samuel  D.  Holt,  son  of  Abiel  Holt,  q.  v. 

Joseph  11. ,  b.  Dec.  25,  1832. +  • 

Ellen  Maria,  b.  May  20,  1834. 

James  E.,  b.  Nov.  19,  1835  ;  d.  July  12,  1887. 

Harriet  E.,  b.  July  20,  1838  ;  md.  Oct.  14,  1876, 
AYilliam  B.  Prouty  of  Spencer. 


67 

II. 

68 

III. 

69 

IV. 

70 

V. 

Joseph  H.  Harris 

rin  of  Orfordville,  N. 


md. 
H. 


April  22,  1868,  Martha  J.  Per- 
He  resides  in  Central  Village. 


I.  3Iary  E.,  b.  Aug.  29,  1869. 


HASTINGS. 

The  name  of  Hastings  has  been  constant  in  this  town  since  1783.  The  first 
of  the  name  in  Ashburnham  were  of  the  fifth  generation  in  New  England. 
The  emigrant  ancestor  Thomas  Hastings,  aged  29,  and  wife  Susanna  em- 
barked from  Ipswich,  England,  April  10,  1634,  and  settled  in  Watertown. 
The  following  year  he  was  admitted  freeman  and  he  was  subsequently  a 
selectman  twenty-eight  years.  He  was  town  clerk  and  a  representative  and 
for  many  years  a  deacon  of  the  church  in  "Watertown.  His  wife  Susanna  d. 
Feb.  2,  1650,  and  he  md.  (2d)  April,  1G51,  Margaret  Cheney,  dau.  of  "Wil- 
liam and  Martha  Cheney  of  Roxbury,  who  was  the  mother  of  all  his  chil- 
dren.    He  d.  1685,  aged  80  years. 

Samuel,  the  youngest  of  the  eight  children  of  Dea.  Thomas  and  Margaret 
(Cheney)  Hastings,  was  b.  March  12,  1665.  He  md.  Jan.  1,  1687,  Lydia 
Church,  dau.  of  Caleb  and  Joanna  (Sprague)  Church.  She  was  b.  in  Ded- 
ham  July  4,  1661,  and  d.  at  the  age  of  thirty  years.  He  md.  (2d)  April  24, 
1694,  Elizabeth  Nevison,  b.  Oct.  22,  1675,  dau.  of  John  and  Elizabeth  Nev- 
ison.  She  d.  1700.  He  md.  (3d)  July  10,  1701,  Sarah  Coolidge,  dau.  of 
Simon  and  Hannah  (Barron)  Coolidge.  He  also  resided  in  "Watertown, 
where  he  d.  1722  or  1723.     His  widow  d.  1724. 

Nathaniel,  youngest  of  the  seven  children  of  Samuel  Hastings,  was  a  son 
of  the  third  wife.  He  md.  April  16,  1734,  Esther  Perry,  dau.  of  Samuel 
and  Margaret  (Traine)  Perry.  They  removed  to  the  North  Parish  of 
Shrewsbury,  now  Boylston.  Of  the  six  children  of  Samuel  Hastings,  the 
eldest  son  was  Samuel  Hastings,  Jr.,  b.  in  Shrewsbury  1735 ;  md.  Oct.  26, 
1757,  Anna  Bigelow,  dau.  of  Joseph  and  Martha  (Brigham)  Bigelow.  They 
removed  to  Princeton  about  1759,  where  he  d.  Sept.  9,  1823,  aged  88  years. 
Of  their  four  sons  two,  Charles  and  Ezra,  removed  to  this  town. 
47 


738 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


(4) 


Capt.  Charles  Hastings,  son  of  Samuel  and  Anna 
(Bigelow)  Hastings,  was  b.  in  Princeton  Nov.  26,  1760. 
He  md.  June  3,  1782,  Anna  Woods,  dau.  of  Samuel  and 
Tabitha  Woods,  and  removed  to  Ashburnham  1783.  He 
was  an  honest  man  and  a  good  citizen.  His  service  in  the 
Revolution  is  stated  in  Chap.  VI.  He  d.  Nov.  28,  1850. 
His  wife  d.  Dec.  19,  1825. 

I.  Betsey,h. 'Nov.  25,1182;  md.  March  16,  1805, 
David  Randall,  q.  v.  ;  md.  (2d)  1808,  Joseph 
Spaulding,  q.  v.  ;  md.  (3d)  Joel  Conant  of 
Acton. 

II.  Ezra,  b.  Dec.  4,  1784;  d.  Sept.  13,  1801. 

III.  John,  b.  Sept.  18,  1787.+ 

IV.  Aiina  B.,  b.  Feb.  19,  1790  ;  md.  Asa  Sawtell,  q.  v. 
V.  Sally,  b.  June  2,  1792  ;    md.  Col.  Charles  Barrett, 

q.  V. 
VI.  Lydia,  b.  Dec.  21, 1794  ;  md.  Joshua  Stowell,  q.  v. 
VII.  Samuel,  b.  July  10,  1797  ;  d.  Dec.  23,  1803. 
VIII.   Charles,  b.  June  16,  1800. -f- 
IX.  Leonard  Woods,  b.  Aug.  14,  1803. -|- 
X.  Jose2)h  B.,  b.  Aug.  11,  1805. + 


12 


John  Hastings  was  a  model  citizen,  loyal  to  the  inter- 
ests of  his  town  and  exact  and  honorable  in  all  his  dealings 
with  his  fellowmen.  He  filled  many  positions  of  trust  and 
was  the  sexton  many  years.  He  md.  Nov.  4,  1810,  Sarah 
Green,  b.  Dec.  9,  1792,  dau.  of  Oliver  and  Dorothy  (Hil- 
dreth)  Green,  q.  v.  She  d.  Nov.  20,  1822  ;  he  md.  (2d) 
Oct.  6,  1823,  Melinda  Bolles  of  Westminster,  Vt.,  b.  Feb. 
16, 1800.  He  d.  Aug.  25,  1879.  There  were  seven  chil- 
dren by  the  first  and  ten  b}'  the  second  marriage. 

I.  Jtdia  Augusta,  b.  Sept.  3,  1811  ;  md.  March  24, 
1836,  James  H.  Laws  of  Westminster,  son  of 
James  and  Thankful  Laws.  She  d.  Nov.  19, 
1885. 

II.  Infant,  b.  and  d.  Nov.  1,  1813. 

III.  Ma7-y  Coolidge,  b.  March  20,  1815  ;  md.  June  11, 

1840,  William  Baker  of  Gardner,  now  of  Phila- 
delphia; she  d.  July  28,  1864. 

IV.  Infant,  b.  Jan.  3,  1817;  d.  Jan.  7,  1817. 

V.  John  Neioton,  b.  March  1,  1818. -|- 

VI.  Sarah  Hildreth,  b.  March  4,  1821  ;  md.  Albert  T. 

Bemis,  q.  v. 
VII.  Rebecca  Elizabeth,  b.  July  27,  1822  ;  d.  Dec.  14, 

1823. 
vui.  Infant,  b.  May  22,  1824 ;  d.  May  23,  1824. 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  739 

IX.  Rebecca  Elizabeth^  b.   May  1,  1825  ;  d.  Sept.  24, 

1844. 

X.  Infant,  b.  Dec.  6,  1826  ;  d.  Dec.  7,  1826. 

XI.  Anna  Melinda^h.  Yob.   1,   1828;    d.  unmd.  Sept. 

23,  1853. 

XII.  Leonard.h.  Feb.   19,  1830;  md.   1860,  Sarah  F. 

Manning  of  Templeton  ;  d.  in  this  town  May  2, 
1872.     There  were  three  children. 

XIII.  Charles  Lyman,  b.  May  20,  1832  ;  d,  Jan.  10, 1839. 

XIV.  Stephen  Cushing,  b.  Dec.  4,  1834. -[- 

XV.  Caroline  Amelia,  b.  June  4,    1838  ;  d.  July  31, 

1864. 

XVI.  Martha  Jane,  b.  June  12,  1840;  md.  March  21, 

1874,  John  S.  Woods,  son  of  John  Woods,  q.v. 
XVII.  Infant,  b.  Feb.  16,  d.  Feb.  20,  1844. 


Charles  Hastings  was  a  merchant  a  few  years  on  the 
old  common.  In  1830  he  sold  the  farm  and  the  store  to 
Lemuel  Stimson  and  subsequently  removed  to  New  Ips- 
wich. He  was  postmaster  of  New  Ipswich  from  March 
10,  1843,  to  July  3,  1845.  Soon  after  the  last  date  he 
returned  to  his  native  town  and  has  resided  in  the  Central 
Village.  In  age  he  has  manifested  infirmities,  yet  the 
stronger  and  better  traits  of  his  character  have  not  been 
obscured.  Through  life  he  has  been  tenacious  in  contro- 
versy and  equally  constant  in  his  attachments  and  friend- 
ship. To  the  memory  of  the  dead  whom  he  has  respected 
and  loved  his  heart  is  responsive  and  his  works  are  char- 
acteristic of  his  best  and  warmest  impulses.  Recognizing 
the  elevated  character  of  Col.  Joseph  Jewett  he  supple- 
mented his  gift  of  land  and  buildings  to  Cushing  Academy 
with  the  memorial  name  of  Jewett  Hall.  He  md.  Dec.  15, 
1824,  Susan  Wellington  Hill,  dau.  of  Isaac  Hill,  q.  v. ; 
she  d.  Dec.  17,  1870. 


Leonard  W.  Hastings  md.  1832,  Elvira  Burrows  of  New 
Ipswich;  md.  (2d)  Martha  Colburn  of  Temple.  Here- 
sided  in  this  town  a  few  years  and  later  in  New  Ipswich, 
where  he  d.  April  11,  1882. 


Joseph  B.  Hastings  md.  Nov.  21,  1827,  Adaline 
Woods,  dau.  of  Asa  Woods,  q.  v.  He  resided  in  this 
town  until  1853,  when  he  removed  to  Brookline,  where  he 
d.  Sept.  28,  1883.     His  widow  resides  iu  West  Berlin. 

I.  Mary  W.,  b.  Nov.  13,  1828;  md.  Sept.  2,  1847, 
Milton  J.  Scollay,  son  of  Grover  Scollay,  q.  v. 


740 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


30 
31 
32 


33 


(16) 


34 


(25) 


39 


46 


II.  Adaline,  b.  July  4,  d.  July  18,  1833. 

III.  Joseph  Henry,  "b.  Oct.  23,  1834;  d.  Nov.  9,  1855. 

IV.  Levi    TF.,  b.  May  11,  1840;    md.  Sept  27,  1863, 

Abbie  J.  Goldsmith,  dau.  of  George  W.  and 
Ruth  (Hutching)  Goldsmith  ;  resides  in  Brook- 
line. 

V.  Herbert  Eugene,  b.  Aug.  28,  1846  ;  md.  1868, 

Kemp  ;  resides  in  Jamaica  Plain. 


John  N.  Hastings  md.  Sept.  25,  1838,  Sarah  Rice 
Taylor,  dau.  of  Ephraim  Taylor,  q.  v.  He  has  been  a 
deacon  of  the  Congregational  church  since  1870.  He 
resides  on  Chapel  street. 

I.   Charles  Newton,  b.   Oct.    10,    1846  ;  d.  Aug.  22, 
1867. 


Stephen  C.  Hastings  md.  Jan.  29,  1853,  Emily  N. 
Stowell,  dau.  of  Moses  Stowell,  q.  v.  He  is  a  merchant 
in  Providence,  R.  I. 

I.  Abbie  Augusta,  b.  May  9,  1853. 
II.  An7ia  Maria,  b.  Feb.  16,  1855  ;  md.  Charles  Steb- 
bins  ;  d.  in  New  Haven,  Conn.,  March  3,  1884. 

III.  Ella,  b.  Aug.  12,  1860. 

IV.  Charles  Lyman,  b.  Jan.  25,   1872  ;    d.   May  26, 

1879. 


Ezra  Hastings,  a  brother  of  Capt.  Charles  Hastings,  b. 
1772,  md.  Sept.  3,  1796,  Polly  Mirick  of  Princeton.  At 
the  time  of  his  marriage,  or  previously,  he  settled  in  this 
town.  He  d.,  felo  de  se,  Feb.  14,  1815.  The  widow  and 
children  removed  to  Indiana. 

I.  James  Mirick,  b.  July  28,  1796,  according  to  the 

record, 
n.  Stephen,  b.  May  2,  1798. 

III.  Polly,  b.  July  14,  1800;  d.  Oct.  19,  1801. 

IV.  Amos,  b.  Sept.  24,  1802. 
V.  3[ary,  b.  Jan.  8,  1807. 

VI.  Louisa. 


Nathaniel  Hastings,  of  another  family,  with  wife 
Jemima  removed  to  this  town  in  1771.  He  was  in  Capt. 
Davis'  company  1775,  and  probably  removed  from  town 
soon  after  that  date. 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER. 


741 


47  I  I.  Amasa,  h.  Oct.  19,  1772. 

48  I        II.  Sylvanus.  b.  Dec.  24,  1773. 

49  III.  Azuhali^  bap.  Aug.  27,  1775. 


HAVEN. 

The  Havens  of  this  town  were  from  Hopkintcn,  and  are  descendants  of 
Richard  Haven,  who  with  wife  Susannah  emigrated  from  the  west  of  England 
and  settled  in  Lynn  in  1644  or  1045.  They  had  twelve  children  all  b.  in 
Lynn.  The  mother  d.  Feb.  7,  1682,  and  Richard,  the  father,  d.  between  May 
21,  1701,  the  date  of  his  will,  and  June  14,  1703,  when  it  was  proved.  Nath- 
aniel Haven,  son  of  Richard  the  emigrant,  was  b.  June  30,  1G64,  and  by 
wife  Elizabeth  had  ten  children.  He  resided  in  Lynn  and  later  in  Framing- 
ham,  where  he  d.  1746,  aged  82.  He  was  a  town  officer  in  Framingham  and 
a  man  of  influence.  Nathaniel  Haven,  son  of  Nathaniel  and  Elizabeth 
Haven,  b.  in  Framingham  Sept.  8,  1704,  md.  June  10,  1724,  Hepsibah  Rugg 
and  removed  to  Hopkinton,  where  he  md.  (2d)  Dec.  7,  1741,  Abigail  (Clark) 
Rice,  widow  of  Jason  Rice  of  Sudbury;  and  (3d)  1753,  Hannah  Ware.  He 
d.  1763,  aged  59  years.  Among  the  seven  children  of  Nathaniel  and  Hepsi- 
bah (Rugg)  Haven  was  Jonathan  Haven  of  Ashburnham. 


(7) 


Jonathan  Haven,  son  of  Nathaniel  and  Hepsibah 
(Rugg)  Haven,  was  b.  in  Hopkinton  April  29,  1728.  He 
md.'Aug.  24,  1749,  Elizabeth  Haven.  They  resided  in 
Hopkinton,  where  their  children  were  b.,  until  about  1785 
when  he  removed  to  this  town  and  settled  where  his  grand- 
sons Jonas  and  Elijah  Haven  now  live.  He  d.  July  30, 
1791  ;  his  widow  d.  May  7,  1809. 

Jerusha,  b.  June  1,  1750. 

Lois,  b.  June  27,  1753  ;  d.  unmd.  in  Ashburnham 

June  21,  1820. 
HezekiaJi,  b.  Oct.  1,  1755. 
Elizabeth,  b.   Sept.    15,   1757;    md.   1778,  James 

Stone  of  Southboro'.     They  removed  to  Fitzwil- 

liam,  N.  H.,  about  1781,  where  she  lived  to  an 

advanced  age.     Nine  children. 
Hepsibah,  b.  Sept.  3,  1759. 
Jonathan,  b.  July  31,  1765.-f- 
vii.  John,  b.  Aug.  31,  1767.-|- 


2 

I 

3 

11 

4 

III 

5 

IV. 

6 

V 

7 

VI 

Jonathan  Haven  md.  April  8,  1792,  Zerviah  Rice, 
dau.  of  Jason  and  Susannah  (Haven ")  Rice  of  Hopkinton. 
She  d.  Sept.  8,  1821;  he  md.  (2d)  Nov.  13,  1822, 
Saloma  AVithington,  b.  in  Fitzwilliam,  N.  H.,  Jan.  5, 
1787,  dau.  of  William  and  Martha  (Locke)  Withington. 
She  d.  Feb.  19,  1842,  aged  55  years.    He  d.  Jan.  7,  1837. 

I.  Betsey,  b.  May  24,  1793  ;  md.  Nathaniel  D.  Ward, 

q.  V. 
u.  Susannah,  b.  March  13,  1795  ;  d.  April  19,  1795. 
m.  Jonathan,  b.  April  18,  179G  ;  d.  Nov.  22,  1813. 


742 


HISTORY   OF    ASHBURNHAM. 


(8) 


12 


John  Ha.ven  md.  Sept.  23,  1804,  Auna  Wood,  dau.  of 
Jonas  Wood  of  Fitzwilliam,  N.  H.  She  d.  June  3,  1821  ; 
hemd.  (2d)  Oct.  1,  1821,  Betsey  Blodgett.  He  was  a 
farmer  in  this  town.     He  d.  Dec.  25,  1830  ;  his  widow  d. 

1857. 

I.  Jonas,  b.  Sept.,  1806;  md.  June  24,  1852,  Erne- 
line  Fassett  of  Fitzwilliam,  N.  H.  A  farmer, 
residing  near  his  brother,  Elijah  Haven,  on  the 
homestead. 
II.  iois,  b.  Jul}'  31,  1809;  unmd.  ;  resides  in  this- 
town. 

III.  Elijah,    b.  Feb.   17,    1812;    md.   April   3,   1842, 

Nancy  Ward,  dau.  of  Nathaniel  D.  Ward,  q.  v. 
They  have  three  children  by  adoption. 

1.  Augustus  O.,  b.   Jan.  18,  1846;    d.   Jan. 

17,  1855. 

2.  Charles    Abbott,    b.   Oct.   10,   1853;    md. 

July  12,  1873,  Mary  E.  Lane,  dau.  of 
Amos  F.  Lane,  q.  v.  He  d.  Oct.  17, 
1883. 

3.  Anna  Dawn,  b.  May  5,  1871. 

IV.  Jerusha,  b.  Sept.  30,  1815  ;  d.  July  17,  1819. 


Newton  Hayden,  b.  in  Groton  Dec.  5,  1827,  sou  of 
Luther  and  Betsey  (Austin)  Hayden,  lived  in  this  town 
about  thirty  years  and  removed  to  Fitchburg  in  1876.  He 
was  a  merchant  several  years  and  was  town  clerk  five 
years.  He  md.  April  5,  1849,  Sarah  A.  Whitney,  dau.  of 
William  Whitney,  q.  v. 

I.  Ella  Mercy,  b.  Dec.  29,  1849  ;    md.  1872,  Charles 

A.  Smith. 
II.    William  P.  b.  July  14,  1852. 
III.  Minnie  Belle,  b.  Nov.  2,  1868. 


Edwin  Hayward,  son  of  Stephen  and  Mehitable  (Rich) 
Hayward,  was  b.  in  Worcester  Dec.  20,  1821.  Stephen 
Hayward,  the  father,  d.  Nov.  22,  1835,  and  she  md.  (2d) 
Abraham  Dwinnell  and  d.  in  this  town  May  31,  1862. 
Edwin  Hayward  removed  to  Ashburnham  1837.  Subse- 
quently he  was  foreman  in  the  employ  of  Burrage  Bros., 
and  during  the  past  twenty  years  he  has  been  in  the 
lumber  and  meat  business.  He  came  to  Ashburnham  un- 
married and  has  maintained  his  position. 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  743 

Harvey  Heald,  son  of  John  Heald,  was  b.  in  Shirley 
Sept.  20,  1797.  He  resided  successively  in  Hinsdale, 
Lanesboro',  Royalston  and  Ashburnham.  He  removed  to 
this  town  1836,  where  he  d.  March  12,  1867.  He  md. 
Nov.  9,  1826,  Susan  Kibling,  dan.  of  Henry  Kibling,  q.  v. 

I.   George,  b.  Aug.  15,  1827. + 

II.  Neioton,  b.  May  6,  1831  ;  md.  Feb.  9, 1857,  Sarah 
Elizabeth  Gilson.  He  d.  in  this  town  Jan.  27, 
1860. 

III.  Henry,  b.  April  5, 1833  ;  md.  Feb.  19,  1853,  Mary 
E.  Lovell.     He  d.  in  this  town  Aug.  26,  1854. 

IV.  Susan,  b.  Nov.  8,  1834  ;  d.  June  24,  1836. 
V.   Charles  Harvey,  b.  Jan.  17,  1836  ;  md.  Sept.   10, 

1867,  Cornelia  E.  Haywood.  He  is  a  carpenter 
and  resides  in  Northampton.  He  served  through 
the  war  of  the  Rebellion  and  was  promoted  to 
first  lieutenant.  He  was  twice  wounded,  and 
was  a  prisoner  four  months  within  the  rebel 
lines. 
VI.  Lewis  Brigham,  b.  March  5,  1839  ;  md.  Oct.  12, 
1867,  Mary  Sophia  Remick.  He  is  a  carpenter 
in  St.  Johnsbury,  Vt.  He  served  in  the  war  of 
the  Rebellion,  participating  in  the  Mississippi 
campaign,  the  siege  of  Vicksburg  and  Sherman's 
grand  march  to  the  sea. 


George  Heald  is  one  of  the  few  representatives  of  the 
Kibling  family  remaining  in  this  town.  He  is  a  farmer 
and  resides  in  Lane  Village  on  the  homestead  of  his 
father  and  by  two  generations  of  the  Kibling  family.  He 
md.  March  8,  1860,  Lucia  A.  Williams. 

1.  Lewis  B.,  b.  June  8,  1863. 
II.  Susan  Ellen,  b.  Dec.  3,  1871. 


Ebenezer  Hemenway,  a  resident  of  Ashburnham,  was 
the  son  of  Rev.  Phinehas  and  Sarah  (Stevens)  Hemenway, 
and  was  b.  in  Townsend.  He  was  bap.  March  14,  1735, 
but  there  is  no  record  of  his  birth.  Rev.  Phinehas  Hem- 
enway, the  father,  son  of  Joshua  and  Rebecca  Hemenway 
of  Framingham,  was  the  first  minister  of  Townsend. 
Ebenezer  Hemenway  settled  in  Ashburnham  as  early  as 
1758.  He  resided  at  the  old  common,  and  during  the 
later  years  of  his  life  he  succeeded  Dea.  Moses  Foster  as 
an  innholder.  He  was  frequently  elected  to  office  and  his 
name  is  familiar  to  the  readers  of  the  early  annals  of 
Ashburnham.     He  md.  Nov.  23,  1758,  Elizabeth  Moore. 


744 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


He  d.  Dec.  10,  1776,  aged  about  42  3'ears.     His  widow 
d.  in  this  town  April  16,  1788. 

I.  Phinehas,  b.  1762  ;  md.  July  10,  1787,  Mary  Conn, 
dau.  of  John  Conn,  q.  v.  He  was  a  Revolu- 
tionary soldier.  An  infant,  aged  three  3'^ears, 
d.  here  Jan.  2,  1792.  A  continued  record  has 
not  been  secured. 

II.  Ebenezer,  b.  1764. 

III.  Lucy,  b.  1765  ;  md.  Capt.  John  Scolla}',  q.  v. 

IV.  3foses  Foster,  b.  March  10,  1768. 

V.  Levi,  b.  Jan.  15,  1770  ;  d.  April  19,  1772. 


Joshua  Hemenway  resided  a  few  years  in  this  town. 
He  was  in  the  Revolutionary  service  and  upon  the  rolls  of 
Capt.  Gates'  and  Capt.  Wilder's  companies  his  residence 
is  stated.  He  removed  from  town  soon  after  and  left  no 
additional  record.  It  is  probable  that  he  was  a  younger 
brother  of  Ebenezer  Hemenwaj'. 


Rev.  Siiubel  R.  Herrick,  son  of  Zimri  and  Mary 
(Brigham)  Herrick  and  a  grandson  of  Shadrach  and  Abi- 
gail (Stoddard)  Herrick,  was  b.  in  Chesterfield,  N.  H., 
Aug.  27,  1820.  He  md.  April  13,  1848,  Lucy  A.  Shat- 
tuck,  b.  June  23,  1817,  dau.  of  Thomas  C.  Shattuck  of 
Pepperell.  She  d.  July  28,  1872  ;  he  md.  (2d)  April  27, 
1874,  Eliza  J.  Baker,  dau.  of  Bradish  Baker,  q.  v.  ;  she 
d.  March  29,  1877  ;  he  md.  (3d)  Dec.  26,  1877,  Hannah 
Towne  Wesson,  b.  Jan.  21,  1823,  dau.  of  Asa  Wesson  of 
Phillipston.  He  studied  theology  with  Rev.  Elisha  An- 
drews of  Hinsdale,  N.  H.,  and  was  ordained  at  Keene,  N. 
H.,  June  4,  1842.  He  has  been  settled  over  churches  in 
Rockport,  Pepperell  and  Groton,  and  in  Keene,  Clare- 
raont  and  Peterborough,  N.  H.  He  has  preached  more  re- 
cently as  stated  supply,  and  is  now  a  farmer  in  this  town. 

I.  Mary  Caroline,  b.  March  5,  1849 ;  md.  1869, 
Alonzo  Blood,  son  of  Edward  F.  Blood  of  Pep- 
perell. She  d.  Jan.  7,  1876,  leaving  a  dau., 
Minnie  C,  b.  May  17,  1876. 


NoYES  B.  Herrick,  a  brother  of  Rev.  Shubel  R.,  was 
b.  in  Chesterfield,  N.  H.,  Sept.  11,  1833  ;  md.  Sarah  E. 
Whitney;  she  d.  Dec.  5,  1872;  md.  (2d)  Aug.  3,  1873, 
Lucy  C.  Ellis,  dau.  of  Jesse  Ellis,  q.  v.  ;  she  d.  July  15, 
1883  ;  md.  (3d)  Nov.  27,  1884,  Lydia  F.  (Weld)  Cum- 
mings,  dau.  of  Daniel  and  Mary  Weld.  He  is  a  farmer 
and  mechanic. 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER. 


745 


Rawson  B.  Hekrick,  a  brother  of  Rev.  Shubel  and 
Noj'es  B.  Ilerrick,  was  b.  in  Chesterfield,  N.  H.,  June  28, 
1829.  He  md.  Nov.  27,  1853,  Juliaett  Coolc,  b.  in  Ches- 
terfield, N.  H.,  Feb.  5,  1833,  dau.  of  Mark  and  Mille 
(Stoddard)'  Cook.     Resides  in  this  town. 


ZiMRi  Heywood,  son  of  Nathan  and  Esther  (Willis) 
Ileywood  of  Lunenburg,  was  b.  Sept.  5,  1731,  and  accord- 
ing to  the  record  of  his  birth  on  "  Sabbath  day  the  sun 
about  half  an  hour  high  at  night."  He  was  an  early  set- 
tler of  Ashburnharn  and  his  name  is  frequently  mentioned 
in  the  early  chapters  of  this  volume.  Nathan  Heywood 
of  Lunenburg  and  Fitchburg  was  a  brother  of  Zirnri  and 
was  many  years  one  of  the  proprietors  of  the  township 
and  clerk  of  the  propriety.  Zimri  Heywood  md.  June  5, 
1756,  Jane  Foster,  dau.  of  Dea.  Moses  Foster,  q.  v.  When 
Ash  by  was  incorporated  in  1767  his  farm  and  mill  were 
included  in  that  town.  He  removed  a  few  years  later  to 
Winslow,  Me.,  where  he  d. 


Rebecca  Willis,  b.  Jan.  9,  1757. 
Euvice,  b.  June  16,  1760. 
Nathan,  b.  March  15,  1762. 
Elizabeth,  b.  May  20,  1764. 
Thomas,  b.  May  5,  1766. 


2 

I 

3 

II 

4 

III 

0 

IV, 

6 

V 

HILL. 

The  American  ancestry  of  the  Hill  family,  of  which  Gov.  Isaac  Hill  of 
New  Hampshire  is  an  illustrious  representative,  is  found  in  Paige's  History 
of  Cambridge  and  also  in  Wyman's  Genealogies  and  Estates  of  Charlestown. 
For  valuable  supplementary  record  I  am  indebted  to  Horatio  Hill,  Esq.,  of 
Chicago,  who  was  formerly  a  resident  of  this  town. 

Abraham  Hill,  b.  IGlo,  is  found  in  Charlestown  1636.  He  was  admitted 
freeman  May  13,  1G40.  He  was  one  of  a  committee  of  ten,  appointed  by  the 
County  Commissioners,  to  determine  what  bridges  should  be  built  and  main- 
tained, and  May  15,  1G57,  they  reported  in  relation  to  the  Mystic  River 
Bridge.  He  resided  in  the  part  of  Charlestown  now  included  in  Maiden, 
where  he  d.  Eeb.  13,  16G9-70.  Inventory  of  estate  £633.  He  md.  Sarah 
Long,  b.  1617,  dau.  of  Robert  Long  who  embarked  from  Dunstable,  Bedford- 
shire, England,  in  1G35.  Zechary  Hill,  son  of  Abraham  and  Sarah  (Long) 
Hill,  b.  probably  about  1645,  md.  Sept.  24,  1668,  Deborah  Norton,  dau.  of 
Capt.  Francis  and  Mary  Norton  of  Charlestown.  He  d.  early  and  his  widow 
md.  (2d)  Matthew  Griiffin  and  d.  1698. 

Abraham  Hill,  son  of  Zechary  (not  a  son  of  Abraham,  Jr.,  as  assumed  by 
Paige),  was  b.  1672 ;  resided  in  Charlestown  and  removed  to  Cambridge, 
where  he  d.  March  9,  1746.  He  md.  Sarah  Cooper,  dau.  of  Timothy  Cooper 
of  Groton.  She  d.  March  30,  1752.  Zechariah  Hill,  son  of  Abraham  and 
Sarah  (Cooper)  Hill,  b.  1708,  md.  Feb.  10,  1731-2,  Rebecca  Cutter,  dau.  of 
Dea.  John  and  Lydia  Cutter.  He  resided  in  Cambridge,  now  Arlington, 
where  he  was  committee  man  and  assessor:  he  d.  March  10,  1768 ;  his  widow 
md.  (2d)  Dec.  11,  1770,  Samuel  Carter  and  d.  Feb.  1,  1797.  Abraham  Hill, 
son  of  Zechariah  and  Rebecca  (Cutter)  Hill,  b.  about  1734,   md.   Feb.   16, 


746 


HISTORY    OF    ASHBURNHAM. 


1758,  Susannah  "Wollington,  dau.  of  Thomas  Wellington  of  Cambridge.  He 
resided  in  Cambridge,  now  Arlington,  and  was  a  soldier  in  the  French  and 
Indian  wars,  and  of  the  Revolution.  He  d.  Dec.  16,  1S12;  his  wife  d.  1797. 
Among  the  seven  children  of  Abraham  and  Susannah  (Wellington)  Hill  was 
Isaac  Hill  who  removed  to  Ashburnham. 


(2) 


11 


Is.vAC  Hill,  son  of  Abraham  and  Susannah  (Welling- 
ton) Hill,  was  b.  in  Cambridge  Precinct,  now  Arlington, 
May  8,  1766  ;  he  md.  Hannah  Russell,  b.  Feb.  8,  1772, 
dau.  of  Walter  and  Hannah  (Adams)  Russell.  Vide 
Adams  and  Russell  registers.  They  resided  in  Charles- 
town  a  year  or  more  after  their  marriage,  then  in  Cam- 
bridge Precinct  and  removed  to  Ashburnham  with  five 
children  in  1797.  He  purchased  the  farm  of  Ethan  Weth- 
erbee,  who  md.  a  dau.  of  Capt.  Thomas  Adams.  The 
farm  was  a  part  of  the  original  Cambridge  grant  in  the 
southeast  part  of  the  town.  It  now  constitutes  a  part  of 
the  estate  of  the  late  Ward  Russell.  Disposing  of  the 
farm  in  1819  the  family  removed  to  the  Central  Village- 
He  d.  Dec.  23,  1843  ;  she  d.  March  1,  1847.  A  monu- 
ment erected  by  Charles  and  Susan  W.  (Hill)  Hastings 
marks  their  resting  place  in  the  old  cemeter3\ 

I.  Isaac,  b.  April  6,  1788.-|- 
II.    Walter  Eussell,  b.  Feb.  22,  1790.-|- 

III.  Hannah  Russell,  h.  Oct.   31,    1792;    md.   George 

R.  Cushing,  Esq.,  q.  v. 

IV.  SuUina,  b.  June  2,  1795  ;   md.  Reuben  Townsend, 

Esq.,  q.  V. 
V.  Susan  Wellington,  h.  Oct.  3,   1797;    md.   Charles 

Hastings,  q.  v. 
VI.  Mary  Adams,   b.   July   10,    1800 ;    md.  Aug.    26, 

1820,  Jacob  Bailey  Moore. -f- 
VII.   George  Washington,  b.  Jan.  4,  1804. -f- 
VIII.  Horatio,  b.  March  19,  1807. + 
IX.  Rebecca  Riossell,  b.  July  3,  1810;    md.  Hon.  John 
R.  Reding.+ 


Hon.  Isaac  Hill  md.  Feb.  2,  1814,  Susan  Ayer,  dau. 
of  Capt.  Richard  Ayer  of  Concord,  N.  H.,  who  d.  June 
17,  1881.  No  name  is  more  potent  or  familiar  in  the 
political  annals  of  New  Hampshire  than  that  of  Isaac 
Hill.  A  sketch  of  his  eminent  service  appears  in  Chap. 
XX.  He  d.  at  Washington,  D.  C,  March  22,  1851,  and 
was  buried  at  Concord,  N.  H. 

1.  William  Pickering,  b.  Oct.  18,  1819  ;  md.  Oct. 
26,  1843,  Clara  Ann  West,  b.  Dec.  17,  1820, 
dau.  of  John  West,  Jr.,  of  Concord.     Resides 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  747 

in  Concord  ;  was  many  years  New  Hampshire 
correspondent  of  Boston  Herald. 

John  McClary,  b.  Nov.  0,  1821  ;  md.  Nov.  15, 
1843,  Elizabeth  Lord  Chace.  Resides  in  Con- 
cord. He  was  Democratic  candidate  for  Gover- 
nor of  New  Hampshire  1884. 

Georgiana  Toscan,  b.  Oct.  1,  1824;  d.  Sept.  12, 
1825. 

Isaac  Andrew,  b.  Sept.  16,  1827 ;  md.  Oct.  5, 
1858,  Sarah  Ann  Sanderson,  born  Sept.  19, 
1839,  dau.  of  Charles  C.  and  Amanda  (Stevens) 
Sanderson.  He  resides  in  Concord,  and  many 
years  was  Register  of  Probate  for  county  of 
Mei'rimack. 


Walter  Russell  Hill  served  an  apprenticeship  with 
his  brother,  Hon.  Isaac  Hill,  and  in  1811  a  business  part- 
nership was  formed  under  the  firm  name  of  I.  and  W.  R. 
Hill,  commencing  with  the  105th  number  of  the  Patriot. 
In  a  few  years  he  manifested  increasing  evidences  of 
mental  alienation  which  terminated  in  hopeless  insanity. 
For  very  nearly  thirty  years  he  was  an  inmate  of  an 
insane  asylum.  He  d.  unmd.  at  Concord,  N.  H.,  Dec.  8, 
1855. 


Jacob  Bailey  Moore  md.  Aug.  26,  1820,  Mary  Adams 
Hill.  He  was  born  in  Andover,  N.  H.,  1797.  From 
1819  to  1823  he  was  a  partner  of  Gov.  Hill  in  the  publi- 
cation of  the  Patriot.  In  1826,  in  connection  with  a 
brother  Henry  E.  Moore,  he  established  the  New  Hamp- 
shire Journal  which,  five  years  later,  was  consolidated 
with  the  Statesman  and  Register.  The  Patriot  of  Gov. 
Hill  and  the  Journal  of  Mr.  Moore,  representing  the  adhe- 
rents of  Jackson  and  of  Adams,  reflected  the  vigor  of  the 
political  sentiment  of  that  period,  sparing  neither  plain 
speech  nor  curt  repartee  for  the  sake  of  relationship.  He 
was  Register  of  Deeds  and  Sheriff  of  Merrimack  county. 
Subsequently  he  resided  and  labored  in  New  York,  Wash- 
ington and  San  Francisco,  being  postmaster  of  San  Fran- 
cisco from  1849  to  1852.  In  the  midst  of  other  labor  he 
responded  to  a  genuine  love  for  historical  research,  and 
his  publications  in  connection  with  John  Farmer  remain 
an  enduring  monument.  He  d.  Sept.  1,  1853.  Mrs. 
Moore  d.  Feb.  13,  1886.  She  was  a  lady  of  rare  accom- 
plishments and  many  excellencies  of  character.  Their 
children  were  born  at  Concord. 


748 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


15 


16 


(8) 


Lucretia,  mcl.  Warren   Osboru,  an  importer  and 

dealer  in  India  goods  in  San  Francisco.     He  d. 

.     She  resides  in  New  York. 

George  Henry,  md.  1850,  Mary  Richards  ;  resides 

in  New  York.     George  H.  Moore,  LL.  D.,  is 

Librarian  of  Lenox  Library. 
Charles  Carrol,  md.  Maria  Coddington. 
Frank,  md.  Laura  Bailey  ;  he  is  author  of  Rebellion 

Record. 
Jacob  Bailey. 
Mary,  md.  Edward  Jones  and  d.  in  California. 


21 

22 

23 

24 
25 


26 


(9) 


George  Washington  Hill  md.  May  20,  1828,  Sabrina 
Woodbury,  b.  Feb.  4,  1804,  dau.  of  Mark  and  Alice 
(Boyd)  Woodbury  of  Antrim,  N,  H.  ;.  she  d.  May  3, 
1856.  He  established  about  1825  at  Montpelier,  Vt.,  the 
Ve7")nont  Patriot  and  State  Gazette  which  he  continued 
until  about  1837.  He  was  postmaster  at  Montpelier 
1829-36.  For  many  years  he  resided  on  his  farm  in 
Johnson,  Vt.     He  d.  March  1,  1887,  aged  83  years. 

I.  Mary   Elizabeth,    b.    May    6,    1829 ;  d.    April  2, 

1832. 
II.   George    Woodbury,  b.   July   21,   1831  ;  d.  unmd. 
Dec.  1,  1855. 

III.  Mary  Dodge,  b.  Oct.  3,  1833  ;  d.  unmd.  Aug.  20, 

1854. 

IV.  Alice  Rebecca,  b.  Nov.  7,  1837. 

V.  Susan  Sabrina,  h.  April  6,  1840  ;  md.  July  22, 
1863,  Morris  Christie,  M.  D.,  b.  Aug.  29,  1832, 
son  of  Josiah  W.  and  Mary  (Bell)  Christie  and  a 
nephew  of  Hon.  Daniel  M.  Christie  of  Dover, 
N.  H.  Dr.  Morris  resides  in  Antrim,  N.  H. 
VI.  John  R.  Reding,  b.  April  1,  1844;  md.  Oct.  14, 
1873,  Asenath  M.  Sawyer.  He  is  a  farmer  and 
a  prominent  citizen  of  Johnson,  Vt.,  also  treas- 
urer of  State  Normal  School. 


Horatio  Hill,  youngest  son  of  Isaac  and  Hannah 
(Russell)  Hill,  at  the  age  of  fourteen  years  was  appren- 
ticed to  his  brother  Isaac  and  labored  in  the  office  of  the 
Patriot  and  in  the  book-store  until  he  attained  his 
majority.  In  the  meantime  he  attended  the  public  schools 
of  Concord  and  was  a  student  one  year,  1823,  at  the 
Literary  Scientific  and  Military  Academy  at  Norwich,  Vt. 
In  1829,  Isaac  Hill  having  been  appointed  Comptroller 
of   the  Treasury,  Horatio   Hill  and  Col.  Cyrus   Barton 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  749 

purchased  the  Patriot  and  the  book-store  and  conducted 
the  business  under  the  firm  of  Horatio  Hill  &  Co.  until 
1834.  In  1837  Mr.  Hill  removed  to  New  York  and 
during  the  following  six  years  he  was  connected  with  the 
publishing  house  of  D.  Appleton  &  Co.,  and  subsequently 
was  engaged  in  the  book  trade  in  that  city  until  the  close 
of  the°year  1849.  The  ensuing  five  years  cover  a  resi- 
dence in  California  and  in  Fitchburg,  where  he  is  remem- 
bered as  a  deputy- sheriff.  During  the  past  thirty  years 
Mr.  Hill  has  resided  in  Chicago,  111.  A  year  since  he 
visited  his  native  town  and  the  familiar  scenes  of  his 
childhood.  Horatio  Hill  md.  April  27,  1830,  Clarissa 
Walker  Emery,  b.  Oct.  31,  1810,  dau.  of  Capt.  Charles 
and  Polly  (Walker)  Emery  of  Concord,  N.  H. ;  she  died 
Sept.  19,  1839  ;  he  married  (2d)  April  14,  1841,  Elizabeth 
Lewis  Wilds,  b.  Sept.  24,  1820,  dau.  of  Royal  and  Sarah 
(French)  Wilds. 

I.  Sarah  Elizabeth,h.  July  31,  1831;  md.  Jan.  26, 
1855,  Enoch  Gibson  Hooke  (Dartmouth  College 
1849);  he  is  a  lawyer;  Chicago  1854-79; 
removed  to  Colorado  1879  ;  now  at  Colorado 
Spring,  Col.     Mrs.  Hooke  died  March  9,  1885. 

II.   Charles  Isaac,  b.  Dec.  2,  1833  ;  d.  Sept.  24,  1834. 

III.  Charles,  b.  and  d.  July,  1835. 

IV.  George  Reding,  b.  Jan.  23,  1842  ;  d.  unmd.  June 

17,  1864. 
V.   Clara    Eebecca,    b.    ;    md.    Oct.    3,    1876, 

Edward  H.  Buckingham. 
VI.  Ella  Mary. 
VII.  Hattie  Crocker,  b. ;  d.  Sept.  3,  1862. 


Hon.  John  E,.  Reding,  son  of  John  and  Mercy  S. 
(Randall)  Reding,  b.  in  Portsmouth,  N.  H.,  Oct.  18, 
1805,  md.  Oct.  11,  1830,  Rebecca  Russell  Hill.  Mr. 
Reding,  having  served  an  apprenticeship  with  Gov.  Hill 
in  the  Patriot  office,  established  at  Haverhill  in  1828  the 
Democratic  Republican,  the  first  number  being  issued  July 
24.  He  continued  a  residence  in  Haverhill  until  1853, 
where  he  was  a  selectman,  postmaster,  and  engaged  in 
several  business  ventures.  He  built  on  contract  the  Court 
House  at  Haverhill  and  the  fire-proof  accommodations  for 
the  county  records.  In  the  meantime  he  was  twice  elected 
a  Member  of  Congress  1841-5.  His  wife  d.  at  Wash- 
ington Jan.  28,  1844.  There  is  entered  on  the  House 
Journal  Jan.  31,  1844,  "  On  motion  of  Mr.  Burke,  l»y 
leave,  it  was  unanimously  resolved  that  the  speaker  be 
directed  to  adjourn  this  House  this  day  at  the  hour  of  two 


750 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


o'clock  P.  M."  The  record  is  followed  by  an  explana- 
tion:  "  This  resolution  was  adopted  to  enable  the  mem- 
bers to  attend  the  funeral  of  Mrs.  Rebecca  Russell  Red- 
ing, wife  of  Mr.  John  R.  Reding,  a  member  of  the  House 
from  the  State  of  New  Hampshire."  At  this  time  there 
had  been  no  precedent  for  this  expression  of  respect.  To 
the  memory  of  a  lady  of  Ashburnham  such  tribute  was 
first  paid. 

Since  1853  Mr.  Reding  has  resided  in  Portsmouth,  N. 
H,  He  was  a  member  of  the  Legislature  1867,  '68,  '69, 
and  Maj'or  of  the  city  1860.  In  1840  and  again  in  1852 
he  was  a  delegate  to  the  National  Democratic  Convention. 
He  md  (2d)  Jan.  14,  1846,  Jane  Martin  of  St.  Johns- 
bury,  Vt.     No  children. 


Daniel  Hilton  was  a  resident  of  this  town  several 
years.  He  was  a  farmer  on  the  farm  formerly  occupied 
by  William  Holbrook  on  the  old  road  to  Winchendon. 
He  removed  from  this  town  about  1835.  No  record  of 
his  marriage.     The  births  of  eleven  children  are  recorded. 

I.  Leander,  b.  Nov.  7,  1810. 
II.  Martha  Dorinda,  b.  May  10,  1812. 

III.  Leonard,  b.  March  13,  1814. 

IV.  Julia  L.,  b.  June  25,  1817. 
V.  3Iary  Ann,  b.  April  2.  1819. 

VI.  Jane  M.,  b.  Oct.  7,  1821. 
VII.  Hiram,  b.  Dec.  14,  1823. 
VIII.  A7nanda  Sopliia,  b.  Dec.  31,  1825. 
IX.  Charles,  b.  Dec.  23,  1827. 
X.  Hudson,  b.  Feb.  27,  1830. 
XI.  Elizabeth  Ellen,  b.  Dec.  23,  1831. 


Francis  Hinds  md.  May  27,  1826,  Lucy  Kinsman,  b. 
Sept.  4,  1804,  dau.  of  Daniel  and  Lucy  (Munroe)  Kins- 
man and  granddau.  of  Lieut.  Ebenezer  Munroe.  After 
a  short  stay  in  Fitchburg  and  in  Leominster  he  removed 
to  this  town  about  1830.  He  d.  Sept.  29,  1861  ;  she  md. 
(2d)  Jonathan  P.  Wilder,  q.  v. 

I.  Louisa  Ann,  b.  April  2,   1827  ;   md.  Joseph  E. 

Clark,  q.  v. 
II.  Lucy  Adams,  b.  Sept.  9,  1829  ;  md.  July  4, 1850, 

George  N.  Duncan.     He  is  a  millwright. 

1.  Frank,    b.    May    17,    1852;     resides    in 
Worcester. 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  75I 

2.  Junia  J.,  b.  Dec.  10,  18o9  ;    md.   Charles 

Johnson  of  Gardner. 

3.  Lillie  May,  b.  Sept.  11,  1873. 

in.  Sarah  J.,  b.  Aug.  2,  1834;    md.  Warren  Pratt  of 
Gardner. 

IV.  Adaline  P.,  b.  April,   1840;    md.   Harvey  Clark, 

q.  V. 
V.  Ellen  R.,  b.  Jan.  5,  1848  ;    md.  George  F.  Corey, 
q.  V. 

VI.  Martha  E.,  b.  Sept.  18,  1849  ;    md.   Henry  Rus- 
sell of  Gardner. 


HOBART. 

The  name  of  Hobart,  firmly  and  honorably  engraven  in  the  early  annals 
of  Ashburnham,  does  not  appear  in  the  records  of  the  town  since  1844.  Dan- 
iel Hobart,  the  first  martyr  from  this  town  in  the  Revolution,  was  a  descend- 
ant from  Edmund  Hobart  who  was  in  Charlestown  in  1633.  He  was  a  con- 
stable in  1635  and  soon  after  removed  to  Hingham.  The  name  has  been 
written  Hubbard,  Hubberd,  Hebberd  and  Hobbert,  but  the  line  of  descent 
represented  in  this  town  was  written  Hobart  through  several  earlier  genera- 
tions. Edmund  Hobart  had  sons  Edmund,  Jr.,  Joshua,  Peter  and  Thomas, 
who  were  b.  in  Hingham,  England.  Three  of  these  removed  with  their 
father  to  Hingham.  Peter  Hobart,  b.  1604,  son  of  Edmund,  Sen.,  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  church  in  Charlestown  1635,  and  became  the  first  minister  of 
Hingham,  and  to  him  lands  were  granted  in  1635.  He  remained  in  the  min- 
istry in  this  place  until  his  death  1670.  Rev.  Gershom  Hobart,  b.  1645,  a 
son  of  Rev.  Peter  Hobart,  was  ordained  at  Groton  1679,  and  ministered  to 
the  settlement  until  1705.  Concerning  these  early  ministers  much  can  readily 
be  learned  from  sketches  and  local  histories. 

Shebuel  Hobart,  b.  1688,  son  of  Rev.  Gershom  Hobart,  by  wife  Martha, 
had  eight  children  b.  in  Groton ;  among  them  was  Nehemiah  Hobart,  b.  March 
13,  1717,  and  d.  in  Pepperell  1784.  He  md.  Rachel  Shattuck,  b.  June  9, 
1719,  dau.  of  Samuel  and  Mary  Shattuck  of  Groton.  They  had  eight  chil- 
dren; of  these,  two  became  residents  of  Ashburnham.  Rachel  (Shattuck) 
Hobart  d.  in  Ashburnham  Dec.  22,  1796. 


Daniel  Hobart,  a  son  of  Nehemiah  and  Rachel  (Shat- 
tuck) Hobart,  was  b.  in  Groton  Feb.  24,  1748-9.  He 
md.  Jan.  22,  1772,  Kezia  Weston,  or  Wesson  as  the 
name  was  frequently  written.  She  was  b.  Sept.  13,  1749, 
and  at  the  time  of  marriage  she  was  a  resident  of  Wil- 
mington. In  1773  they  removed  to  this  town.  He  set- 
tled south  of  Rice  pond.  In  1775  he  was  a  corporal  in 
Capt.  Gates'  company  and  probably  remained  in  the  ser- 
vice during  the  year.  In  June,  1776,  again  he  joined  the 
arm}',  enlisting  in  Capt.  Joseph  Flint's  company  of  Col. 
Coleman's  regiment.  Marching  by  way  of  Springfield 
and  Hartford  to  New  York  the  regiment  joined  the  army 
under  Washington.  At  the  battle  of  White  Plains,  Oct. 
28,  1776,  he  was  wounded  by  a  musket  ball  in  the  thigh 


752 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


and  d.  upon  the  field.  All  traditions  are  united  in  the 
testimony  that  he  was  an  active,  intelligent  man  and  of 
irreproachable  character.  His  widow  continued  a  resi- 
dence in  this  town,  where  she  d.  Jan.  14,  1844.  There 
were  two  children  of  Daniel  and  Kezia  Hobart. 

I.  Nehemiali,  b.  May  25,  1773  ;  md.  1795,  Lydia 
Randall,  dau.  of  Stephen  Randall,  q.  v.  About 
1801  he  removed  to  Peru,  Vt.,  where  he  d.  Dec. 
8,  1852. 

II.  Kezia,  b.  April  11,  1775  ;  md.  Feb.  20,  1793,  Dr. 
John  Peabody  of  Mt.  Vernon,  N.  H.  ;  he  d. 
about  1800  ;  she  md.  (2d)  Sept.  17,  1809,  Peter 
Hunt,  q.  V.  There  were  three  children  of  Dr. 
John  and  Kezia  (Hobart)  Peabody. 

1.  Chandler,  b.  May  21,  1795. 

2.  Frederick,  b.  Feb.  12,  1797. 

3.  Hobart,  b.  June  12,  1799. 


Shebuel  Hobart,  a  brother  of  Daniel  Hobart,  was  b. 
in  Groton  Dec.  15,  1746.  He  md.  Dec.  7,  1774,  Susan- 
nah Bradford,  and  settled  in  this  town  on  the  farm,  now 
of  John  T.  Wilson,  between  1770  and  1775.  He  was  a 
farmer  and  an  intelligent,  respected  citizen.  He  was  a 
corporal  in  Capt.  Davis'  company  in  1775,  but  no  addi- 
tional record  of  service  in  the  Revolution  has  been  found. 
He  d.  Nov.  8,  1813  ;  his  widow  d.  May  29,  1843,  aged 
84  years. 

I.  Rachel,  b.  Dec.  11,  1775  ;  md.  Samuel  Broughton, 

q.  V. 
II.  Susannah,  b.  July  16,  1778;    md.  Henry  Kibling, 
q.  V. 


10 


Thomas  Hobart,  lineage  not  traced,  a  relative  of  Dan- 
iel and  Shebuel  Hobart,  md.  Amy  Wilder,  b.  Aug.  20, 
1771,  dau.  of  Samuel  and  Mary  (Chubbuck)  Wilder. 
They  removed  from  Hingham  to  this  town  about  1796. 
He  occupied  a  farm  now  owned  by  Walter  R.  Adams,  and 
was  an  industrious,  blameless  man.  His  influence  was 
good  and  his  integrity  was  proverbial.  He  d.  1840  ;  his 
wife  d.  1837. 


William  Holbrook,  b.  1752,  md.  1777,  Elizabeth 
Rich,  and  removed  from  Scituate  to  this  town  1782  or 
1783.  He  was  a  farmer  in  the  southwest  part  of  the 
town.  In  1807  he  removed  with  his  family  to  Westmore- 
land, N.  H.,  where  he  d.  1825. 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  753 

I.  3fabd,    b.  June  29,    1778;  md.  April    13,   1797, 
Leonard  Crosby,  a  brother  of  P^ederick  Crosby. 
11.    William,  b.  Aug.  10,  1780. 

III.  Infant,  d.  in  this  town  July  23,  1783. 

IV.  Josiah,  bap.  April  4,  1784  ;  d.  April  26,  1784. 

V.  Jesse,  b.  July  23,  17S6.-f- 
VI.  Samuel,  b.  Aug.  25,  1788. 

VII.   Thomas  7?/c/t,  bap.  May  9,  1790;  d.  Dee.  4,  1792. 
viii.  Polly,  b.  July  1,  1794. 
IX.  Josejyh  Rich,  b.  March  6,  1797. 
X.  Luther,  b.  Nov.  10,  1801. 


Jesse  Holbrook,  son  of  William,  md.  Sept.  2,  1806, 
Nancy  White,  dau.  of  Elisha  White,  q.  v.  He  was  a 
blacksmith  in  this  town,  where  he  d.  Aug.  4,  1867;  she 
d.  April  15,  1864. 

I.  Nancy    White,    b.    April   30,    1807 ;  md.    Joshua 

Merriam,  q.  v. 

II.  Jesse  Horatio,  b.  Dec.  26,  1808  ;  md.  1839,  Polly 

Ann  Wilcox  ;  resided  in  Granger,  N.  Y.  ;  he  d. 
1856.     His  sons,  James  E.  and  Lewis  J.,  d.  in 
the  service  in  the  war  of  the  Rebellion, 
m.  Mary  Eliza,  b.  Sept.  2,  1811 ;  d.  1812. 

IV.  James  Alexander,  b.  July  14,  1812  ;  d.  unmd.  1839. 

V.  Mary  Eliza,    b.  Aug.    12,    1814 ;  md.    Sept.    13, 

1842,  James  L.  Russell ;  resides  in  Fitchburg. 

VI.  Deborah   Laura,  b.    March    9,    1817;  unmd.;    a 

dressmaker  ;  resides  in  this  town. 

VII.  Sarah  Dorinda,  b.  July  5,  1819  ;  d.  unmd.  Feb. 

12,  1876. 

VIII.  Lois  S.,  b.  Nov.  29,  1821  ;  md.  Benjamin  Cush- 

ing,  q.  V. 
IX.  Edwin  White,  b.  April  20,  1824  ;  d.  Dec.  9,  1839. 
X.    William  Loring,  b.  Aug.  2,  1826  ;  unmd. 

XI.  Ann  A.,  b.  Sept.  10,  1828;  md.  1856,  Calvin  D. 

Strong    of     Fitchburg,    and    subsequently    of 
Keene;  he  d.  1879. 

XII.  Jane  (twin),  b.  and  d.  Sept.  10,  1828. 


Joshua  Holder,  with  wife  Huldah,  came  to  this  town 
1770.  He  was  a  soldier  in  the  Revolution,  serving  three 
enlistments  ;  his  wife  died  Feb.  26,  1795,  aged  "  between 
60  and  70  years."  He  md.  (2d)  Oct.  4,  1803,  Phebe 
(Austin)  Stiles,  dau.  of  Daniel,  Jr.,  and  Phebe  (Lovejoy) 
Austin  of  Lunenburg,  and  widow  of  Hezekiah  Stiles  of 
Rindge.  After  this  marriage  he  resided  in  Rindge,  where 
he   d.    Dec.    1,   1817.      It  is  probable  that  Joshua  and 

48 


754 


HISTORY  OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


Huldah  Holden  had  other  and   older   children  than  the 
three  named  below. 

I.  Joshua^  b. ;    md.  Feb.  3,   1795,  Lydia  Par- 
ker, and  removed  to  Middlesex,  Vt. 
II.  Reubeyi,  b.   Sept.    13,    1770;  md.   1796,   Hannah 
Nichols  of  Royalston.     He  d.  April  4,  1799. 

1.  Ivers,  b.  Nov.  27,  1797. 

in.  John,    b.  April    21,    1773;  md.    June    30,    1794, 
Anna  Perrv. 


James  Holden,  perhaps  a  son  of  Joshua,  resided  in 
this  town  until  1804.     The  name  of  his  wife  was  Persis. 

I.  Sally,  b.  May  20,  1796. 
II.  James,  b.  June  15,  1798. 


Uriah  Holt  was  in  Ashburnham  from  1771  to  about 
1790  and  possibly  a  few  years  longer.  He  served  three 
enlistments  in  the  Revolution.  Only  a  few  fragments  of 
his  history  can  be  gleaned  from  the  records.  The  nimble 
tongue  of  tradition  refuses  to  fill  the  open  page  and  little 
has  been  learned  of  his  early  and  subsequent  record.  His 
wife  d.  in  this  town  Nov.  28,  1779,  aged  49  years;  he 
md.  (2d)  June  6,  1785,  Sarah  Goodridge. 

I.  Jonathan,  bap.  June  14,  1772. 
II.   Oliver,  bap.  Oct.  1,  1775;  d.  Feb.  1,  1779. 


Abiel  Holt,  son  of  Abiel  Holt  of  Rindge,  was  b. 
1790  ;  md.  1815,  Edah  Darling,  dau.  of  Amos  and  Ede 
(Stone)  Darling  of  Rindge.  They  resided  in  Rindge  sev- 
eral years  ;  subsequently  he  was  a  messenger  at  the  State 
House,  Boston,  several  years,  and  removed  to  this  town 
about  1848,  where  he  d.  June  10,  1864  ;  his  widow  d.  Oct. 
30,  1864. 

I.  Samuel  D.,  b.  Sept.  15,  1816  ;  md.  Jan.  12,  1860, 

Susan  R.  Harris,  dau.  of  Joseph  Harris,  q.  v. 
II.  Udah  Stone,  b.  Feb.  1,  1819  ;  d.  Jan.  17,  1820. 

III.  Abiel  Putnam  (twin),  b.  Feb.  1,  1819;  d.  March 

31, 1819. 

IV.  Abiel   Putnam,    b.    Feb.    23,    1823;  d.    July  21, 

1827. 


Liberty  Holt,  a  brother  of  Abiel,  was  b.  in  Rindge 
April  9, 1813.  He  has  been  a  manufacturer  of  chairs  and 
is  now  a  farmer  in  this  town.  He  md.  Nov.,  1838,  Lucy 
Wheeler,  who  d.  July  13,  1863  ;  he  md.  (2d)  Oct.  30, 
1864,  Sarah  Haynes. 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  755 

Charles  H.,  b.  Aug.  29,  1843  ;  md.  Mary  M.  Beal 
of  Boston  ;  she  d.  Feb.  15,  1883  ;  he  resides  in 
Ashburnham. 


James  Haynes  resided  in  this  town  from  1780  to  1814. 
His  wife  Mary  d.  Aug.  8,  1800;  he  md.  (2d)  1801, 
Phebe  Phelps  of  Fitchburg.  The  tax -lists  and  the  record 
of  birth  of  seven  children  furnish  all  the  information  for 
this  register. 

I.  Achsalu  b.  June  29,  1781. 

11.  Polly,  b.  April  8,  1783. 
ni.  Susannah,  b.  Jan.  9,  1787. 
IV.  Lucy,  b.  Jan.  15, 1791. 

V.  Salh/,  b.  Dec.  28,  1794. 
VI.  Nabby,  b.  May  24,  1797. 
VII.  James  Lee,  b.  Feb.  14,  1808. 


Reuben  Haynes,  said  to  be  from  Leominster,  with  wife 
Charlotte,  was  here  a  few  years  about  1840. 

I.  Reuben  Wesley,  b.  March  14,  1840. 


Grant  Houston,  son  of  Ovid  Houston,  was  in  Tyngs- 
boro'  Nov.  18,  1772.  He  md.  June  6,  1796,  Patty 
Fletcher,  b.  1778,  dau.  of  Joshua  and  Elizabeth  (Ray- 
mond) Fletcher  of  Westfield.  He  removed  to  this  town 
about  1806,  where  he  d.  Nov.  8,  1852  ;  she  d.  Feb.  8, 
1849. 

I.  Sarah,  b.  March  12,  1798  ;  md.  April  20,  1837, 

Noah  Mansfield,  son  of  Levi  Mansfield  of 
Rindge.  He  has  resided  many  years  at  Lane 
Village.     She  d.  Nov.  27,  1858. 

1.  Sarah  Jane,  b.  March  25,  1838  ;  d.  unmd. 
Sept.  11,  1861. 

2.  Horace  Ovid,  b.  July  27, 1839  ;  md.  Jan.  1, 
1865,  Persis  F.  Dearth,  b.  May  22,  1841, 
dau.  of  Asa  Dearth  of  Bath,  N.  H. 

II.  Horace  Walpole,  b.  June  23,  1808. -|- 


(5) 


Horace  W.  Houston  was  a  farmer  and  for  several 
years  he  owned  a  saw-mill  in  the  seventh  school  district. 
He  md.  Dec.  9,  1829,  Catherine  Tuckerman  who  d.,  leav- 
ing two  children,  Feb.  14,  1860;  md.  (2d)  Jan.  8,  1861, 
Elizabeth  P.  Collins ;  md.  (3d)  Aug.  9,  1874,  Maria  J. 
Foss.     He  d.  Jan.  22,  1886. 


756 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


7 
8 

(3) 


11 


(4) 


12 


I.  Julia  E.,  b.  June  22,  1832  ;  md.  June  8,  1870, 
James  F.  West ;  resides  in  Haverhill.  Mrs. 
West  began  to  sing  in  childhood  and  with  each 
succeeding  year  her  voice  improved  with  culture 
and  in  volume.  For  man}^  years  she  was  among 
the  best  known  and  favorite  soprano  singers  of 
New  England. 

II.  Julius  A.,  b.  Nov.  29,  1834;  md.  July  26,  1861, 
Althea  L.  Temple  of  Keene,  N.  H.  He  resides 
in  South  Acton. 


Thomas  Howard  was  b.  in  Hingham  Sept.  30,  1779. 
He  was  a  son  of  Thomas  and  Sarah  (Mansfield)  Howard 
and  a  brother  of  Edward  Howard  whose  son  Edward  is 
the  founder  of  the  Howard  Watch  Company.  Thomas 
Howard  md.  Jan.  7,  1807,  Hannah  Wilder  of  Hingham, 
b.  May  22,  1782.  They  removed  to  this  town  1810.  He 
was  a  farmer  and  a  good  citizen.  He  d.  Nov.  3,  1861  ; 
she  d.  Nov.  14,  1870. 

I.  Hannah,  b.  March  26,  1808;  d.  Dec.  16,  1828. 

II.  Thomas,  b.  Oct.  28,  1809. + 

III.  Samuel  TF.,  b.  Aug.  23,  1813. + 

IV.  Lewis,  b.  Dec.   1,   1816;    resides  in  Ottawa,  LI. 

He  md.  Jan.  5,  1859,  Jane  A.  Jackson. 

V.  George,  H.,  b.  Sept.  11,  1818.+ 

VI.  Mary  W.,  b.  Dec.  7,  1820  ;  unmd.  ;  resides  in  this 

town. 
VII.  Lucy  M.,  b.  Feb.  19,  1828;  d.  June  14,  1846. 


Thomas  Howard  md.  Dec.  3,  1835,  Hannah  Elizabeth 
Wright  and  removed  to  East  Cambridge.    He  d.  Nov.  17, 

1850. 

I.  Frank  Edson,  b.  March  12,  1837 ;  d.  unmd. 
n.   George  Henry,  b.  Nov.  30,  1838  ;    md.   April  25, 

1861,  Charlotte  Wickens.     He  is  a  bookkeeper 

in  East  Cambridge. 
III.   Thomas  Melville,  b.   Nov.   26,   1844;    md.   Mary 

Mattell ;  resides  in  East  Cambridge. 


Samuel  W.  Howard  md.  Dec.  15,  1842,  Susan  Hobart, 
b.  Oct.  31,  1821  ;  she  d.  Sept.  22,  1868.  He  resides  in 
this  town.     He  is  a  carpenter  and  stone  mason. 

I.   Charles  Hobart,  b.  July  15,  1845  ;    md.  Sept.  20, 
1882,  Mina  A.  Gaines,  b.    Sept.   4,   1856,   of 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  757 

Miller's  Falls,  dau.  of  Benjamin   and  Lydia  E. 
(Kendall)  Gaines.     Residence  in  Ashburnhara. 


George  Howard  md.  March  20,  1862,  Catherine 
(Woods)  Fairbanks,  dau.  of  Asa  Woods,  q.  v.  He  is  a 
farmer  and  lives  on  the  homestead. 

I.  Herbert  George,  b.  Oct.  21,  1863. 
II.  Katie  Mabel,  b.  Aug.  7,  1874. 


Joel  Howe  md.  Experience  Fenno  and  resided  in  this 
town  a  few  years.  His  wife  d.  Feb.  21,  1815.  He  re- 
moved to  Fitchburg.  They  had  a  son  Charles  and  a  dau. 
Eliza  of  whom  no  record  has  been  received. 


Addison  Howe,  son  of  Joel  and  Experience  (Fenno) 
Howe,  md.  Feb.  18,  1835,  Ede  Ward,  dau.  of  Caleb 
Ward,  q.  v.     The}'  reside  in  this  town. 

I.  Eliza  Jf.,  b.  Nov.  6,  1835;    md.   Edwin  Gates; 

resides  in  Verona,  N.  Y. 
II.  Elsie  A.,  b.  Feb.  24,  1839;    md.   Nathaniel  Ken- 
ney ;    md.  (2d)  Abel  Stephen  Farwell,  son  of 
Abel  Farwell,  q.  v. 

III.  Leroy  A.,  b.  May  6,  1841  ;  md.  Ella  Maria  Wood, 

dau.  of  James  Wood  ;  resides  in  AVestminster. 

IV.  Amelia  E.,  b.  July  14,  1843  ;    md.  Geo.  W.  Mar- 

tin ;  resides  in  Peacham,  Vt. 
V.  Harlan  B.,  b.  Feb.  25,  1847  ;  md.  Flora  A.  Under- 
wood ;  resides  in  Westminster. 


Perley  Howe,  son  of  Perley  and  Jane  T.  (Belcher) 
Howe  of  Gardner  and  grandson  of  Ebenezer  and  Eliza- 
beth (Deland)  Howe  of  Templeton  and  Gardner,  was  b. 
in  Gardner  Sept.  17,  1811.  He  md.  Nov.  28,  1833, 
Mary  P.  Whitney,  dau.  of  Joseph  G.  Whitney  of  West- 
minster. He  is  a  farmer  and  has  resided  in  this  town 
since  1834.  He  has  been  assessor  and  selectman  several 
years  and  has  acceptably  filled  other  positions  of  trust. 
He  d.  June  2,  1882. 

I.  Orange  E.,  b.  Dec.  23,  1835  ;  he  is  an  engineer. 
He  md.  May  1,  1858,  Maria  A.  Platts,  dau.  of 
John  V.  Platts,  q.  v. ;  she  d.  April  29,  1869  ; 
md.  (2d)  July  12,  1871,  Olive  C.  Shorey  of 
Plymouth,  Me. 


758 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


15 


1.  Edward  Perley,  b.  Dec.  13,  1859. 

2.  Maiy   Louisa,    b.    March    6,    1866 ;    md. 

Ephraim  Stone,  q.  v. 

3.  John  Varnum,  b.  Sept.  4,   1868;    d.  June 

27,  1870. 

II.  Alvah  S.,  b.  Aug.  13,  1837 ;  md.  1863,  L.  Annie 
Glazier,  dau.  of  John  C.  Glazier,  g.  v.  He  d. 
in  Woousocket,  R.  I.,  Sept.  4,  1877. 

III.  George  P.,  b.  March  12,  1847;  md.  Nov.  17, 
1872,  Eliza  J.  Kelton,  dau.  of  Charles  Kelton  ; 
md.  (2d)  Sept.  27,  1881,  Mary  (Hamilton) 
Pierson  ;  reside  in  Chelsea.  He  is  an  engineer 
in  Boston. 


Eli  Howe,  a  brother  of  Perley  Howe,  was  b.  in  Gard- 
ner April  2,  1804;  md.  Mary  Severy.  He  removed  to 
this  town  1832  and  to  "West  Boylston  1872,  where  he  d. 
1883.     Mr.  Howe  was  an  esteemed  citizen.    No  children. 


Melzar  Hudson,  b.  in  Bridgewater  April  22,  1771, 
was  a  son  of  William  and  Lucy  Hudson.  He  lived  a  few 
years  in  Winchendon  and  removed  to  this  town  about 
1795.  In  1797  he  was  Quartermaster  of  the  Fourth  Reg- 
iment of  militia,  and  in  subsequent  years  he  was  fre- 
quently elected  to  minor  town  offices.  He  was  residing 
in  this  town  in  1805,  but  his  name  from  that  date  disap- 
pears in  the  records.  In  1811  he  was  residing  in  Leom- 
inster, where  he  d.  Aug.  14,  1825.  He  md.  Feb.  19, 
1793,  Catherine  Gates,  dau.  of  John  Gates,  q.  v.  The 
name  is  written  Melzar  and  Melzer. 

I.  Levi,  b.  May  16.  1793. 

II.  Cynthia,  b.  Jan.  22,  1795. 

III.  Q ,  b.  Oct.  26,  1797. 

IV.  Charlotte,  b.  Jan.  12,  1799. 

V.  Nelson,  b.  Feb.  22,  1801  ;  d.  March  23,  1801. 
VI.   George,  b.  April  2,  1803. 
VII.  Jane  Taylor,  b.  June  23,  1817. 


HUNT. 

The  families  of  Hunt  who  have  resided  in  this  town  are  of  one  American 
family  and  are  descendants  of  William  Hunt,  tlie  emigrant  ancestor  of  the 
Concord  family.  He  was  b.  in  England  about  1605,  and,  with  wife  Elizabeth 
and  two  children,  he  emigrated  to  America  in  1635  and  settled  in  Concord. 
His  wife  d.  Dec.  27,  1661;  he  md.  (2d)  1664,  Mercy  Rice.  This  was  lier 
third  marriage ;  her  maiden  name  was  Mercy  Hurd ;  her  first  husband  was 
Thomas  Brigham  and  her  second  husband  was  Edmund  Rice.  William  Hunt 
d.  in  Marlboro  1667,  and  his  widow  d.  1693.  The  three  sons  of  William  and 
Elizabeth  Hunt,  Nehemiah,  Samuel  and  Isaac,  are  represented  through  their 
descents  in  the  family  registers  of  Ashburnham. 


GENEALOGICAL   KEGISTER. 


759. 


Samuel  Hunt,  second  son  of  William  Hunt,  was  b.  in  England  1633 ;  he 
md.  Elizabeth  Redding  and  settled  in  Ipswich;  his  eldest  son,  Samuel  Hunt, 
Jr.,  was  b.  Nov.  17,  1G57;  md.  May  1,  1678,  Ruth  Todd  and  removed  to 
Tewksbury  and  d.  Jan.  11,  1742-3.  His  son,  Jeremiah  Hunt,  b.  March  27, 
1685,  md.  Abigail  Hazeltine,  dau.  of  David  Hazeltine  and  resided  in  Billerica. 
His  wife  d.  March  19,  1721-2;  he  md.  (2d)  June  19,  1722,  Rebecca  Ballard, 
who  d.  Sept.  21,  1729,  and  he  md.  (3d)  Aug.  12,  1731,  Mary  Stewart.  He  d, 
1737.  Sherebiah  Hunt,  son  of  Jeremiah  and  Rebecca  (Ballard)  Hunt,  was 
b.  in  Billerica  April  1,  1726;  settled  in  Lancaster,  where  he  md.  April  2, 
1758,  Deborah  Wilder,  b.  Nov.  17,  1736,  dau.  of  Joseph  and  Deborah  (Jos- 
lin)  Wilder.  Among  their  four  children  were  Dea.  Sherebiah  Hunt  of 
Ashburnham,  and  Deborah,  wife  of  Elislia  Wliite. 

The  youngest  son  of  William  Hunt  of  Concord,  the  emigrant  ancestor,  was 
Isaac  Hunt  who  was  b.  in  Concord  1617 ;  he  md.  May  U,  1667,  Mary  Stone. 
He  lived  in  Concord,  where  he  d.  Dec.  12,  1680;  his  widow  md.  Nov.  30, 
1681,  Eliphalet  Fox.  Samuel  Hunt,  son  of  Isaac,  b.  in  Concord  Oct.  26, 
1672,  md.  May  4,  1695,  Eleanor  Davis,  b.  Oct.  22,  1672,  dau.  of  Simon 
Davis.  He  d.  Dec.  15,  1^95,  and  the  single  tie  connecting  the  generations 
in  this  line  of  descent^as' Samuel  Hunt,  Jr.,  posthumous,  b.  June  11,  1696. 
He  settled  in  Littleton,  where  he  md.  Nov.  14,  1716,  Dorothy  Bulkley,  dau. 
of  Joseph  Bulkley;  she  d.  Nov.  4,  1731,  aged  33  years.  He  d.  July  13, 
1739,  leaving  a  widow  Dinah,  who  md.  (2d)  Dr.  Benjamin  Shattuck.  The 
youngest  child  of  Samuel  and  Dorothy  (Bulkley)  Hunt  was  Peter  Hunt  of 
Ashburnham. 

Nehemiah  Hunt,  eldest  son  of  William  Hunt,  was  b.  in  England  1631 ; 
md.  June  1,  1663,  Mary  Toll,  b.  Oct.  8,  1643,  dau.  of  John  and  Katherine 
Toll  of  Sudbury.  He  settled  in  Concord,  where  he  d.  March  6,  1717-8. 
His  son,  William  Hunt,  b.  1678,  md.  Mary  Carley  and  resided  in  Concord, 
where  he  d.  May  15,  1755.  The  youngest  of  six  children  was  Nehemiah 
Hunt,  b.  1726;  md.  April  11,  1762,  Submit  Bateman  and  resided  in  Concord, 
where  he  d.  Nov.  15,  1785;  his  widow  md.  Nov.  7,  1787,  John  Flint  of  Con- 
cord. There  were  eleven  children  of  Nehemiah  and  Submit  (Bateman) 
Hunt;  the  third  of  these  was  David  Hunt  of  Ashburnham. 


Dea.  Sherebiah  Hunt,  son  of  Sherebiah  and  Dorothy 
(Wilder)  Hunt,  was  b.  in  Lancaster  Jul}'  23,  1758.  He 
md.  May  15,  1780,  Ruth  White  of  Lancaster,  and  the 
same  year  he  settled  in  this  town  on  the  farm,  now  of 
Albert  T.  Bemis.  His  wife  d.  Oct.  30,  1794;  he  md. 
(2d)  April  12,  1796,  widow  Dorothy  (Mirick)  Garfield  of 
Princeton.  She  was  the  mother  of  Elisha  Garfield  who 
lived  from  childhood  in  this  town  and  d.  unmd.  Dec.  16, 
1829.  The  name  of  Dea.  Hunt  is  familiar  to  the  records 
and  traditions  of  Ashburnham.  He  was  a  tithingman 
many  years  and  was  frequently  elected  to  office.  He  was 
respected  and  loved  by  his  associates.  From  1798  to  the 
date  of  his  death  he  was  a  deacon  of  the  Congregational 
church.  He  d.  March  6,  1826.  His  widow  d.  Nov.  7, 
1846.  One  child  by  the  first  and  three  by  the  second 
marriage. 

I.  Deborah,  b.  July  21,  1781;  md.  Dec.  31,  1803, 
Amos  Stearns  of  Winchendon,  son  of  Bartholo- 
mew and  Mary  (Raymond)  Stearns  ;  she  d.  in 


760 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


Winchendon,   leaving  seven   children,  Feb.   7, 

1817;  he   md.    (2d)   Sarah   (Miller)   Maynard, 

widow  of  Joseph  Maynard,  q.  v. 
11.  Dorothy,  b.  April  18,   1797;  d.   unmd.   Nov.   22, 

1882. 
[II.  Ruth,    b.    June  3,    1799  ;  resides   unmd.    in   this 

town. 
IV.   Charles  S.,  b.  Jan.  9,    1802;  md.  Jan.   9,   1828, 

Mary  Ann  How  Vose,  b.  Sept.   29,  1810.     He 

was  a  merchant  in  Boston,  where  he  d.,  leaving 

nine  children,  Feb.  12,  1861. 


7 

8 
9 

10 

(8) 


Peter  Hunt,  son  of  Samuel  and  Dorothy  (Bulkley) 
Hunt,  was  b.  in  Littleton  July  20,  1729.  He  md.  in 
Littleton  Dec.  10,  1761,  Sarah  Leighton,  b.  1731,  and  in 
1779  they  removed  with  four  children  from  Littleton  to 
Rindge.  Subsequently  they  removed  to  Ashburnham, 
where  he  d.  Jan.  13,  1816  ;  his  widow  d.  Nov.  29,  1824, 
aged  93  years. 

Sarah  Leighton,  the  wife  of  Peter  Hunt,  was  a  lineal 
descendant  of  Rev.  Dr.  Leighton  of  England,  the  father 
of  Archbishop  Leighton.  John  Leighton,  the  emigrant 
ancestor,  settled  in  Ipswich  1650.  John  Leighton,  son  of 
John  and  grandson  of  John,  who  settled  in  Ipswich,  b. 
1689,  md.  Sarah  Perkins;  md.  (2d)  Hannah  Treadwell. 
He  was  a  sea  captain  many  years.  Three  of  his  sons 
were  lost  at  sea.  In  1748  he  removed  from  Ipswich  to 
Littleton  with  son  Francis  and  daughters  Hannah,  Martha 
and  Sarah.  Capt.  John  Leighton,  the  father,  d.  1773. 
Joanna  Leighton,  wife  of  Osgood  Eaton,  q.  v.,  was  a 
dau.  of  the  son  Francis  who  subsequently  resided  in  West- 
ford. 

The  four  children  of  Peter  and  Sarah  (Leighton)  Hunt 
were  b.  in  Littleton. 

I.  Hannah,  b.  June  11,  1763;  md.  Abel  Hoar  of 
Sterling ;  she  d.  Feb.  15,  1822. 

II.  Peter,  b.  June  8,  1765.-]- 

in.  Bulkley,  b.  Sept.  21,  1768;  md.  Oct.  8,  1794, 
Betsey  Chaplin,  dau.  of  Micah  and  Betsey  (Phil- 
brick)  Chaplin  of  Rindge.  They  removed  to 
Brandon  and  subsequently  to  Leicester,  Vt.  He 
d.  Nov.  28,  1852. 

IV.  Dorothy,  b.  May  7,  1773;  resided  in  West  Boyls- 
ton  many  years  ;  she  d.  unmd.  May  9,  1866. 


Peter  Hunt,  son  of  Peter  and  Sarah  (Leighton)  Hunt, 
was  b.  in  Littleton  June  8,  1765.     He  was  a  farmer  living 


CxENEALOGICAL   KKGISTEU. 


761 


<11) 


upon  the  farm  formerly  of  Shebuel  Hobart,  where  he  d. 
Sept.  8,  1834.  He  md.  Sept.  17,  1809,  Kezia  (Hobart) 
Peabody,  dau.  of  Daniel  Hobart,  q.  v.  She  was  an  intel- 
ligent, superior  woman  and  an  affectionate  friend  and 
mother.     She  d.  Nov.  30, 


1833. 


Rodney,  b.  July  6,  1810.-|- 

Sahra,  b.  Nov.  22,  1812  ;  d.  Sept.  26,  1818. 

Stillman,  b.  Jan.  31,  1815;  name  changed  to 
Harrison  C.  Hobart.  Vide  page  501.  He  md. 
Feb.  2,  1854,  Frances  Lowrey  of  Troy,  N.  Y., 
who  d.  March  22,  1855  ;  he  md.  (2d)  June  8, 
1857,  Anna  C.  Mower  of  Boston. 

Tamisen,  b.  May  12,  1817;  rad.  Samuel  H.  Ben- 
jamin, son  of  Daniel  Benjamin,  q.  v. 

Peter  Thatcher,  b.  Sept.  9,  1819.  Vide  page  504. 
Since  1871  he  has  resided  in  Denver,  Col., 
where  he  is  successfully  engaged  in  stock  and 
commission  business.  He  md.  1869,  Phebe 
Hull.     They  have  four  children. 


Rodney  Hunt  was  b.  in  Ashburuham  July  6,  1810.  He 
attended  the  public  schools  of  his  native  town  and  with 
filial  kindness  he  assisted  his  parents  through  the  needs 
of  their  age  and  past  ihe  years  of  his  minority.     He  is 


762 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


remembered  by  the  associates  of  his  youth  as  a  generous 
companion  and  a  young  man  of  ardent  temperament  and 
honorable  conduct.  For  many  years  he  followed  the  trade 
of  a  millwright.  A  half  century  ago  an  iron  wheel  was 
comparatively  unknown,  the  motive  power  being  supplied 
by  cumbersome  wooden  wheels  of  several  well-remem- 
bered patterns.  These  were  constructed  on  the  ground 
where  they  were  to  be  used  and  their  construction  and 
repair  furnished  employment  for  a  considerable  number 
of  skilled  workmen.  In  this  employment  Mr.  Hunt  not 
only  met  the  demands  of  the  passing  hour  but  made  a 
constant  and  intelligent  study  of  the  demands  and  possi- 
bilities of  the  future.  In  the  progress  of  the  age  iron 
wheels  of  tested  and  approved  patterns,  manufactured  in 
quantity  at  central  points,  have  supplanted  the  clumsy 
structures  of  fifty  years  ago.  In  this  revolution,  the  field 
of  many  achievements,  Mr.  Hunt  has  been  a  prominent 
actor.  He  is  the  founder  of  the  Rodney  Hunt  Machine 
Company  of  Orange  and  president  of  the  corporation. 
Few  men  have  manifested  an  equal  knowledge  of  water 
power  and  its  proper  adjustment  to  machinery.  His  life 
has  been  devoted  to  these  and  kindred  studies  and  pur- 
suits, and  the  success  of  the  corporation  is  among  the  fruits 
of  his  study  and  perseverance.  As  a  citizen  he  is  held  in 
high  esteem  and  has  frequently  been  called  to  positions  of 
trust.  He  has  represented  the  town  of  Orange  in  the 
Legislature  and  has  been  at  all  times  an  earnest  and 
steadfast  supporter  of  the  reforms  of  the  age.  He  md. 
Jan.  5,  1834,  Margaret  Parker,  dau.  of  Jeremiah  Parker 
of  Holden  ;  she  d.  Nov.  28,  1865  ;  md.  (2d)  March  19, 
1867,  Eliza  (Parker)  Slate,  a  sister  of  his  first  wife.  He 
has  resided  in  Orange  since  1840. 


16 


19 


David  Hunt,  son  of  Nehemiah  and  Submit  (Bateman) 
Hunt,  was  b.  in  Concord  June  15,  1766.  He  came  to 
Ashburnham  about  1790.  He  md.  Feb.  21,  1793,  Lydia 
Howe  of  Templeton.  The  intentions  of  marriage  are 
recorded  in  this  town  and  in  the  record  he  is  styled  "  of 
Ashburnham."  At  the  ensuing  annual  election  of  town 
oflficers,  according  to  a  custom  of  the  times,  he  received  the 
notice  commonly  paid  to  newly  married  men  by  being 
elected  hogreave.  Not  many  years  later  he  removed  to 
Mason,  N.  H.,  where  he  d.  1848. 


I.  Abel,  b.  Dec.  24,  1794. 
II.  Sarah,   b.   May   2,   1797 ;    md.    Sept. 

Josiah  Winship  of  Mason,  N.  H. 
III.  Mary,  b.  Feb.  24,  1799. 


25,   1827, 


! 


GENEALOGICAL  REGISTER.  763 

IV.  David  F.,h.  March  4,  1801. 

V.  Lydia,  b.  Feb.  19,  1804. 

VI.  Sabrina,  b.   Juue  6,  1806  ;    md.   1834,  John  Fes- 

senden  of  Westminster. 
VII.  Sophia  R.,  b.  June  19,  1809. 
vm.  Nehemiah  A.,  b.  Sept.  27,  1811. 


Eev.  Andrew  Jaquith  was  a  son  of  Benjamin  and 
Rebecca  (Spaulding)  Jaquith  of  Ashby  and  a  grandson 
of  Adford  and  Sarah  Jaquith  of  Ashby,  where  he  was 
b.  March  7,  1816.  Vide  page  513.  He  md.  April 
17,  1842,  Abbie  G.  Warren,  b.  April  6,  1815,  dau.  of 
Jacob  and  Sarah  (Hubbard)  Warren.  He  d.  Aug.  27, 
1864  ;  his  widow  resides  on  the  homestead  in  this  town. 

I.  Henry  Warren,  b.  Nov.  5,  1844  ;  enlisted  in  6th 
N.  H.  Vols,  in  March,  1862,  and  d.  at  Wash- 
ington, D.  C,  Aug.  13,  1864. 
II.  Andreio  Benjamin,  b.  May  16,  1850 ;  md.  March 
4,  1880,  Clara  C.  Kelley  of  Wakefield.  He  re- 
sided in  New  York  and  in  Washington,  D.  C, 
where  he  d.  April  12,  1883. 


Cyrus  A.  Jefts,  son  of  Gilbert  and  Eliza  (Eaton)  Jefts 
of  Stoddard  and  Washington,  N.  H.,  was  b.  June  11, 
1834.  He  md.  Sept.  21,  1861,  Roxanna  Blodget  of  New 
Ipswich.  He  is  a  miller  and  dealer  in  lumber  at  Factory 
Village. 

I.  Frederick  A.,  b.  Oct.  27,  1865. 
II.  Charles  J.,  b.  Jan.  6,  1868. 

III.  Walter  E.,  b.  Sept.  7,  1874. 

IV.  Adella  3Iay,  b.  Jan.  19,  1879. 


CoL.  Joseph  Jewett,  son  of  Edward  and  Sarah  Jewett, 
was  b.  in  Stow  May  10,  1761.  It  is  a  tradition  of  the 
family  that  he  was  a  descendant  of  the  sixth  generation 
from  Joseph  Jewett  of  Rowley,  a  brother  of  Dea.  Maxi- 
milian Jewett.  Col.  Jewett  through  a  long  and  active 
life  was  a  controlling  spirit  in  this  town.  Vide  page  478, 
He  md.  April  11,  1786,  Sarah  Woods,  dau.  of  Samuel 
and  Tabitha  Woods  of  Princeton,  q.  v.  He  d.  May  3, 
1846  ;  she  d.  Feb.  23,  1852. 

I.  Ivers,  b.  May  7,  1788.+ 
II.  Joseph,  b.  April  30,  1790.+ 
III.  Milton,  b.  May  31,  1793  ;  d.  unmd.  Oct.  31,  1817» 


764 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


(2) 


IV.  Polly    Gibbs,   h.   March   4,   1796 ;    md.   Oct.   27, 

1818,  Rev.   Otis  C.  Whiton,   b.  in  Winchendon 

Sept.  27,  1794,  son  of  Dr.  Israel  and  Dorothy 

(Crosby)  Whiton.    She  d.,  s.  p.,  Nov.  25,  1824. 

V.  Merrick  Augustus,  b.  Aug.  26,  1798.-}- 

VI.  Sarah  Farmer,  b.  Sept.  4,  1803  ;  md.  Dec.  14, 
1825,  Albert  Hobart  of  Boston  ;  she  d.  Oct.  9, 
1838. 


Gen.  Ivers  Jewett  resided  in  Ashburnham,  Fitchburg 
and  Mobile,  Ala.  Vide  page  479.  He  md.  Dec.  21, 
1813,  Mary  Adams,  dau.  of  Ebenezer  Thomas  Adams, 
q.  V.  She  d.  at  Alexandria,  La.,  Oct.  11,  1834  ;  he  md. 
(2d)  Lydia  Adams,  a  sister  of  the  first  wife.  He  d.  at 
Mobile  April  26,  1871.  The  following  register  of  the 
children  is  incomplete  and  possibl}'  fails  to  name  all  of 
them. 


Ivers  Thomas,  b.  Sept.  26,  1814. 

Josejyh  Adams,  b.  July  4,  1816. 

Edwin  Milton,  b.  Aug.  10,  1821. 

George  Perkins,  bap.  1824  ;  d.  Jan  28,  1825. 

Mary  Eliza  Whiton,  bap.  1826. 

Sarah  Woods,  bap.  1828. 


9 

II. 

10 

Ill 

11 

IV. 

12 

V 

13 

VI. 

(3) 


Joseph  Jewett  was  a  merchant  several  years  at  Win- 
chendon Centre,  and  while  a  resident  of  tlie  town  was  a 
member  of  the  school  committee  in  1817.  Soon  after  this 
dale  he  removed  to  Baltimore,  Md.,  and  was  engaged 
there  as  a  bookseller  and  publisher  and  a  part  of  the  time 
at  least  he  was  associated  in  business  with  his  brother-in- 
law,  Joseph  Cushing.  He  md.  Oct.  8,  1811,  Susannah 
Gushing,  dau.  of  Capt.  David  Cushing,  q.  v.  No  record 
of  their  children  has  been  received. 


(6) 


Rev.  Merrick  A.  Jewett  for  many  3ears  was  the  faith- 
ful and  beloved  pastor  of  the  First  Congregational  church 
in  Terre  Haute,  Ind.  Vide  page  498.  He  md.  Oct.  4, 
1825,  Mary  Moore,  b.  Feb.  10,  1807,  eldest  dau.  of  Geo. 
W.  and  Margaret  Moore  of  Baltimore,  Md.  He  d.  April 
3,  1874.  His  widow  d.  Sept.  5,  1882.  There  were  nine 
children,  seven  sons  and  two  daughters,  of  Rev.  Merrick 
A.  and  Mary  (Moore)  Jewett.     Of  these  six  d.  in  infancy. 

I.  David  Moore,  b.  1834  ;  d.  June  14,  1876. 
II.  Edicard  Duncan,  resides  in  Texas. 
Ill,  Mary  M.,  resides  in  New  York  City. 


(JKNKALOCICAL    HHGISTEU 


765 


RESIDENCE    OF    DK.    NATHANIEL    JEWETT. 


17 


Amort  Jewett,  b.  in  Pepperell  Aug.  14,  1808,  md. 
Lucy  E.  Diewaide  and  resided  several  years  in  Boston, 
where  his  children  were  born.  They  have  resided  in  this 
town  several  years.  He  is  a  son  of  Nathaniel  and  Betsey 
(Hamblet)  Jewett  of  Pepperell,  Charlestown  and  Lexing- 
ton and  a  grandson  of  Jedediah  Jewett  of  Pepperell  who 
was  a  descendant  of  the  Rowley  family  of  Jewett.  Two 
sons  of  Amory  and  Lucy  E.  (Diewaide)  Jewett  are 
among  the  resident  physicians  of  this  town. 

I.  Amory  Jewett,  M.  D.,    b.  Jan.  17,  1833.      Vide 

page  473. 
II.*  Nathaniel    Jewett,    M.    D.,   b.  March   10,    1841. 
Vide  page  474. 


Timothy  Johnson  with  wife,  Sarah,  removed  to  Ash- 
burnham  about  1772.  He  settled  near  the  farm  of  the 
late  Dea.  John  C.  Davis.  It  is  probable  that  the  family 
removed  from  this  town  about  1795.  He  was  in  the  ser- 
vice in  Col.  Putnam's  regiment  three  years,  and  in  1778 
the  town  voted  to  relieve  the  necessities  of  the  family. 

I.  Sarah,  b.  Sept.  16,  1774. 
11.   Timothy,  b.  Nov.  29,  1775. 
III.   Oliver,  h.  Dec.  31,  1777. 


766 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


10 


12 


13 


IV.  Joshua,  b.  March  13,  1781. 
V.  Levi,  b.  Dec.  1,  1783. 
VI.  John,  b.  April  19,  1786. 

VII.  Benjamin,  b.  Oct.  18,  1788. 

VIII.  Joseph,  b.  June  25,  1791. 


Moses  Johnson  was  taxed  1770,  but  his  name  is  not 
renewed  in  the  records. 


Samuel   Johnson  and  wife,  Ljdia,  were  here  a  short 
time  during  the  Revolution. 

I.  Abel,  b.  Oct.  12,  1777. 


Charles  Francis  Johnson,  b.  in  Westmoreland,  N.  H., 
Aug.  13,  1821,  son  of  Walker  and  Philena  (Puffer) 
Johnson,  md.  June  24,  1843,  Ruth  D.  Bemis,  b.  Oct.  18, 
1822,  dau.  of  William  Bemis,  g.  v.  He  is  a  mechanic  in 
Ashburnham. 

I.  Charles  Herbert,  b.  June  11,  1847;  d.   June    16, 

1863. 
II.  Ida  Frances,  b.  Aug.  24,  1851  ;  md.  1875,  George 
W.  Hurd  ;  resides  in  Fitchburg. 

III.  Arthur  Clesson,  b.  June  27,  1854  ;  d.  Dec,  1854. 

IV.  Helen  M.,  b.  Dec.  14,  1859  ;  d.  June  5,  1863. 


JONES. 

Enos  Jones,  an  early  resident  of  Ashburnham,  was  a  representative  of  the 
fifth  generation  of  his  family  in  this  country.  The  emigrant  ancestor  was 
Lewis  Jones,  who  was  residing  in  Roxbury  in  1645,  and  removed  to  Water- 
town  about  1650,  where  he  d.  April  11,  1684.  In  his  will  there  is  mention  of 
his  wife,  Anna,  and  several  children ;  of  these  Capt.  Josiah  Jones,  b.  1643, 
resided  in  Watertown  and  Weston.  He  was  a  deacon  of  the  church  in  Wes- 
ton, and  a  selectman  of  Watertown  several  years  previous  to  the  incorpora- 
tion of  Weston.  He  md.  Oct.  2,  1667,  Lydia  Treadway,  dau.  of  Nathaniel 
and  Sufferana  (How)  Treadway  of  Watertown.  He.  d.  Oct.  9,  1714;  she  d. 
Sept.  18,  1743.  .Josiah  Jones,  b.  Oct.  20,  1670,  son  of  Capt.  Josiah  Jones, 
resided  in  Weston.  In  1715  he  was  chosen  a  deacon  to  succeed  his  father,  but 
he  refused  the  office.  He  md.  Abigail  Barnes,  b.  June  14,  1671,  dau.  of 
Thomas  and  Abigail  (Goodnow)  Barnes  of  Marlboro'.  He  d.  Dec.  31,  1734; 
his  widow  d.  in  Stockbridge  Nov.  4,  1749.  Their  son,  William  Jones,  b. 
Jan.  4,  1706-7,  settled  in  Lunenburg.  During  the  Indian  War  his  house  was 
one  of  the  garrisons  in  the  line  of  fortification.  Vide  page  75.  He  was  a 
surveyor  and  frequently  employed  by  the  colony.  In  1760  he  was  sent  to 
Nova  Scotia  to  survey  a  township.  On  his  return  voyage  the  vessel  was  lost 
and  he  perished  at  sea,  Jan.  26,  1761.  He  md.  Dec.  25,  1733,  Sarah  Locke, 
b.  July  5,  1707,  dau.  of  James  and  Sarah  (Cutter)  Locke  of  Woburn.  She 
d.  Oct.  20,  1788.  Of  their  children,  Enos  Jones  settled  in  Ashburnham,  and 
Sarah  md.  Joseph  Foster,  and  their  dau.,  Rebecca  Foster,  was  the  wife  of 
Isaac  Whitmore  of  this  town. 


GENEALOGICAL  REGISTER.  767 

Enos  Jonks,  son  of  William  and  Sarali  (Locke)  Jones, 
was  b.  in  Lunenburg  July  4,  1742.  His  father,  at  the 
time  of  his  decease,  was  the  owner  of  one-half  or  the  whole 
of  the  Bluefield  or  Bellows  grant  in  this  town.  In  1761 
Enos  Jones  removed  to  this  town  and  settled  on  this  tract 
of  land,  of  which  he  subsequently  acquired  possession. 
Vide  pp.  36-39.  He  was  industrious  and  honest;  in  his 
home  he  was  hospitable,  and  among  his  fellow-men  he 
commanded  their  esteem.  When  he  removed  to  this  town 
some  progress  had  been  made  in  the  settlement,  a  church 
had  been  organized  and  a  minister  had  been  settled,  yet 
the  greater  portion  of  the  township  was  unoccupied,  and 
his  earl}''  home  was  in  a  wilderness.  In  the  male  lines  of 
descent,  no  representative  of  his  family,  bearing  his  name, 
has  resided  in  this  town  since  the  removal  of  his  grand- 
son Dea.  Gilman  Jones,  yet  in  the  collateral  branches 
and  bearing  other  names  his  descendants  in  this  town  are 
very  numerous.  He  md.  Jan.  20,  1768,  Mary  Whitmore, 
dau.  of  Joseph  Whitmore,  q.  v.  ;  she  d.  Dec.  24,  1788; 
he  md.  (2d)  Hannah  (Adams)  Russell,  dau.  of  Capt. 
Thomas  Adams,  q.  v.,  and  widow  of  Walter  Russell.  He 
d.  Dec.  30,  1824  ;  his  widow  d.  Oct.  16,  1836. 

I.  Edmund,  b.  Sept.  13,  1769.-f- 
II.  Molly,  b.  March   31,    1771;  md.    Silas   Willard, 
Esq.,  q.  V. 

III.  Nathan,   b.  April   12,    1773;  md.  Dec.    15,  1796, 

Betsey  Spaulding,  dau.  of  Isaac  Spaulding,  q.  v. 
He  resided  in  Lempster,  N.  H.,  and  in  Sharon, 
Vt.  They  had  ten  children  ;  one  d.  in  child- 
hood and  nine  removed  to  Ohio  and  other  West- 
ern States;  he  d.  at  Cold  Spring,  Shelby  Co., 
111.,  May  14,  1852. 

IV.  Sally,  b.  May  21,    1775  ;  md.  Dec.  5,  1798,  Dea. 

John  Taylor,  b.  Feb.  26,  1773,  son  of  Thaddeus 
and  Bridget  (Walton)  Taylor  of  Dunstable  and 
New  Ipswich.  They  resided  in  Lempster,  N. 
H.,  where  she  d.,  leaving  nine  children,  Dec.  13, 
1831.     Hed.  1864. 

V.  Dolly,  b.  May  28,  1777  ;  md.  Jonathan  Wood,  (/.  v. 

VI.  Lucy,  b.  May  20,  1779  ;  md.  Joshua  Fletcher,  q.  v. 

VII.  Persis,   b.   Nov.    20,    1781  ;  md.    Oct.    24,    1805, 

Samuel  Tajdor,  b.  Oct.  12,  1781,  a  son  of 
Thaddeus  and  Bridget  (Walton)  Ta3^1or.  He 
was  a  farmer  in  New  Ipswich,  near  the  Ashburn- 
ham  line.  He  d.  Jan.  4,  1864 ;  she  d.  Sept.  1, 
1869  ;  nine  children,  among  them  Charles  Tay- 
lor, who  md.  1841,  Harriet  N.  Weston,  dau.  of 
James  Weston,  q.  v. 


768 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


(2) 


13 


14 


15 


16 


17 


18 


(10) 


VIII.  Eunice^  b.  Jan.  5,  1784  ;  md.  John  Eaton,  q.  v. 
IX.  Daniel,  b.  Dec.  23,  1788. -f 


Edmund  Jones  md.  Sept.  19,  1799,  Caty  Taylor,  b. 
Feb.  16,  1775,  a  sister  of  Dea.  John  and  Samuel  Taylor 
who  md.  sisters  of  Edmund  Jones.  He  was  a  farmer, 
residing  on  a  part  of  the  Bellows  grant  and  west  of  the 
residence  of  his  father.  His  wife  d.  Jan.  6, 1831  ;  he  md. 
(2d)  1832,  Betsey  Eaton.     He  d.  Jan.  17,  1853. 

I.   Oilman,  b.  Dec.  4,  1800. -f 

II.  Tila,h.  June  1,  1803;  md.  1835,  Eliphaz  Allen, 
b.  IVIarch  29,  1797,  son  of  Eliphaz  and  Eunice 
(Putnam)  Allen  of  Rindge,  his  third  marriage. 
They  resided  in  Rindge  and  in  Jaffrey,  N.  H., 
where  he  d.  July  10,  1848  ;  his  widow  d.  March 
11,  1858.     She  was  the  mother  of  four  children. 

m.  Caroline,  b.  Oct.  30,  1808  ;  md.  Nov.  23,  1847, 
Ezra  Hudson ;  she  was  his  fourth  wife ;  a 
former  wife  of  Mr.  Hudson  was  Sarah  Brooks, 
dau.  of  Thaddeus  Brooks.  He  resided  in  Tem- 
pleton. 

IV.  Christopher,  b.  March  31,  1812;  md.  April  7, 
1839,  Mary  Ward,  dau.  of  Caleb  Ward,  q.  v. 
He  d.  April  9,  1843 ;  she  md.  (2d)  Jan.  4, 
1853,  Addison  Bancroft  of  Rindge.  Of  Chris- 
topher and  Mary  (Ward)  Jones  there  were 
three  children. 

1.  Catherine  Taylor,  b.  Jan.  26,   1840;  md. 

Cleros  S.  Converse,  b.  March  13,  1846, 
son  of  Lucius  M.  and  Cynthia  (Sawtell) 
Converse  of  Rindge.  They  reside  in 
Horicon,  Wis. 

2.  Homer  Swain,    b.   Dec.    29,    1841  ;  after 

the  death  of  his  father,  he  was  adopted  by 
his  uncle,  Dea.  Oilman  Jones ;  resides 
at  Horicon,  Wis. 

3.  Mary  Mersylvia,    b.   Dec.    4,    1843  ;  md. 

March  21,  1865,  Martin  L.  Manzer ; 
reside  in  Winchendon. 

V.   Cynthia,  b.  Oct.  16,  1820;  d.  unmd.  Jan  6,  1849. 


Dea.  Daniel  Jones  was  a  farmer  and  resided  upon  the 
homestead.  He  was  an  affable,  upright  man,  blend- 
ing kindness  with  firmness ;  he  commanded  the  love  and 
respect   of   his   associates.      He    was  a   deacon   of   the 


GENEALOGICAL  REGISTER.  769 

Congregational  church  from  1824  until  1843  when  he 
united  with  the  Union  church  at  the  North  Village.  He 
md.  July  9,  1811,  Hachel  Converse,  b.  Oct.  12,  1788,  dau. 
of  Zebulon  and  Sarah  (Merriam)  Converse  of  Rindge. 
He  d.  March  14,  1S43  ;  his  widow  subsequently  resided 
several  years  in  Wiuchendon  and  d.  in  Ayer  April,  1873. 

I.  Mary,  b.  March  26,  1813  ;  d.  unmd.  Aug.  30,  1846. 

II.  Sultyna,  b.  April  2G,  1815  ;  md.  June  2,  1840, 
Asa  E.  Woods,  son  of  Sewell  and  Anna  (Whit- 
aker)  Woods;  they  resided  in  Mason,  N.  H., 
where  he  d.  July  25,  1850  ;  she  md.  (2d)  Ezra 
H.  Sawtell,  son  of  Asa  Sawtell,  g.  v. 

III.  Eliza,  b.  Oct.  4,  1821  ;  d.  Feb.  22,  1824. 

IV.  Eliza  Rachel,  b.  Aug.  1,  1826  ;  md.  Jan.  3,  1854, 

Horace  O.  Whitcher,  son  of  Jeremiah  and  Per- 
sis  (Craige)  Whitcher ;  reside  in  Barton,  Vt. 
V.  Daniel  Wayland,  b.  Jan.  14,  1829.  He  is  a  success- 
ful physician  in  Newton.  These  lines  arranged 
for  a  place  in  Chap.  XX,  were  inadvertently 
omitted  in  that  connection.  Dr.  Jones  was 
a  student  in  the  office  of  Dr.  Ira  Russell  of 
Winchendon  and  is  a  graduate  of  the  Medical 
Department  of  the  University  of  New  York,  re- 
ceiving his  degree  in  March,  1852.  The  same 
year  he  located  in  Rindge  where  he  was  well 
received  and  the  recipient  of  a  liberal  measure 
of  practice.  In  1855  he  removed  to  Newton, 
where  he  continued  in  active  practice  several 
years.  He  is  now  in  Boston.  He  md.  July  13, 
1853,  Minerva  A.  Tyler,  dau.  of  Ephraim  and 
Mary  (Bissell)  Tyler ;  she  d.  Jan.  31,  1858; 
md.  (2d)  Dec.  24,  1860,  Josephine  D.  Bullard, 
dau.  of  Elias  and  Persis  (Daniels)  Bullard  of 
Holliston;  she  d.  May  25,  1871. 


Dea.  Oilman  Jones  resided  in  Ashburnham  until  1857, 
when  he  removed  to  Wisconsin.  In  early  life  he  was  a 
farmer  and  subsequently  in  connection  with  Col.  Enoch 
Whitmore  he  was  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  spools 
and  other  woodware.  He  was  an  original  member  of  the 
church  in  North  Ashburnham  and  was  a  deacon  several 
years.  Mr.  Jones  was  an  early  abolitionist  and  a  stal- 
wart advocate  of  temperance.  In  all  affairs  of  a  social 
and  public  character  he  answered  his  convictions  which 
were  the  full  expression  of  an  upright  character  and  a 
S3^mpathetic  nature.  He  md.  Feb.  8,  1827,  Sylvia  Ward, 
dau.  of  Dea.  Samuel  Ward,  q.  v.  He  resides  at  Horicon, 
Wis.     No  children. 

49 


770 


HISTOEY   OF   ASHBUKNHAM. 


JONES. 

Nathan  Jones,  No.  24  in  the  following  register,  and  his  descendants  are 
not  related  to  the  Enos  Jones  family.  The  emigrant  ancestor  of  this  family- 
was  John  Jones,  who  is  found  a  resident  of  Cambridge  1648,  and  subse- 
quently of  Concord.  He  d.  June  22,  1673,  and  his  widow,  Dorcas,  md.  (2d) 
William  Buss  of  Concord.  John  Jones,  son  of  John  and  Dorcas  Jones,  b. 
July  6,  1656,  md.  March  5,  1681,  Sarah  Farwell  and  not  Sarah  Temple,  as 
given  by  Shattuck,  dau.  of  John  and  Sarah  (Wheeler)  Farwell.  He  d.  in 
Concord  Feb.  14,  1725-6.  John  Jones,  son  of  John  and  Sarah  (Farwell) 
Jones,  b.  in  Concord  Jan.  6,  1690,  md.  July  25,  1716,  Anna  Brooks,  b.  Feb. 
21,  1695-6,  dau.  of  Daniel  and  Ann  (Merriam)  Brooks.  He  d.  March  12, 
1762;  she  d.  June  9, 1753.  Among  the  children  of  John  and  Anna  (Brooks) 
Jones  was  Ebenezer  Jones,  b.  in  Concord  Dec.  8,  1726;  he  md.  Jan.  22, 
1750,  Mary  Wheeler.  They  were  the  parents  of  fifteen  children.  About  the 
date  of  marriage  he  removed  to  Bedford,  and  in  1762  or  1763  he  removed  to 
Princeton.  He  was  styled  Major,  and  was  prominent  in  public  affairs.  An 
elevation  of  land  in  Princeton,  called  Jones'  Hill,  indicates  the  location  of  his 
farm.     He  d.  in  Princeton  1779  ;  his  wife  survived  him  about  five  years. 


24 


31 


Nathan  Jones,  son  of  Major  Ebenezer  Jones  of  Bed- 
ford and  Princeton,  was  b.  in  Bedford  April  21,  1753. 
He  md.  Oct.  4,  1774,  Mercy  Parmenter  of  Rutland,  b. 
July  27, 1753.  They  resided  in  Princeton,  where  eight  of 
their  ten  children  were  born,  until  1794,  when  they 
removed  to  Ashburnham  and  settled  in  the  north  part  of 
the  town.  He  was  an  industrious  man,  of  retiring  man- 
ner. The  forces  of  his  nature  were  fully  employed  in  the 
support  of  a  large  family.  He  d.  April  8,  1827 ;  his 
widow  d.  Dec.  27,  1835. 

Nathan,  b.  April    13,   1775;  resided   in  Vermont 
and  subsequently  in  Michigan  ;  had  a  family. 

Mary,  b.  Oct.  17,    1777;  md.  Capt. Corse; 

resided  at  Moretown,  Vt. 

Benjamin,  b.  Dec.  11,  1779. 

Lucy,  b.  June  2,  1782  ;  d.  July  11,  1782. 

John,  b.  Nov.  24,  1783.+ 

Anna,  b.  Jan.  21,  1787;  md.  Elias  Lane,  son  of 
Col.  Francis  Lane,  q.  v. 
vii.  Ebenezer,  b.  July  26,  1789  ;  md.  1822,  Lucinda 
Peed,  dau.  of  Supply  Reed  of  Acworth,  and  a 
sister  of  the  wife  of  Nahum  Benjamin.  He 
resided  on  the  homestead  where  he  d.  Sept.  1, 
1825  ;  his  widow  went  to  Council  Bluffs  where 
her  brother,  John  Reed,  was  a  Mormon  preacher. 

1.  Eliza,  b.  and  d.  Sept.  15,  1823. 

2.  Sylvia. 

3.  Charles. 

VIII.  Abel  Parmenter,  b.  March   13,  1792  ;  removed  to 


25 

I. 

26 

n. 

27 

III. 

28 

IV. 

29 

V. 

30 

VI. 

GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  771 

"Westford,  where  he  md.  Mary  Corey,  b.  Feb. 
22,  1795,  dau.  of  Abel  Corey.  He  met  with 
financial  losses  and  returned  to  this  town  where 
'he  d.  Jan.  13,  1836.  His  widow  d.  Oct.  22, 
1862. 

1.  Harriet  A.,  b.  Aug.  30,  1817. 

2.  Eliza  C,  b.  Feb.  11,  1819. 

3.  Mary  J.,  b.  Jan.  3,  1821. 

4.  Lucy  L.,   b.  Sept.  18,   1822;  d.  May  11, 

1840. 

5.  Sarah  B.,  b.  Sept.  19,  1824  ;  d.  Sept.  22, 

1830. 

6.  William  A.,  b.  Sept.  23,  1827;  d.  Oct.  4, 

1847. 

7.  George  P.,  b.  Jan.  7,  1830. 

IX.  Betsey,   b.    July   24,    1795;  md.    Oct.    16,    1827, 

Aaron  E.  Hadley,  and  resided  several  years  in 
this  town  and  subsequently  in  Burlington  and 
Montpelier,  Vt. 

1.  Edwin  W.,  b.  1829. 

2.  Isaac  C. 

3.  Mary  A. 

4.  Rebecca  J. 

5.  Henry  H.,  b.  Jan.  4,   1840;  md.  June  9, 

1872,  Martha  E.  (Winkley)  Delano; 
resides  at  North  Ashburnham.  He  was 
in  Kansas  in  1856,  and  in  the  affray  at 
Lawrence.     He  served  in  the  Civil  War. 

X.  Wilder,  b.  July  2,  1798  ;  resided  in  Boston  ;  had  a 

family,  but  no  record  is  at  hand. 


Capt.  John  Jones  md.  Dec.  17,  1809,  Lucy  Lane,  dau. 
of  Col.  Francis  Lane,  q.  v.,  and  removed  to  Dublin,  N.  H., 
where  he  d.  May  3,  1849.  He  was  a  lieutenant  in  the 
war  of  1812  and  subs.equentl}'  a  captain  of  the  militia. 
He  was  frequently  called  to  positions  of  trust  and  in  his 
daily  life  he  commanded  the  respect  of  his  associates.  His 
widow  d.  March  24,  1873. 

I.  Frederick,  b.  July  20,  1813.  He  is  a  graduate  of 
Harvard  University,  1835  ;  a  regular  graduate 
in  medicine  and  has  received  degrees  A.M., 
M.  D.,  from  Dartmouth  College.  Dr.  Jones 
practised  Ms  profession  a  short  time  in  this 
town  previous  to  a  removal  to  New  Ipswich, 


772 


HISTORY   OF    ASHBURNHAM. 


where  he  has  been  successfully  engaged  in  pro- 
fessional labor.  For  many  years  he  has  occu- 
pied a  prominent  position  in  the  profession,  and 
is  frequently  employed  in  the  surrounding 
towns.  He  md.  Feb.  20,  1845,  Caroline 
Frances  Gibson,  b.  in  New  Ipswich  Feb.  2, 
1824,  dau.  of  Dr.  Stillman  Gibson  of  New  Ips- 
wich.    They  have  one  son  and  one  daughter. 

1.  Frederic   William,    b.    Jan.    9,    1848;   a 

graduate  of  Dartmouth  College  1869, 
and  Medical  Department  of  the  Univer- 
sity of  New  York  ;  engaged  in  the  prac- 
tice of  his  profession  in  New  Ipswich ; 
md.  May  31,  1881,  Harriet  A.  Perry. 

2.  C.  Frances,  b.  June  1,  1852  ;  she  has  pro- 

duced abundant  fruits  of  taste  and  ability 
in  painting  and  drawing. 

II.  Lucy  A.,  b.  Nov.  20,  1819  ;  was  a  successful 
teacher;  md.  May  14,  1848,  Eri  J.  Spaulding 
of  Troy,  N.  H.  ;  she  d.  Feb.  14,  1861. 

1.  Lucy  Ann,   b.  March  19,    1849;  d.  June 

12,  1862. 

2.  Ellen   C,  b.  Aug.  16,  1851  ;  md.  May  1, 

1877,  William  L.  Morse,  a  graduate  of 
Harvard  University  1877.  He  is  of  the 
firm  of  Morse  &  Bigelow,  Marlboro'. 

3.  Albert  E.,  b.  May  9,   1853;  principal  of 

High  School,  Princeville,  111. ;  d.  Oct. 
4,  1875. 

4.  Abbie   C,  b.  Aug.   21,   1857;  md.   Aug. 

24,  1878,  Dudley  Philbrick  ;  reside  in 
Brighton. 


JOSLIN. 

The  families  of  Joslin  in  this  town  at  an  early  date  were  from  Leominster. 
Only  one  of  them  remained  in  Ashburnham  beyond  a  few  years.  They  were 
of  the  fifth  generation  from  Thomas  Joslin  who  signed  the  Lancaster  Core- 
nant  Sept.  12,  1654.  This  Thomas  with  wife  Rebecca  and  five  children  set- 
tled in  Hingham  in  1635,  and  subsequently  removed  to  Lancaster,  which  at 
that  time  included  Leominster,  where  the  families  of  Joslin  have  been  numer- 
ous, and  some  of  them  were  among  the  original  owners  of  land  in  this  town. 
Among  the  children  of  John  and  Lucy  Joslin  were  three  who  became  resi- 
dents of  this  town :  Abijah,  b.  Jan.  24,  1744-5 ;  James,  b.  July  31,  1747,  and 
Samuel,  b.  March  11,  1752. 


Capt.  Abijah  Joslin,  then  a  young,  unmarried  man, 
removed  to  this  town  soon  after  the  date  of  incorporation. 
He  md.  Jan.  5,  1768,  Keziah  Farrar  of  Townsend,  and 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  773 

settled  in  the  south  or  southeast  part  of  the  town.  In 
1774  he  was  a  member  of  the  committee  of  correspond- 
ence, and  was  chosen  by  the  town  captain  of  the  militia. 
At  the  annual  meetings  he  was  at  different  times  elected 
to  office  and  appears  to  have  been  the  recipient  of  a  rea- 
sonable measure  of  the  confidence  and  respect  of  his 
townsmen.  In  1804:  the  family  removed  to  Verona, 
N.  Y.,  where  some  of  the  older  children  had  previously 
settled. 

I.  Abijah,  b.  Jan.  3,  1770  ;    md.  Anna  Smith. 
11.  Keziah,  b.  June  8,  1771  ;   md.   Joseph  Blackman. 

III.  Sarah,  b.  Dec.  29,  1772  ;  md.  Nov.  3,  1795,  Peter 

Andrew  Wilder. 

IV.  Ephraim,  b.  Aug.  28,  1774;   md.  Mehitabel  Cag- 

win. 
V.   George  Washington,  b.  April  18,  1776  ;    md.  1803, 
Rhoda  Corey,  dan.  of  Hezekiah  Corey,  q.  v.  ; 
removed  to  Verona,  N.  Y.      He  d.  Aug.    16, 
1828,  aged  52. 
VI.  Lucy,  b.  Aug.  20,  1778;  d.  Nov.  20,  1780. 
VII.  Isaac  Farrar,   b.  Feb.   25,  1780 ;    d.   March  28, 

1799. 
VIII.  John,  bap.  March  30,  1782. 
IX.  ^«?n'ce,  bap.  Aug.  30,  1783;    md.    1807,   Thomas 

Cagwin. 
X.  Nahum,  bap.  April  13,  1790;  md.  Sarah  Jones. 
XI.  Nancy,  bap.  March  18,  1792;    d.   March   6,  1795. 
XII.  Sophia,  bap.  Oct.  18,  1795  ;  md.  Elijah  Blackman. 


Samuel  Joslin,  a  brother  of  Capt.  Abijah  Joslin,  came 
to  Ashburnham  previous  to  1770.  He  is  on  the  roll  of 
Capt.  Gates'  company  1775.  He  resided  in  this  town  a 
few  years  and  about  1790  settled  in  Jaflfrey,  N.  H.  It  is 
probable  that  he  lived  in  some  other  place  between  his 
residence  in  this  town  and  his  removal  to  Jaffrey.  He  d. 
in  Jaffrey,  Nov.  17,  1815  ;  he  md.  in  this  town  July  18, 
1776,  Elizabeth  Wilder,  dau.  of  Joseph  Wilder  of  Leom- 
inster;  she  d.  Dec.  14,  1821.     Three  children. 

I.  Lucy,  b.  ;    md.    Millot   Ellis;    removed   to 

Oberlin,  Ohio. 
II.   Thomas,  removed  to  Oberlin. 
III.  Betsey,  removed  to  Oberlin. 


James  Joslik,  brother  of  Capt.  Abijah  and  Samuel,  md. 
in  Leominster  Jan.  8,  1767,  Mary  Daby,  and  removed  to 
this  town  soon  after.     They  united  with  the  church  Oct. 


774 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


19 
20 


14,  1770.  It  is  certain  that  they  resided  in  Leominster, 
after  a  few  j^ears  in  this  town,  but  there  is  no  record  of 
any  transfer  of  their  church  relations.  The  only  existing 
tax  list  of  that  period  is  for  the  year  1771  which  bears 
his  name.  Two  children  were  b.  in  Ashburnham  and 
others  in  Leominster. 

I.  James,   bap.    Oct.    11,    1770;    md.    1792,  Relief 

Carter. 
II.  Molly  (twin),  bap.   Oct.   11,   1770;    md. 'William 

Burras:e. 


William  Joyner  came  from  Sudbury  and  remained  an 
active  and  influential  citizen  of  this  town  from  1763  to 
1769.  At  the  first  town  meeting  in  Ashburnham  he  was 
chosen  assessor,  and  the  three  succeeding  years  he  was 
the  town  clerk.  He  md.  in  Sudbury  March  18,  1745, 
Hannah  Bowker.  The  records  of  this  town  afford  no 
additional  information. 


Capt.  Samuel  Kelton,  son  of  Edward  and  Mary  Kel- 
tou,  was  b.  in  Dorchester  Nov.  26,  1741.  After  his  mar- 
riage he  settled  in  Needham,  and  as  earl}"  as  1775  he  be- 
gan to  improve  land  in  this  town  which  formerly  had  been 
owned  by  his  father.  At  the  Lexington  alarm  he  was  a 
sergeant  in  Capt.  Aaron  Smith's  company,  and  during 
the  remainder  of  the  year  he  was  a  captain  in  Col.  Patter- 
son's regiment,  participating  in  the  siege  of  Boston.  In 
the  following  year,  1776,  he  removed  to  this  town,  and  in 
1785  his  homestead  was  included  in  the  new  town  of 
Gardner.  He  was  a  man  of  intelligence  and  character, 
and  was  prominent  in  town  affairs.  While  he  remained  a 
resident  of  this  town  his  name  is  often  met  in  the  records, 
and  subsequently  in  Gardner,  he  was  an  influential  and 
honored  citizen.  He  md.  Jan.  5,  1769,  Molly  Leeds,  b. 
Oct.  2,  1749.  She  d.  in  Gardner  Feb.  5,  1824;  he  d. 
March  29,  1821. 

I.  Samuel,  b.  March  1,  1770;  d.  Sept.  16,  1775. 
II.  Lemuel,  b.  Sept.  22,  1771  ;  md.  March  6,  1796, 
Patty  Angler,  dau.  of  Timothy  Angler,  g.  v. 
They  resided  in  this  town  and  in  Gardner, 
where  she  d.  1842.  He  d.  Oct  2,  1863.  Three 
children. 

III.  Edward,  b.  June  13,  1773  ;  d.  Sept.  25,  1775. 

IV.  Ebenezer,  b.  March  12,  1775  ;  d.  Sept.    12,   1775. 
V.  Esther,  b.  Oct.  20,    1776  ;    d.   unmd.  in  Gardner 

July  6,  1843. 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  775 

VI.  Samuel,  b.  Oct.  25,  1778;  d.  Nov.  30,  1780. 

VII.  Enos,  h.  Feb.  3,  1781 ;    md.   July  11,  1814,  Dolly 

Winchester,  dau.  of  Jonathan  Winchester,  g.  v. 
They  resided  in  Gardner.  He  d.  May  20,  1858, 
She  d.  Feb.  2, 1864. 

1.  Louisa,  b.  July  18,  1815;    md.   Augustus 

E.  Houghton  ;  he  d.  in  Milford,  N.  H. 
She  resides  in  this  town. 

2.  George,  b.  April  19,  1817;    md.   Sept.   1, 

1842,  Sopia  Adams,  b.  Oct.  16,  1818, 
dau.  of  Daniel  and  Dinah  (Metcalf) 
Adams  of  Gardner.  He  d.  April  1, 
1877  ;  she  d.  Dec.  15,  1879. 

3.  Selina,    b.    Sept.   25,   1820;    md.  May  9, 

1850,  Nathan  W.  Cram. 

4.  Charles,  b.  Dec.  21,  1821.+ 

5.  Lucinda,  b.  Oct.  6,  1825. 

VIII.  William,  b.  Aug.  24,  1883  ;  d.  in  Gardner  unmd. 

Jan.  20,  1853. 
IX.  Eliam,  b.  Oct.  25,  1785;  md.  May  29,  1826, 
Sophia  Hosley,  b.  in  Hancock,  N.  H.,  Jan.  26, 
1801.  They  resided  in  this  town  from  1828  to 
1832,  and  subsequently  in  Gardner,  where  he  d. 
Aug.  24,  1865  ;  she  d.  April  22,  1879. 

1.  David,  b.  June  25,  1827,  has  resided  many 

3  ears  in  Gardner,  and  is  now  a  resident 
of  this  town. 

2.  Nancy,  b.  Jan.  22,   1831  ;    md.   Jan.    10, 

1854,  Leander  Knowlton  ;  she  d.  in 
Worcester  June  21,  1883. 

X.  Mary,  b.  Oct.  18,  1791  ;  md.  Stillman  Holden, 
and' resided  many  years  in  Gardner;  she  d. 
Sept.  15,  1865  ;  he  resides  in  Erving. 


Charles  Kelton  md.  Oct.  4,  1842,  Susan  Reed.  He 
is  a  farmer,  living  on  the  Emory  Fairbanks  farm.  Six 
children. 

I.  Laura,  b.  July  16,  1843  ;  md.  George  W.  Reed, 
b.  March  2,  1837,  son  of  Jacob  Reed  of  West- 
ford  ;  reside  in  this  town. 

1.  Hattie  M.,  b.  March  1,  1858;  md.  July 
12,  1878,  Alfred  H.  Gushing,  son  of 
Benjamin  Gushing,  q.  v. 


776 


HISTORY  OF  ASHBURNHAM. 


2.  Eva  R.,  b.  Sept.  27.   1868;    md.  Feb.  18, 

1886.  William  F.  Wnlther. 

3.  Alvin,  b.  Oct.  10,  1878. 

4.  Lottie,  b.  Oct.  7,  1880. 

II.   Charles  Otis,  b.  Aug.  26,  1845  ;    md.  1867,  Emma 

A.  Reed, 
m.  A7nasa  TF.,  b.  June  18,  1848. 
IV.  Eliza  J.,h.  Oct.   2,   ISol  ;    md.  Nov.   17,   1872, 

George  P.  Howe,  son  of  Perley  Howe,  g.  v. 
V.  Luella,  b.  June  12,   1855  ;    md.  Wilbur  W.  Page. 
VI.   George  H.,  b.  Oct.  16,  1858. 


Benjamin  Kemp,  wife  Judith  and  three  children  re- 
moved to  this  town  from  Chelmsford  in  June,  1770.  The 
family  disappear  after  a  few  years.  The  Chelmsford 
records  announce  the  birth  of  four  children.  It  is  prob- 
able that  John  d.  previous  to  1770,  as  he  is  not  named  in 
the  warrant  of  caution  against  a  settlement. 

I.  Jtidith,  b.  in  Chelmsford  Feb.  10,  1762. 
II.  Benjamin,  b.  in  Chelmsford  Feb.  22,  1764. 

III.  John,  b.  in  Chelmsford  May  19,  1766. 

IV.  Martha,  b.  in  Chelmsford  Aug.  27,  1768. 
V.  James,  b.  in  Ashburnham  Feb.  3,  1771. 

VI.  Kezia,  b.  in  Ashburnham  Aug.  8,  1773. 


Amos  Kendall  removed  to  this  town  between  1770  and 
1775,  and  settled  in  the  north  part  of  the  town.  He  dis- 
appears from  the  records  within  a  few  j-ears.  There  were 
other  Kendalls  in  this  town  and  all  of  tbem  possibly  were 
sons  of  Amos.  All  the  information  that  is  gleaned  from 
the  records  is  here  presented.  A  dau.,  Eunice,  was 
bap.  May  7,  1775. 


Amo.s  Kendall,  Jr..  md.  May  28,  1777,  Molly  Willard, 
and  disappears  from  the  records. 


Francis  Kendall  d.  in    Sept.,  1777,  as  recorded  by 
Mr.  Cushiug,  "  on  his  way  home  from  ye  army." 


William  Kendall  md.  probably  before  the  family  re- 
moved to  this  town.  The  name  of  his  wife  was  Polly. 
He  removed  from  town  about  1806. 


I.    William,  b.  May  24,  1775. 
II.  Mary,  b.  July  22,  1777. 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  777 

III.  Nancy,  b.  Nov.  27,  1781. 

IV.  Moses,  b.  Sept.  7,  1784. 
V.  Lydia,  b.  Sept.  16,  1789. 

VI.  Philip,  b.  Aug.  24,  1799. 


Caleb  Kendall  racl.  in  Shrewsbury  Dec.  8,  1773, 
Priseilla  Townsencl,  dau.  of  Joshua  Towusend,  q.  v.  He 
resided  in  Shrewsbury  several  years,  and  removed  to  this 
town  previous  to  1787.  He  md.  (2d)  April  15,  1788, 
Lucy  Kendall  of  Lancaster,  and  in  1792  he  removed  to 
Winchendon. 

I.  Priseilla,  b.  Jan.  20,  1777. 
II.   Caleb,  b.  Jan.  25,  1779. 

III.  L^icy,  bap.  June  14,  1789. 

IV.  David,  bap.  May  29,  1791. 
V.  Samuel,  b.  Oct.  11,  1792. 


Alvin  Kendall,  son  of  Martin  and  Prudence  Ken- 
dall and  a  grandson  of  Benjamin  and  Kezia  (Twichell) 
Kendall  of  Sherburne  and  Gardner,  wasb.  Dec.  13,  1805. 
He  md.  Nov.  29,  1832,  Hannah  Bemis,  dau.  of  William 
Bemis,  q.  v.  He  was  formerly  engaged  in  the  manufac- 
tui'e  of  chairs  in  the  Central  Village.  He  d.  in  this  town 
Feb.  8,  1849  ;  his  widow  d.  in  Milford,  N.  H.,  June  11, 
1886. 

I.  Mary  M.,  b.  Jan.  17,  1834;  md.  Nov.  27,  1852, 
George  E.  Sawtell,  son  of  Caleb  Sawtell, 
q.  V.  ;  they  reside  in  Milford,  N.  H. 
II.  Hannah  Elizabeth,  b.  Sept.  9,  1836  ;  md.  1854, 
P^ederick  P.  Brown  of  "Winchendon ;  she  d. 
Feb.  12,  1859. 

III.  Lorette,  b.  Jan.  3,   1840  ;  unmd.  ;  resides  in  Mil- 

ford, N.  H. 

IV.  Martin,  b.  Oct.  3,  1841  ;  d.  Nov.  18,  1846. 

V.  Wealthy,  b.  Sept.  25,  1844;  md.  May  23,  1861, 
Albert  T.  Willard,  son  of  Alonzo  L.  Willard, 
q.  V.  ;  reside  in  Bethel,  Vt. 
VI.  Abbie  Maria,  b.  Dec.  20,  1846  ;  md.  Nov.  9,  1876, 
Jacob  Kendall;  resided  in  Temple,  N.  H., 
where  she  d.  June  17,  1883. 


Samuel  Keyes,  b.  Dec.  18,  1784,  son  of  Ephraim  and 
Bridget  (Sawyer)  Keyes  of  Plymouth,  N.  H.,  and  a 
grandson  of  Ephraim  Keyes,  was  the  first  of  the  name  in 
this  town.  He  md.  Dec.  5,  1811,  Abigail  Benjamin,  dau. 
of  Daniel  Benjamin,  q.  v.     They  removed  to  Weston  and 


778 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


later  to  Plymouth,  N.  H.,  but  returned  to  Ashburnham 
1820.  He  was  a  farmer  and  lived  on  a  farm  in  the  north 
part  of  the  town,  frequently  called  the  Benjamin  farm. 
He  d.  March  16,  1868  ;  she  d.  Feb    16,  1869. 

I.  Almira,  b.  March   1-3,    1813 ;  md.    1838,    James 

Cooper  of  Jamaica  Plain  ;  she  d.  about  1827. 
II.  John  T.  (?.,  b.  Nov.  10,  1814  ;  d.  Aug.  14,  1829. 

III.  Samuel  H.,  b.  Aug.  13,  1816;  md.   1841,  Eliza- 

beth C.  Newell  of  Lynn  ;  a  farmer  ;  he   d.   in 
this  town  March  31,  1843. 

IV.  Daniel   B.,   b.    Oct.    22,    1818;  md.    Mary   Jane 

Stevens;  d.  Aug.  14,  18.56,  in  Boston. 
V.  Elizabeth  J.,  b.  Aug.  27,  1822  ;  md.  James  Cooper 

of  Weston. 
VI.  Sarah  B.,  b.  Oct.  19,  1824  ;  md.  Lewis  K.  Ward, 

son  of  Jacob  Ward,  q.  v. 
VII.   Charles  S.,  b.  F'eb.  23,  1827  ;  resides  unmd.  in  this 

town. 
VIII.   Catherine    TF.,    b.  July   13,   1832;  md.   Feb.    26, 

1854,  Otis  P.  Butler  of   Rindge,  son  of  Jabez 

and  Betsey  (Boyden)  Butler ;  she   d.  April   7, 

1880. 
IX.   Caroline  W.  (twin),  b.  July  13,   1832;  md.   Nov. 

15,  1870,  Aaron  S.  Sawtell,  son  of  Aaron  and 

Euth  (Metcalf)  Sawtell  of  Rindge  ;  she  d.  Oct. 

4,  1878. 


John  Kibling,  one  of  the  German  emigrants,  was  an 
early  settler  in  this  town.  The  name  was  written  Kiblin- 
ger  through  two  generations,  and  in  this  form  the  name 
appears  in  the  early  chapters  of  this  volume.  He  was  b. 
in  Germany  1722,  and  in  1758,  being  one  of  the  seven 
original  proprietors  of  the  Lexington  grant,  he  removed 
to  this  town.  He  settled  upon  land  since  known  as  the 
Constantine  farm,  and  in  1785  he  exchanged  farms  with 
Jacob  Constantine  and  removed  to  the  farm  now  of  Alden 
B.  Marble.  He  was  a  man  of  recognized  character  and 
ability.  He  was  a  selectman  nine  years  between  1765 
and  1777,  the  dates  of  incorporation  and  of  his  death. 
His  wife,  Catherine  (Wolfe)  Kiblinger,  lives  in  the  tradi- 
tions of  the  town  as  an  intelligent  and  accomplished  lady. 
He  d.  April  4,  1777;  she  d.  at  the  home  of  one  of  her 
children  in  Vermont  March  28,  1821,  ased  91. 


I.  Jacob,  b.  Dec.  14,  1753. -f- 
II.  John,  b.  Sept.  3,  1755.-J- 
III.   Catherine,  b.  Nov.  27,  1757 
q.  V. 


md.  Samuel  Salter, 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  779 

IV.  Jane^   b.  March    12,    1760;  md.    Jonathan   Law- 
rence, q.  V. 

V.  Elizabeth,  b.  April  24,   1763  ;  mcl.  Jan.  19,   1785, 

Humphrey  Rood  of  Hartland,  Vt. 

VI.  Sarah,  b.  July  14,  1765. 

VII.  Margaret,  b.   1767;  d.    Dec.  5,    1768.     This  was 

the  first  death  recorded  by  Mr.  Gushing.     Alas  ! 
how  many  since. 

VIII.  Hannah,  b.  Oct.  18,   1769;  md.  1789,    Nathaniel 

Kendall  of  Windsor,  Vt. 
■   IX.  Henry,  b.  May  15,  1768. -|- 

Dea.  Jacob  Kiblinger,  upon  whom  the  mantle  of  his 
father  appeared  to  fall,  was  one  of  the  influential  men  of 
the  town.  He  was  a  selectman  many  years  and  accept- 
ably filled  many  other  positions  of  trusi.  He  was  a  dea- 
con of  the  Baptist  organization,  with  which  several  fami- 
lies of  this  town  were  connected.  For  many  years  the  town 
chose  tithiugmen  and  supplemented  the  record  with  the 
choice  of  Dea.  Jacob  Kiblinger,  tithingman  for  the  Baptists. 
His  name  is  borne  on  the  Revolutionary  rolls,  serving  at 
least  three  enlistments  which  are  stated  in  Chapter  V. 
About  1802  he  removed  to  Stafford,  Vt.,  where  he  d. 
1839.  He  md.  Feb.  21,  1777,  Sarah  Coolidge,  dau.  of 
Elisha  Coolidge,  q.  v. 

I.  John,  b.  May  9,  1778.+ 
II.  Sarah,  b.  Feb.  3,  1780  ;  md.  Bundy. 

III.  Katy,  b.  May  3,  1782  ;  md.  Sylvanus  Graves. 

IV.  Jacob,  b.  Nov.  9,  1784;  md.  Sally  Slyfield. 

V.  Betty,  b.  March  16,  1793;  md.  Benjamin  George. 
VI.  Sylvia,  b.  Oct.  15,  1795  ;  md.  Thomas  Haselton. 
VII.  Stillman,  b.  March  26,  1800  ;  md.  Adaline  Hatch. 


John  Kibling  md.  July  6,  1778,  Betty  Fisher,  and 
removed  from  this  town  to  Vermont,  about  1786.  He 
was  a  soldier  in  the  Revolution.      Vide  Chap.  V. 

1.  John,  b.  Jan.  20,  1779. 
II.  Jeremiah,  b.  Oct.  17,  1781. 
III.  Josiah,  b.  May  25,  1783. 


Capt.  Henry  Kibling  was  a  captain  of  the  militia  com- 
pany in  1801.  In  the  War  of  1812  he  was  in  the  service 
in  a  Vermont  regiment.  About  this  time  he  suffered  the 
amputation  of  a  leg  on  account  of  an  improper  treatment 
of  a  broken  bone.  ^  With  a  substitute  of  wood  his  move- 
ments were  strong  and  rapid.     He   md.   Jan.    1,   1799, 


780 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


(11) 


Sukey  Hobart,  dau.  of  Shebuel  Hobart,  q.  v.  In  the 
record  of  births  her  name  is  written  Susannah.  He  d. 
Jan.  28,  1843. 


Susan,  b.  Dec.  27,  1799  ;  md.  Harvey  Heald,  q.  v. 

Hobart  F.,  b.  March  2,  1802  ;  md.  Eleanor  Craw- 
ford of  Malone,  N.  Y.  They  buried  three  little 
children  in  July,  1832.  He  removed  from  town 
1833,  and  has  not  since  been  heard  from. 

Henry,  b.  April  24,  1804.+ 

George  W.,  b.  March  26,  1810,  resided  in  Ash- 
burnham  until  1842,  when  he  removed  to  Han- 
over, N.  H.,  where  he  still  resides  and  has  there 
been  successfully  engaged  in  business.  He  md. 
Sarah  Fisher  and  has  children  :  Harriet,  Eliza- 
beth and  George. 

Osmaji,  b.  July  21,  1812  ;  d.  Sept.  29,  1825. 

Josejjh  ^.,  b.  Sept.  20,  1814;  md.  1835,  Elvira 
Norris  of  Jaffrey,  N.  H.  ;  md.  (2d)  Dora  Har- 
low of  Portland,  Me.  ;  md.  (3d)  1871,  Mary 
Evans  Carson  of  Portland,  Oregon.  He  d.  at 
Portland,  Oregon,  April  15,  1879. 

Cyrene,  b.  Dec.  27,  1816;  md.  George  Baker, 
q.  V. 

Orilla,  b.  March  9,  1820;  md.  1837,  George  W. 
Townsend.  They  resided  in  this  town  where 
she  d.  Aug.  2,  1844.  He  md.  (2d)  Abigail 
Lane,  dau.  of  Elias  Lane,  q.  v. 


John  Kibling,  son  of  Dea.  Jacob,  md.  Nov.  20,  1800, 
Sarah  Lane,  dau.  of  Col.  Francis  Lane,  g.  v.  He  was 
a  farmer  in  New  Hampshire  and  Vermont,  and  subse- 
quently at  Lane  Village.  He  d.  Jan.  17,  1846  ;  she  d. 
Aug.  19,  1865. 

I.  Francis,  b.  Feb.  10,  1801. + 

II.  Clarissa  H.,  b.  Aug.  16,  1802;  md.  Oct.  14, 
1820,  Mansel  Haselton :  md.  (2d)  Jan.  17, 
1828,  Nathan  King  of  Shirley  ;  he  d.  June  23, 
1860. 

III.  Hepsibeth,  b.  1805  ;  d.  Nov.,  1815. 

IV.  Emeline,  b.  March  24,  1807  ;    md.  Samuel  Foster, 

son  of  Nathaniel  Foster,  q.  v. 
V.  Miranda,  b.  Jan.  27,  1813;  md.  Oct.  29,  1835, 
Joseph  A.  Gibson,  b.  in  New  Ipswich  Oct.  29, 
1835,  son  of  Dr.  Stillman  Gibson.  They  re- 
sided in  New  Ipswich,  where  he  d.  Feb.  22, 
1^75. 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  781 

1.  J.   Stillraao,  b.  Jan.  27,   1837;    md.   Oct. 

27,  1864,  Lucinda  J.  Foskett. 

2.  Anojelia  M.,  b.  Aug.  10,  1838;    md.  Aug. 

27,  1864,  Levi  S.  Wright. 

3.  Heuiy  M.,  b.  March  20,  1840  ;    d.   March 

9,  1841. 

4.  Annie  M.,  b.  July  10,   1842;    md.   1869, 

Richard  J.  Hargreaves. 

5.  Sarah  R.,  b  April  8,   1845;    md.  July  6, 

1879,  George  W.  Shattuck. 

6.  Frederic  J.,  b.  Dec.  28,  1848. 

7.  Elsie  E.,  b.  Dec.   19,   1851 ;    d.  June  27, 

1874. 

8.  L.  Angenette,  b.  March  10,  1855. 

VI.  Lucy  Anu^  b.  July  8,  1820;  md.  1841,  Horace  L. 
Balcom,  b.  in  Leverett  Jan.  23,  1815,  son  of 
Reuben  and  Elizabeth  (Hartwell)  Balcom ;  re- 
sided in  Ashburnham,  where  she  d.  Aug.  5, 
1855  ;  he  md.  (2d)  Nov.  16,  1856,  Jeanette  D. 
Ketchum,  b.  in  Milton,  Vt.,  Sept.  5,  1821. 
There  are  two  children  of  Horace  L.  and  Lucy 
(Kibling)  Balcom. 

1.  Francis  S.,  b.  Oct.   1,   1843;    md.   Addie 

Rugg. 

2.  Elsie  Maria,  b.  Aug.  16,  1848  ;  md.  1869, 

Adelbert  A.  Bradford,  son  of  Austin  A. 
Bradford.     Reside  in  Rindge. 


Capt.  Henry  Kibling,  Jr.,  was  an  active  citizen  of  this 
town  until  his  removal  to  Dublin  in  1862  or  1863.  He  was 
a  popular  officer  in  the  Light  Infantry  and  an  account  of 
this  service  appears  in  Chap.  XVIH.  He  md.  June  7, 
1829,  Mary  Jewett  Woods,  dau.  of  John  A\^oods,  q.  v.  ; 
she  d.  Aug.  10,  1848  ;  md.  (2d)  Jan.  10,  1849,  Maria  C. 
Peabody,  b.  Sept.  4,  1828  ;  she  d.  Aug.  17,  1853  ;  md. 
(3d)  Jan.  12,  1854,  Ellen  L.  Peabody,  b.  Oct.  31,  1826  ; 
she  d.  Dec.  7,  1857 ;  md.  (4th)  May  4,  1858,  Eliza  (Mar- 
shall) Matthews,  b.  July  25,  1804  ;  she  d.  Aug.  27,  1880  ; 
he  d.  July  7,  1884. 

I.  Mary  Elizabeth,  b.   Nov.   5,  1830  ;    d.   June   17, 

1846. 
II.  Henry  Osman,  b.  May  22, 1832  ;  d.  July  30,  1854. 

III.  Josejyh  Heald,  b.  March  16,    1834;    d.   May   22, 

1854. 

IV.  Elvira  Amanda,  b.  Feb.  27,  1836  ;    d.   Aug.   15, 

1854. 


782 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


(29) 


54 


57 


V.  Emily  Amelia,  b.  April  24,  1838  ;  d.  Oct.  1,  1839. 
VI.  Edward  Atkinson,  b.  Feb.  23,  1841  ;    d.   Oct.   22, 

1841. 
VII.  Alfred  Miller,  b.  Oct.  13,  1849  ;  railroad  engineer, 

Boston. 
VIII.  Erlon  Arthur,  b.  June  28,  1851 ;  railroad  engineer, 
Boston. 
IX.  Flora  3faria,  b.  May  28,  1853  ;  md.  1873,  Charles 
G.  Matthews  of  Hancock,  N,  H. ;    she  d.  Oct. 
20,  1881. 


Francis  Kibling,  son  of  John,  md.  Feb.  23,  1825, 
Waity  Lawrence,  dau.  of  Moses  Lawrence,  q.  v.  He 
resided  at  Lane  Village.  His  wife  d.  Dec.  12,  1860  ;  he 
md.  (2d)  Dec.  15,  1861,  Paulina  (Locke)  Streeter,  widow 
of  Thomas  Streeter  of  Riudge.  He  d.  Aug.  13,  1878  ; 
his  widow  resides  in  Fitchburg. 

I.  Elsie  L.,  b.  March  23,  1826  ;  md.  Dr.  Alfred  Mil- 
ler, q.  V. 
II.  J.  Augustus,  b.  Aug.,  1828  ;  md.  Mary  Hastings. 
III.  Francis  G.,  b.  Nov.,  1832  ;  md.  March  18,  1858, 
Laura  A.  Whitmore,  dau.  of  Col.  Enoch  Whit- 
more,  q.  V.  Enlisted  in  21st  Regiment;  d.  in 
the  service  Feb.  22,  1864. 

1.  Luella  J.,  b.  June   17,  1860;    d.  Aug.   7, 

1868. 

2.  Walter  B.,  b.  April  20,  1862. 

3.  Frank  A.,  b.  Jan.  18,  1864. 


Daniel  Knight  md.  Esther  Fairbanks,  dau.  of  Phinehas 
Fairbanks,  and  removed  from  Harvard  to  this  town  1788. 
The  family  disappear  from  the  records  about  1812.  Of 
some  families  we  can  easily  learn  more  than  we  want  to 
know,  but  of  this  one  the  shades  of  night  conceal  the 
record.  Only  a  fragmentary  account  of  the  children  can 
be  given. 

Daniel,  b.  1786  ;  d.  Sept.  13,  1803. 
Polly  Dickinson,  bap.  Nov.  23,  1788. 
Phinehas  Fairbanks,  bap.  April  3,  1796. 
William,  bap.  April  3,  1796. 
V.  Sarah,  bap.  April  3,  1796. 
Cyrtis,  bap.  Oct.  20,  1805. 
Daniel,  bap.  Oct.  20,  1805. 
Stedman,  bap.  Sept.  13,  1807. 
Infant,  d.  Dec.  19,  1810. 


2 

I 

3 

II 

4 

III. 

5 

IV. 

6 

V. 

7 

VI. 

8 

VII. 

9 

VIII. 

10 

rx. 

GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER. 


783 


11 


12 


X.  Infant  (twin),  d.  Dec.  19,  1810. 
A  child  of  Daniel  and  Esther  Knight,  d,  Sept.  21 


1805. 


Samuel  Knight,  b.  1776,  renaoved  to  Fitzwilliam,  N. 
H.,  1830,  and  four  years  later  he  came  to  this  town.  He 
was  an  innholder  at  Central  Village,  and  subsequently 
resided  at  Factory  Village.  His  wife,  Catherine,  d.  Nov. 
30,  1842.  He  md.  (2d)  Aug.  29,  1843,  Madamoisella 
(Townsend)  Dunster,  g.  v.  He  d.  Aug.  18,  1850;  she 
md.  (3d)  Sept.  5,  1851,  Samuel  Keyes  of  Temple,  N.H., 
who  d.  Nov.  0,  1852;  she  d.  in  Ashby  Nov.  25,  1881. 
The  only  children  of  Samuel  and  Catherine  Knight  of 
whom  any  record  appears  were  as  follows  : 

I.  Samuel  D.^  b. ;  resided  several  years  in  this 

town. 

II.  Israel  TF.,  b. ;  he  was  the  proprietor  several 

3'ears  of  the  Central  House  and  of  the  coaches 
running  to  Ashburnham  Junction.  He  md. 
1836,  Tryphosa  M.  Moore  of  Leverett.  She  d. 
Oct.  1,  1841;  md.  (2d)  May  30,  1843,  Mary 
A.  Wheeler  of  Ashby  ;  he  d.  Sept.  5,  1858  ;  she 
md.  (2d)  Nov.  22,  1860,  S.  Gilman  Frost  of 
Fitchburg. 

1.  James  M.,  b.  Aug.  26,   1837;  md.   1858, 

Charlotte  Kidder;  d.  in  Keene,  N.  H., 
May  21,  1883. 

2.  Persis  A.  W.,  b.  April  14,  1840  ;  d.  Sept. 

20,  1848. 

3.  Charles  M.,  b.  March  29,  1846  ;  d.  Sept. 

22,  1846. 

4.  Cynthia  E.,  b.  June  5,  1848;  md.  Dec.  7, 

1868,  George  A.  Upton  (Adams   85)  ; 
she  d.  May  28,  1885. 


LANE. 

The  Lane  families  of  this  town  are  descendants  of  John  Lane  who  d.  in 
Bedford  Dec.  7, 1789,  aged  69.  The  earlier  American  generations  are  clearly- 
stated  in  Hazen's  History  of  Billerica,  from  which  the  following  outline  is 
drawn.  Job  Lane,  an  English  emigrant,  b.  1634,  Avas  a  resident  of  Maiden 
in  1654.  He  was  a  carpenter,  and  built  a  house  in  New  London,  Conn.,  in 
payment  of  the  Winthrop  farm  of  1500  acres  in  Billerica,  of  which  he 
acquired  possession  in  1664.  About  this  time  he  removed  to  Billerica,  and 
in  1668  he  built  the  great  bridge  across  Concord  river.  After  a  residence  of 
twenty  years  in  Billerica  he  returned  to  Maiden,  where  he  d.  Aug.  23,  1697. 
He  owned  an  estate  in  England  which  he  bequeathed  to  his  son,  John.  His 
first  wife  was  Sarah,  who  d.  1659;  he  md.  (2d)  1660,  Anna  Reyner,  dau.  of 
Rev.  John  Reyner  of  Plymouth  and  Dover,  N.  H. ;  she  d.  Aug.  30,  1704, 
aged  72. 


784 


HISTORY    OF    ASHBUENHAM. 


John  Lane,  son  of  Job  and  Anna  (Reyner)  Lane,  was  b.  in  Maiden  in  Oct., 
1661.  He  was  an  only  son  and  he  inherited  one-half  the  Winthrop  farm  in 
Billerica  where  he  resided.  He  was  a  colonel  of  the  militia,  and  was  promi- 
nent in  the  Indian  wars  and  alarms  of  that  period,  and  was  a  selectman 
eleven  years.  He  md.  March  20,  1681-2,  Susanna  Whipple,  dau.  of  John 
Whipple  of  Ipswich  ;  she  d.  Aug.  4,  1713 ;  he  d.  in  the  midst  of  an  honorable 
career  Jan.  17,  1714-15. 

Job  Lane,  son  of  John  and  Susanna  (Whipple)  Lane,  was  b.  in  Billerica 
June  22,  1689 ;  md.  Dec.  16,  1713,  Martha  Ruggles,  b.  in  Roxburv,  dau.  of 
Samuel  and  Martha  (Woodbridge)  Ruggles  and  a  sister  of  Rev.  Samuel 
Ruggles  of  Billerica.  He  inherited  the  homestead  and  lived  in  Billerica, 
where  he  d.  after  1762. 

John  Lane,  son  of  Job  and  Martha  (Ruggles)  Lane,  b.  Oct.  2,  1720, 
removed  to  Bedford  and  was  there  an  influential  citizen.  He  md.  Feb.  13, 
1745-6,  Ruth  Bowman,  b.  in  Lexington  Dec.  23,  1723,  dau.  of  John  and  Mary 
(Stone)  Bowman;  shed.  Aug.  13,  1759.  He  md.  (2d)  May  28,  1761,  Mrs. 
Sarah  Hildreth.  There  were  eight  children  by  the  first  and  three  by  the 
second  marriage. 


Col.  Francis  Lane,  son  of  John  and  Ruth  (Bowman) 
Lane,  was  b.  in  Bedford  Aug.  31,  1750.  As  a  soldier  in 
the  Revolution  his  familiar  name  first  appears  in  the  records 
of  Ashburnham.  He  was  a  corporal  in  Capt.  Gates'  com- 
pany in  April,  1775,  and  he  served  as  a  sergeant  in  Capt. 
Wilder' s  company  to  the  close  of  the  year.  As  early  as 
1779  he  was  a  lieutenant,  and  July  1,  1781,  he  was  com- 
missioned a  captain  of  the  militia.  During  the  Revolution 
the  regimental  and  line  officers  were  also  provost  officers, 
and  to  them  were  directed  the  frequent  orders  for  raising 
men  and  the  adjustment  of  quotas.  Subsequently  he  was 
a  major  and  a  lieutenant- colonel  until  his  resignation  in 
1792.  Col.  Lane  removed  to  Ashburnham  in  the  spring 
of  1775  or  earlier.  He  was  a  farmer  and  a  miller.  For 
several  years  he  lived  on  the  "  Hart  Place,"  and  then 
removed  to  Lane  Village,  where  he  built  and  conducted  a 
saw  and  grain  mill.  For  many  years  he  was  prominent 
in  town  affairs,  and  his  name  frequently  appears  in  the  list 
of  town  officers.  During  the  later  j'ears  of  his  life  he 
mingled  less  freelj'  with  his  townsmen,  and  his  name  is 
seldom  met  in  the  records.  He  md.  Sept.  30,  1779,  Hep- 
sibah  Coolidge,  b.  in  AYaltham  March  9,  1754,  dau.  of 
Capt.  William  and  Elizabeth  (Brown)  Coolidge ;  she  d. 
March  14,  1795.  He  md.  (2d)  1801,  Sarah  (Cushing) 
Burr,  widow  of  John  Burr  of  Winchendon,  and  dau.  of 
Joseph  and  Sarah  (Leavitt)  Cushing.    He  d.  May  1, 1823. 

I.  John  Coolidge,  b.  July  2,  1781  ;  d.  Sept.  16,  1781. 

II.  Sarah,  b.  June  11,  1782  ;  md.  John  Kibling,  q.  v. 
ni.  Lucy,  b.  July  6,  1783  ;  md.  John  Jones,  q.  v. 
IV.  Elias,  b.  Feb.  21,  1785.-f- 

V.  Abigail,  b.  June  1,  1786  ;  d.  Aug.  31,  1786. 
VI.  Francis,  b.  Aug.  20,  1787. -j- 


GENEALOGICAL   KP:GISTER.  785 

VII.  Abigail,    b.    May  20,    1789;  d.    unmd.   Dec.    13, 

1813. 
VIII.  John,  b.  May  15,  1791  ;  d.  March  19,  1792. 
IX.  John,  b.  Oct.  9,  1792.+ 


Elias  Lane  md.  Sept.  3,  1809,  Anna  Jones,  dau.  of 
Nathan  Jones,  q.  v.  He  was  a  farmer  and  a  miller, 
residing  near  the  school-house  in  the  tenth  district.  He 
was  a  selectman,  and  was  elected  to  other  positions  of 
trust.     He  d.  Aug.  20,  1859  ;  she  d.  March  30,  1853. 

I.  Elias  Coolidge,  b.  Dec.  30,  1809  ;  md.  Sept.  20, 
1835,  Mary  Farwell ;  removed   to   Gloucester, 
Me.,  where  he  d.  Aug.,  1878. 
II.  Sarah  Ann,  b.  March  2,  1811  ;  d.  unmd.  Feb.  28, 

1862. 
III.  George  Etheridge,  b.  April  22,  1812  ;  md.  Jan.  15, 
1840,    Mary  J.  Emory,  dau.  of   Enos   Emory, 
q.  V.     They  reside  in  Fitchburg. 
rv.   Gilbert  Bainbridge,  b.  June  17,    1813  ;  md.  Eliza 
A.  Jones,  and  removed  to  Chelsea,  Vt.,  where 
he  d.  June  9,  1860. 
V.  Edwin  Philander,  b.  Dec.  28,   1814;  d.  unmd.  in 

Gloucester,  Me.,  Aug.  30,  1838. 
VI.  Charles  Stillman,  b.  March  2,  1816  ;  md.  Nov.  17, 
184-,  Honor  Goodrich;  md.  (2d)  Helen  (Pet- 
tis) Lawton  ;  resides  in  Brattleboro',  Vt. 
VII.  Lorenzo    Alexander,   b.    March    26,     1817;    md. 
Rebecca  Brown  ;  he  d.  in  Ashburnham  Feb.  12, 
1881  ;  she  d.  the  same  day,  Feb.  12,  1881. 
VIII.  Abigail  Amanda,  b.  May  25,  1818  ;  md.  Nov.  26, 
1845,   George  W.  Townsend ;  she  d.  Feb.   19, 
1884. 
IX.  Mary  Jones,  b.  July  27,  1820 ;  d.  April  1,  1839. 
X.  Marcus  Aurelius,  b.  June  2,   1822  ;  md.  Amanda 

Ogden  ;  resides  in  Glens  Falls,  N.  Y. 
XI.  Eliza   Maria,  h.    June   25,    1823;    md.  Oct.    11, 

1848,  Charles  Henry  Emory,  son  of  Enos 
Emory,  q.  v. 

XII.  Abraham   Lowe,  b.  Nov.  23,    1824  ;  d.  unmd.  in 

Rindge  May  4,  1863. 
XIII.  Nancy  Avgxista,  b.  March  24,  1826  ;  md.  Feb.  8, 

1849,  Henry  A.  Smith,  b.  June  5,  1817,  son  of 
Henry  and  Asenath  (Rand)  Smith  of  Rindge ; 
resided  in  Townsend,  Rindge  and  Franklin  ;  she 
d.  Sept.  9,  1883. 

XIV.  Marill2,  Jane,  b.  July  1,  1827  ;  md.  Nov.  24,  1850, 

Pascal  P.  Emory,  son  of  Enos  Emory,  q.  v. 
50 


786 


HISTORY    OF'  ASHBURNHAM. 


25 
(7) 

26 

27 

28 
29 

30 

31 

32 

33 
34 


35 

36 
37 


i.> 


39 


Lncy  Matilda,  b.  June  30,  1829  ;  md.  Francis  A. 
Whitney,  son  of  Ohio  Whitney,  q.  v. 


Francis  Lane  was  a  captain  of  the  militia.  He  was  a 
man  of  good  judgment  and  was  successful  in  the  conduct 
of  the  mill  at  Lane  Village.  He  md.  Nov.  11,  1811, 
Susannah  Foster,  dau.  of  Samuel  Foster,  q.  v.  He  d. 
Oct.  11,  1856  ;  she  d.  March  15,  1867. 

I.  Allen  Francis,  b.  March  24,  1812  ;  md.  Oct.  28, 
1840,  Laura  P.  Tyler.  He  was  a  farmer  and  a 
mechanic.  He  d.  Dec.  3,  1886  ;  resided  on  the 
Timoth}'  Fisher  place. 

1.  Henry  T.,  b.  Sept.  20,  1841  ;  he  d.  in  the 

service  in  the  Civil  War,  Oct.  29,  1864. 

2.  Infant,  b.  May  8,  1848  ;  d.  May  18,  1843. 

3.  Laura  A.,  b.  Nov.  25,  1844  ;  md.  William 

Richardson  of  Fitchburg. 

4.  Emma  L.,  b.  April  8,  1847;  d.  Sept.   1, 

1847. 

5.  Ellen  M.,b.  Oct.  25,  1849  ;  md.  Nov.  27, 

1879,  Charles  T.  Harding  of  Fitchburg. 

6.  Albert,  b.  March  22,  1853  ;  md.  June  19, 

1881,  Ada  E.  Lyndes  ;  resides  in  West- 
minster. 

7.  James  A.,  b.  Nov.  18,  1854  ;  md.  Dec.  17, 

1881,  Carrie  Belle  Mclntire,  dau.  of 
Robert  W.  Mclntire,  q.  v. ;  a  carpenter 
at  Lane  Village. 

8.  Francis  AV.,  b.  Oct.  24,  1858;  Dartmouth 

College  1881  ;  an  Examiner  of  Pensions. 
Vide  page  508.  He  md.  Dec.  26,  1881, 
Gertrude  D.  Kilbourne,  dau.  of  Lewis 
S.  and  Gertrude  B.  (Dewey)  Kilbourne 
of  Litchfield,  Conn. 

9.  Justin  E.,  b.  April  8,  1861  ;  d.  June    17, 

1861. 

II.  Hepsibah,  b.  June  14,   1813  ;  md.  Aug.  3,   1843, 

Israel  A.  Packard,  g.  v. 
III.  Amos  F.,  b.  Jan.  30,   1815  ;  md.  June  26,  1839, 
Martha  Ward,  dau.  of  Nathaniel  D.  Ward,  q.  v. 
He  d.  March  7,  1878  ;  she  d.  Jan.  28,  1862. 

1.  William   W.,  b.    Nov.    7,    1841;  unmd. ; 

resides  in  Ashburnham. 

2.  Albert  Francis,  b.  Feb.  24,  1844  ;  d.  Sept. 

16,  1847. 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  787 

3.  Sarah  N.,  I).  April  8,   1846;  d.  Sept.   14, 

1847. 

4.  George  F.,  b.  Oct.   15,   1848;    resides  in 

Kingston ;  md.  Sept.  28,  1878,  Abbie 
Maglathlin,  who  d.  Jan.  23,  1880;  md. 
(2d)  March  6,  1881,  D.  Marinda 
Keevy.  Two  children.  He  is  a  mer- 
chant and  postmaster. 

5.  Elmira   J.,   b.   Dec.   30,   1850;  md.  

Walker  ;  resides  in  Minnesota. 

6.  Oman    F.,    b.    March   31,    1853;   unmd.  ; 

resides  in  Ashburnham. 

7.  MaryE.,  b.  May  25,    1856;  md.  Charles 

A.  Haven,  son  of  Elijah  Haven,  q.  v. 

8.  Walter  A.,   b.  July  19,    1858;  resides  in 

Kingston  ;  md.  Sept.  9,  1883,  Eva  T. 
Wright.     Two  children. 

9.  Samuel  A.,  b.  July  26,   1860;  d.  Sept.  3, 

1860. 
10.  John  F.,  b.  Aug.   22,  1861  ;  d.  April  28, 
1864. 

IV.  Samuel,  b.  May  21,  1817;  md.  Dec.  30,  1841, 
Nancy  H.  Eaton,  b.  April  18,  1822,  dau.  of 
Joel  Eaton  of  Fitchburg.  He  d.  Nov.  6,  1856  ; 
she  md.  (2d)  Jan.  1,  1861,  Charles  B.  Jones, 
son  of  John  E.  and  Cynthia  (Lincoln)  Jones. 
They  reside  at  Lane  Village. 

1.  Joel E.,b.  April  18,1843;  d.  Jan  1,1859. 

2.  Mary  S.,  b.    Jan.    20,   1845;  d.    Dec.  5, 

1845. 

3.  S.  Edward,  b.  Oct.  18,  1846  ;  md.  June  3, 

1866,  Edna  L.  Pierce  ;  resides  in  Roy- 
alston. 

4.  Frederick  D.,b.  July  4,  1849  ;  Dartmouth 

College  1878  ;  an  instructor  in  Cushing 
Academy.      Vide  page  508. 

5.  Susetta  M.,  b.  Oct  20,  1850;  d.  Dec.  23, 

1858. 

V.  Milton.h.  Feb.  27, 1819  ;  md.  Nov.  5,  1851,  Mary 
Parkhurst,  b.  Aug.  1,  1831  ;  she  d.  Oct.  25, 
1863;  md.  (2d)  Jan.,  1867,  Jane  (Pierce) 

Flagg;  he  d. 1876  ;  she  md.  J.  Chauncey 

Lawrence,  q.  v. 

1.  Ella    M.,    b.    Sept.     10,    1855;    unmd.; 
resides  in  Rindse. 


788 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


56 

57 

58 

59 
60 

61 

62 

63 
64 

65 

66 

67 


69 

70 

71 

(10) 

72 
73 


2.  Hattie    P.,    b.    Dec.    16,    1857;    unmd.  ; 

resides  in  Fitchburg. 

3.  GeneryM.,  b.  Oct.  19,    1860;  resides  in 

Ashburnham. 

4.  Delia  M.,  b.  March  25,   1863;  resides  in 

Ashburnham. 

5.  Gertrude  E.,  b.  Nov.  4,  1867. 

6.  Herbert  L.,  b.  Nov.  20,  1869. 

VI.  Leonard,  b.  April   21,  1821  ;  md.  June   4,    1856, 

Luc}^  Pollard,  dau.  of   AYilliam   Pollard,  q.  v.  ; 
resides  on  the  Samuel  Cutting  farm. 

1.  Ada  Estella,  b.  May  10,  1859  ;  d.  Jan.  1, 
1863. 

VII.  Hosea,  b.  April  20,  1823  ;  d.  Aug.  7,  1828. 

VIII.  Susan  TF.,  b.  Jan.  23,   1825;  unmd.;  resides  in 
Ashburnham. 

IX.  Rebecca  Clarissa,  b.  Jan.  29,  1827;  md.  Merrick 

Eaton,  son  of  Josiah  Eaton,  q.  v. 

X.  Eleanor  Jane,  h.  Jan.  27,  1829  ;  md.  Daniel  W. 

Lane,  son  of  Benjamin  Lane,  Jr.,  q.  v. 
XI.  Hosea  Foster,  b.  Feb.  7,  1831.  For  thirty  years 
he  has  been  the  efficient  principal  of  the  Tem- 
pleton  High  School.  He  md.  Aug.  16,  1858, 
Elizabeth  E.  Fairbanks,  dau.  of  Emory  Fair- 
banks, q.  V. 


1.  Charles  H.,  b.  Sept.  14,  1859. 

2.  Arthur  Francis,  b.  July  17,  1861 

17,  1862. 


d.  Oct. 


Charles  W.,  b.  Aug.  15,  1833;  md.  Oct.  31, 
1867,  Philena  (Howard)  Packard,  b.  Jan.  20, 
1834,  widow  of  Horace  C.  Packard  and  dau.  of 
Josiah  Howard  of  Hinsdale,  N.  H.  He  resides 
on  the  homestead. 

1.  Harry  Charles,  b.  Jan.  29,  1872. 


John  Lane  md.  April  10,  1822,  Anna  Cook,  dau.  of 
John  Cook,  q.  v.  He  resided  on  the  Henry  Willard  farm 
now  owned  by  his  daughter.  He  d.  Dec.  13,  1845  ;  she 
d.  Aug.  27,  1851. 

I.  Mary  A.,   b.    Oct.    12,    1832;  md.    William   H. 
Emory,  q.  v. 


Lieut.  Benjamin  Lane,  a  brother  of  Col.  Francis,  was 
b.  in  Bedford   March  17,  1754.     He  came   to   Ashburn- 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  789 

ham  iu  the  spring  of  1780,  and  settled  on  the  road  leading 
from  the  old  common  to  the  "  Children  of  the  Woods." 
The  premises  are  still  known  as  the  Benjamin  Lane  place. 
While  he  was  clearing  land  and  building  a  honse  for  him- 
self he  boarded  with  his  brother,  and  when  the  house  was 
burned  he  lost  his  clothing  except  one  suit,  which  was 
probably  the  best  one,  as  he  was  attending  church  at  the 
time  of  the  fire.  In  1781  he  was  chosen  an  agent  to  pro- 
cure the  beef  levied  as  a  tax  upon  the  towns  of  the  State, 
and  subsequently  his  name  is  often  found  in  the  records 
of  town  meetings.  He  md.  Anna  Page  ;  she  d.  Sept.  4, 
1784  ;  he  md.  (2d)  May  26,  1785,  Isabel  Hill,  b.  Dec.  3, 
1761,  dau.  of  Jonathan  and  Mary  (Lane)  Hill  of  Biller- 
ica,  and  a  sister  of  Ralph  Hill  of  Ashby.  He  d.  Dec.  20, 
1835  ;  his  wife  d.  Jan.  1,  1833. 

I.  Dolly,  b.  Oct.  18,  1780;  d.  Jan.  20,  1784. 
II.  Josiah,  b.  March  28,  1782.-f- 

III.  Isabel,  b.  July  7,  1788;  d.  unmd.  Feb.  13,  1825. 

IV.  Benjamin,  b.  1786;  d.  July  31,  1791. 

V.  Dolly,  b.  May  22,  1790  ;  md.  July  25,  1826,  Ben- 
jamin Howard  of  Ashby  ;  she  d.  Nov.  3,  1833. 
VI.  Anna,   b.  April    29,    1792;  md.    June    28,    1812, 

William  Stearns. 
VII.  Rozanna,  b.  Oct.  4,  1793  ;  md.  John   Cook,  Jr., 

q.  V. 
VIII.  Benjamin,  b.  June  23,  1795. -f- 
IX.  Lucinda,  b.  Dec.   11,   1797;  md.    1823,   John  W. 
Cutting  of  Weston  ;  she  d.  April  20,  1854. 
X.  Susan,  b.  Oct.  29,  1799;  md.  March,  1831,  Ben- 
jamin  Jaquith  of   Ashby ;  md.  (2d)  Nathaniel 
Swain ;  she  d.  Oct.  6,  1880. 
XI.  Sally,  b.  Oct.  8,  1801  ;  md.  Dec.  28,  1828,  Frank- 
lin Stearns  of  Billerica,  b.  Jan.  25,  1802,  son  of 
John  and  Mary  (Lane)  Stearns  and  a   brother 
of   Gov.  Onslow  Stearns   of   New  Hampshire. 
Six  children. 
XII.  Melinda,  b.  May  21,    1804;  md.   Nov.  29,    1838, 
Benjamin  Ward,  q.  v. 


JosiAH  Lane  md.  March  28,  1805,  Nancy  Wilder,  dau. 
of  Caleb  Wilder,  q.  v.  They  resided  in  this  town  until 
1828,  when  with  nine  children,  leaving  four  little  graves 
in  the  cemetery,  they  removed  to  Cambridge.  While  a 
resident  of  this  town  he  established  and  conducted  a  post 
route  between  Ashburnham  and  Worcester.  He  d.  in 
Anoka,  Minn.,  Feb.  28,  1876,  aged  94  years.  His  wife 
d.  in  Somerville,  May  4,  1853. 


790 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


(81) 


99 


100 


101 
102 


103 
104 


I.  Julia  Ann  Cashing,  h.  Oct.  7,  1805;  md.  Jan.  22^ 
1835,  H.  A.  Harrington;  d.  in  Anoka,  Minn.^ 
Feb.  10,  1881. 
II.  Mary   Jane    Woodward,    b.    July   19,    1807:  md- 

John  L.  Prather. 
m.   Charles  TF.,  b.  Jan.  31,  1809  ;  d.  Dec.  2,  1809. 

IV.  George  F.,  b.  Nov.  28,  1810;  d.  Oct.  7,  1813. 

V.  Nancy  TF.,  b.  Feb.  28,  1812;  d.  Dec.  2,  1813. 
VI.  Alexander  Page,    b.    Aug.  30,    1814;  md.    1836, 

Anna  M.  Favor  ;  resides  at  Eureka  Springs,  Ark. 

VII.  Augustus  Joy,  h.Tiec.  26,  1815;  md.  1841,  Susan 
Skidmore;  d.  atWilbraham  Oct.  11,  1880. 

VIII.  Electa  Frances  Wilder,  b.  June  19,  1817;  md. 
Dec.  31,  1837,  Aquilla  Willette  ;  d.  in  Daven- 
port, Iowa,  Sept.  2,  1839. 

IX.  David  IJyslop,   b.  April  2,    1820;  md.  July   13, 

1845,  Harriet  L.  Bettinson  ;  d.  in  Anoka,  Minn., 
Nov.  13,  1878. 

X.  Joseph    Ilayden,   b.    Oct.   25,    1822;  md.   Hester 

Prather  ;  resides  at  Chicago,  111. 

XI.  George  S.  IF,  b.    Sept.    15,    1824;  d.  Feb.    15, 

1825. 
XII.  John  S.  W.  (twin),  b.  Sept.  15,  1824;  md. 
Dec.  31,  1848,  Sarah  Gushing;  resides  at  Bos- 
ton. 
XIII.  Tliomas  Parliman  Cushing,  b.  May  30,  1827  ;  md.. 
Dec.  18,  1861,  Helen  M.  Rose;  resides  at 
Mattoou,  111. 


Benjamin  Lane  md.  Dec,  1823,  Abigail  Walker,  dau. 
of  John  and  Marv  (Stratton)  Walker  of  New  Ipswich. 
He  was  a  farmer.  ""  He  d.  Oct.  18,  1880. 

I.  Daniel  Walker,  b.  Dec.  4,  1824;  md.  Feb.  9, 
1852,  Jerusha  E.  Bemis  ;  she  d.  Sept.  3,  1872  ; 
he  md.  (2d)  April  23,  1874,  Eleanor  J.  Lane,, 
dau.  of  Francis  Lane,  Jr.,  g.  v.    He  is  a  farmer. 

1.  Loretta,  b.  Dec.    14,    1852;    d.   Jan.   27,. 

1853. 

2.  Cyrus  W.,  b.  Feb.  23,  1854. 

3.  Minerva  L.,  b.  March  15,  1857. 

II.  Sarah,  b.  Aug.  8,  1827;  d.  Jan.  13,  1828. 
m.  Martin  B.  Lane,  b.  Sept.  4,  1828;  md.  Nov.  1, 
1865,  Carrie  N.  Adams,  b.  July  29,  1846,  dau.. 
of  Capt.  William  Adams  of  Townsend.  He 
was  several  years  a  merchant  in  this  town,  and 
is  now  a  salesman. 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER. 


791 


105 
106 
107 
108 
109 

110 


111 

112 
113 
114 

115 


116 


1.  Henry  IMartin,  b.  Nov.  28,  1867. 

2.  Willie  Frauk,  b.  July  22,  1870. 

3.  Abbott  Benjamin,  b.  Jan.  4,  1876. 

4.  Mabel  Augusta,  b.  June  7,  1879. 

5.  Orrie  Adams,  b.  April  1,  1884. 

IV.   George,   b.    Sept.  23,   1829  ;    md.  Aug.  27,  1860, 
Mary  A.  Castella,  b.  March  15,  1837.      He  is  a 
merchant  in  Newton. 
V.  Sarah  Abigail,  b.  March  31,    1831;    md.  Oct.   5, 

1865,  Joseph  Hague  ;  reside  in  Maiden. 
VI.  Mary  Ann,  b.  April  5,  1832  ;  d.  July  5,  1842. 
VII.  Emeline,  b.  June  20,  1834  ;   d.  July  13,  1854. 
VIII.  Sojjhronia  Asenath,  b.  Oct.  20,  1835  ;  d.  Oct.  17, 
1863. 
IX.  Sewell  Stearns,  b.  Aug.   28,    1838  ;    md.   Feb.   7, 
1867,  Sarah  Josephine  Lovett  of  New  Ipswich, 
b.  Jan.  17,  1843.    He  is  a  merchant  in  Gardner. 


WiLLARD  Lane,  lineage  not  traced,  md.  Nov.  28,  1782, 
Lucy  Stone,  dau.  of  Oliver  Stone,  q.  v.  He  lived  in  Fitz- 
william,  N.  H.,  a  short  time  and  removed  to  Ashburn- 
ham  in  1783  and  began  tanning  in  Central  Village.  He 
sold  the  tan-yard  to  Dea.  William  J.  Lawrence  in  1797, 
and  soon  after  removed  from  town.  He  d.  March  15, 
1818  ;  his  widow  d.  Jan.  13,  1832.  They  did  not  die  in 
this  town.  No  record  of  children,  if  any,  has  been  found, 
except  the  death  of  an  infant  March  13,  1786. 


LAAVRENCE. 

The  name  of  Lawrence  has  been  continued  in  this  town  without  interrup- 
tion since  1775.  In  addition  to  a  few  transient  residents  there  are  four  dis- 
tinct families  of  Lawrence  in  this  town,  and  ail  are  descendants  of  John 
Lawrence  the  emigrant  ancestor.  Amos  Lawrence  (No.  1)  and  the  father  of 
Dea.  William  J.  Lawrence  (No.  42)  were  first  cousins;  they  also  were  first 
cousins  of  Dea.  Samuel  Lawrence  of  Groton,  the  father  of  Hon.  Abbott 
Lawrence.  Alethon  Lawrence  (No.  4G)  and  Jeremiah,  the  father  of  Jeremiah 
Lawrence  (No.  78)  were  second  cousins;  but  Elnathan  and  .Jeremiah  Law- 
rence on  the  one  hand  and  Amos  and  Dea.  William  J.  Lawrence  on  the  other 
were  remotely  connected,  having  been  descended  from  different  sons  of  the 
emigrant  ancestor.     A  brief  record  of  the  generations  is  given. 

John  Lawrence,  son  of  Henry  and  Mary  Lawrence,  bap.  at  Wisset,  Eng- 
land, Oct.  8,  1609,  is  found  a  resident  of  Watertown  in  1636.  He  was  ad- 
mitted  freeman  A-pril   17.    16;!7.     In   1662  he  removed  to  Groton  and  was 

chosen  to  the  first  board  of  selectmen  in  that  town.     He  md.  Elizabeth , 

by  whom  he  had  thirteen  children;  she  d.  at  Groton  Aug.  29,  16o3;  he  md. 
(2d)  Nov.  2,  1664,  Susannah  Batchelder  who  was  the  mother  of  two  chil- 
dren;  he  d.  at  Groton  July  11,  1667;  his  widow  d.  July  8,  1668. 

Dea.  Nathaniel  Lawrence,  son  of  John  and  Elizabeth  Lawrence,  was  b.  at 
Watertown,  Oct.  15,  1639.  He  resided  in  Sudbury,  Groton  and  Lexington. 
While  a  resident  of  Groton,  he  was  a  deacon,  a  representative  and  was  prom- 
inent in  public  affairs.  He  md.  March  13,  1660-1,  Sarah  Morse,  b.  Sept.  16, 
1643,  dau.  of  John  and  Hannah  (Phillips)  Morse  of  Dedhara.     He  md.  (2d) 


792  HISTORY    OF    ASHBURNHAM. 

Hannah .     He  d.  at  Sudbury  April  14,   172-t.     Amoncr  the  children  of 

Dea.  Nathaniel  and  Sar^h  (Morse)  Lawrence  was  John  Lawrence,  b.  July 
29,  1667.  He  was  a  farmer  and  a  blacksmith  in  Groton  until  1693,  when  he 
removed  to  Lexington,  and  there  was  an  assessor,  constable  and  selectman. 
He  md.  Nov.  9,  1687,  Anna  Tarbell,  b.  June  10,  1670,  dau.  of  Thomas,  Jr., 
and  Anna  (Longley)  Tarbell.  He  d.  March  12,  1746-7;  his  wife  d.  Dec.  19, 
1732.  Benjamin  Lawrence,  son  of  John  and  Anna  (Tarbell)  Lawrence,  b. 
May  24,  1713,  md.  Feb.  12,  1734-5,  Jane  Russell,  b.  July  19,  1711,  dau.  of 
Jonathan  and  Elizabeth  Russell  of  Lexington.  He  resided  in  Lexington, 
Westboro',  and  in  1749  he  removed  to  Boston.  He  d.  in  Harvard  July  5, 
1767;  his  widow  came  to  Ashburnham  with  her  son  Amos  (No.  1)  and  d. 
here  Aug.  11,  1786,  aged,  says  Mr.  Gushing,  73  years. 

Another  son  of  John  and  Anna  (Tarbell)  Lawrence  of  Groton  and  Lexing- 
ton, was  Jonathan  Lawrence,  b.  Feb.  13,  bap.  Feb.  24,  1706.  He  lived  in 
Sudbury,  Framingham,  and  about  1740  he  removed  to  Lexington  where  he 
was  frequently  elected  to  ofBce.  He  md.  Feb.  26,  1727,  Elizabeth  Swain. 
He  d.  March  19,  1773;  his  widow  d.  July  4.  1790.  In  his  will  appears  a 
clause,  "  I  give  my  negroes  among  all  my  children  to  be  settled  among  them 
as  they  shall  agree."  There  were  ten  children  an-i  among  them  was  Jonathan 
Lawrence,  b.  in  Framingham  Feb.  5,  1734.  He  settled  first  in  "Woburu, 
where  he  md.  Dec.  13,  1737,  Elizabeth  Johnson.  In  1773  or  1774,  with  six 
children,  they  removed  from  Woburn  to  Ashby,  where  he  d.  Nov.  26,  1799; 
his  wife  d.  Dec.  26,  1782;  he  md.  (2d)  1784.  Lydia  Davis.  Dea.  William  J. 
Lawrence  (No.  42)  was  a  son  of  Jonathan  and  Elizabeth  (Johnson)  Lawrence. 

A  younger  son  of  John  Lawrence,  the  emigrant  ancestor,  was  Peleg  Law- 
rence, b.  Jan.  10,  1646-7;  md.  1668,  Elizabeth  Morse,  b  Sept.  1,  1647,  a 
sister  of  the  wife  of  his  brother,  Dea.  Nathaniel.  He  resided  in  Groton, 
where  he  d.  1692.  Major  Eleazer  Lawrence,  son  of  Peleg  and  Elizabeth 
(Morse)  Lawrence,  was  b.  in  Groton  Feb.  28,  1674.  He  resided  in  Groton, 
until  after  1722,  and  there  by  wife  Mary  his  ten  children  were  b.  Subse- 
quently he  removed  to  Littleton,  where  he  was  an  influential  citizen  several 
years.  He  d.  at  Pepperell,  probably  at  the  home  of  his  eldest  son.  March  9, 
1754;  his  widow  d.  June  29,  1761,  aged  82.  Samuel  Lawrence,  son  of 
Major  Eleazer,  b.  in  Groton  May  2,  1714,  md.  May  6,  1737,  Mary  Hildreth 
of  Westford.  He  resided  in  Littleton  until  about  1741,  when  he  removed  to 
Westford,  and  there  remained  about  twenty  years.  Late  in  life  he  removed 
to  Ashby  where  two  of  his  sons  were  residing.  He  d.  about  1789;  his  wife 
d.  March  17,  1788.       Charles  Lawrence,  son  of  Samuel  and  Mary  (Hildreth) 

Lawrence,  was  b   in  Littleton  Jan.  20,  1740-1 ;    he  md.  Naomi .      Their 

eldest  child  was  b.  in  Groton,  1764;  tlie  second  in  Harvard  1766,  the  third  in 
Ashby  1768,  and  five  others  in  Ashby  from  1771  to  1781.  He  d.  in  Ashby 
May  22,  1825;  his  wife  d.  June  2,  1805.  Among  the  eight  children  of 
Charles  and  Naomi  Lawrence  were  Reuben,  whose  descendants  have  resided 
in  this  town,  and  Alethon  (No.  46). 

Another  son  of  Major  Eleazer  Lawrence  was  Dea.  Jonathan  Lawrence,  b.  in 
Groton  Oct.  4,  1703;  he  removed  to  Littleton  where  he  was  a  useful  citizen, 
and  d.  Dec.  8,  1789.  He  md.  Tryphena  Powers  who  d.  Aug.  25,  1752;  he 
md.  (2d)  Oct.  10,  1754,  Lydia  Fletcher  who  d.  March  21,  1803,  aged  90. 
Peter  Lawrence,  son  of  Dea.  Jonathan  and  Tryphena   (Powers)  Lawrence, 

b.    Uct.   7,   1742,  md.    Persis    .       He  removed  to  Townsend  about  the 

date  of  his  marriage,  and  when  Ashby  was  incorporated  his  land  was  included 
in  that  town.  He  was  an  active  citizen  and  his  name  is  familiar  in  the  early 
records  of  Ashby.  He  d.  Oct.  21,  1798.  Jeremiah  Lawrence,  his  son,  md. 
Rachel  Wright,  and  subsequently  removed  to  Ashburnham. 


Amos  Lawrence,  son  of  Benjamin  and  Jane  (Russell) 
Lawrence,  was  b.  in  Westboro'  Aug.  7,  1748.  He  md. 
1772,  Sarah  VVetherbee,  b.  in  Boxborongh  Nov.  22,  1748. 


13 


GENEALOCxICAL    UEGISTER.  793 

In  1774  he  settled  in  the  northwest  part  of  this  town  near 
the  school-house  in  the  seventh  district.  He  was  a  mem- 
ber of  Capt.  Gates' company  in  1775,  and  subsequently 
from  year  to  year  he  was  chosen  to  office  in  the  conduct 
of  town  affairs.  He  was  an  intelligent  man.  About  1800 
he  removed  to  Fitchburg.     His  wife  d.  April  5,  1818  ;  he 

md.  (2d)  White  ;  he  d.  June  9,  1840  ;  she  d.  in  this 

town  at  the  home  of  her  daughter. 

I.  Amos,  b.  1773  ;  md.  March  1,  1807,  Sally  Fletcher, 
b.  in  Westford  1773,  dan.  of  Joshua  and  Eliza- 
beth (Raymond)  Fletcher,  and  a  sister  of 
Joshua  Fletcher  of  this  town.  He  resided  in 
Fitchburg.  Their  children  were  Amos,  Sophro- 
nia,  Paul  R.  and  Freeborn. 
II.  Nabby,  b.  May  14,  1774;  md.  May  8,  1794, 
Epbraim  Hale  of  Stow.  She  was  the  mother  of 
nine  children  ;  she  d.  June  29,  1841. 

III.  Moses,  b.  Sept.  24,  1775. -f- 

IV.  Sarah,  b.  May  8,  1777  ;  md.  April  18, 1797,  Samuel 

Gates  of  Stow  ;  six  children  ;  she  d.  Feb.  5, 1808. 
V.  An7ia,  b.  Feb.    19,   1779;    md.  May  5,  1803,  Dr. 

Israel  Hale  of   Stow ;    four   children ;    she  d. 

Dec.  26,  1852. 
VI.  Alice,  b.   Aug.    12,   1781;    md.    March    7,   1804, 

Nehemiah  Andrews  of  Fitchburg  ;  five  children  ; 

she  d.  Nov.  2G,  1812. 
VII.  Ezra,  b.  March  16,  1783.+ 
VIII.  Joel,  b.  Aug.  9,  1785;  md.  Sarah  Miles;  lived  in 

Ashburnham  and  in  Fitchburg ;  d.  in  Fitchburg 

about  1860. 
IX.  Martha,  b.  Jan.  31,  1788;  md.  William  Merriam, 

q.  V. 
X.  Betsey,  b.  Jan.  1,  1790;   md.   Jan.  6,  1814,  Nehe- 

miah  Andrews,  who  md.  her  sister  Alice.    Eleven 

children  ;  she  d.  Feb.  8,  1855. 

XI.  Uriah,  b.  in  Fitchburg  1822;  md.  March  1,  1850, 

Sarah  Hadley,  dau.  of  Gamaliel  Hadley,  q.  v. 
They  resided  in  Rindge,  where  she  d.  1882. 
Eight  children.  He  md.  (2d)  1883,  Betsey 
(Holden)  Kendall,  and  removed  to  Sharon,  N. 
H.,  where  he  now  resides.  Between  the  age  of 
the  father  and  this  son  there  is  a  space  of 
seventy-four  years.  It  is  probable  that  Uriah 
Lawrence  is  the  only  man  living  who  can  say 
that  his  father  settled  in  Ashburnham  previous 
to  the  Revolution. 

XII.  Jane  R.,  b.  1828  ;  md.  July  1,  1849,  Charles  Law- 

rence, son  of  Alethon  Lawrence,  q.  v. 


794 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


(4) 


17 

18 

19 

20 
21 

22 

23 
24 

25 
26 

27 
(8) 


Capt.  Moses  Lawrence  was  the  commander  of  the 
Ashburnham  Light  Infantry  from  1810  to  1813.  He 
built  one  or  more  houses  and  mills  at  North  Village  and 
was  active  in  public  and  business  affairs.  He  md. 
Feb.  25,  1798,  Sarah  Wetherell  of  Norton;  she  d.  July 
28,  1834  ;  he  md.  (2d)  1835,  Mrs.  Desire  Longley  of 
Shirley.     Late  in  life  he  removed  to  Shirley  where  he  d. 

I.  Alona,  b.  July  23,  1799  ;  d.  Sept.  26,  1800. 
II.  Alona,  b.  Jan.  26,  1801  ;  md.  Walter  Russell,  g.  v. 

III.  Ruel,    b.    Nov.    19.    1803;    md.    Jan.    29,   1827, 

Thankful  Laws  of  Westminster.  The  Common- 
wealth had  a  controversy  with  him  about  a 
business  affair ;  he  responded  not  guilty  ;  the 
court  thought  otherwise,  and  he  d.  in  the  State 
prison  at  Charles  town  Sept.  19,  1849  ;  his  widow 
d.  Oct.  26,  1849. 

1.  Harriet,   b..  Nov.   14,    1827;    md.   George 

R.  Fergurson  ;  removed  to  Boston. 

2.  Charles  Harvey,  b.  Nov.  7,  1830  ;    resides 

in  Illinois. 

3.  Emily  A.,  b.  July  19,   1834;    md.  Horace 

Snow. 

4.  Alden  B.,  b.  March  15,  1842. 

5.  Adaline  M.,  b.  Dec.  7,  1845. 

IV.  Waity,  b.  Jan.   22,   1806 ;    md.   Francis  Kibling,. 

q.  V. 
V.  Sabrina,  b.  May  27,  1808  ;  md.  Silas  Willard,  q.  v. 
VI.  Luana,  b.  July  26,  1810  ;   md.  George  Wood,  son 

of  Jonathan  Wood,  q.  v. 
VII.  Malvina,  b.  July  5,  1812  ;  d.  Jan.  13,  1815. 
VIII.  Malvina,  h.  July  \ 5,  1816  ;    md.   Leonard  Foster^ 
q.  V. 
IX.  Elsie  P.,  b.  Dec.  23,  1818  ;  d.  Feb.  23,  1826. 


Ezra  Lawrence  md.  June  30,  1808,  Rebecca  Ward, 
dau.  of  Caleb  Ward,  q.  v.  He  resided  in  this  town  until 
about  1835,  when  he  removed  to  Verona,  N.  Y.,  where 
he  d.  Oct.  16,  1849. 

I.  Loivell,  b.  June  21,  1809. 
II.    Windsor,  h.  April  9,  1811. 

III.  Alma,  b.  May  16,  1813  ;    d.  Dec.  12,  1823. 

IV.  Lorene,  b.  Feb.  1,  1816. 
V.   Lavinia,  b.  Oct.  21,  1818. 

VI.  Achsah.  b.  Oct.  14,  1820. 
VII.  Sophia,  b.  Oct.  11,  1822. 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  795 

VIII.  Harriet,  b.  Sept.  27,  1824. 
IX.  Joseph  E.,  b.  April  26,  1827. 
X.  Alfred  B.,  b.  Nov.  18,  1829. 
XI.   Gilbert,  b.  Dec.  27,  1831. 
XII.  Marietta,  b.  Dec.  30,  1834. 


Jonathan  Lawrence,  a  brother  of  Amos  (No.  1),  md. 
Jan.  14,  1779,  Jane  Kibling,  dau.  of  John  Kibling  the 
emigrant.  They  lived  in  this  town  a  short  time  but  re- 
moved previous  to  1787. 

I.  Benjamin,  bap.  Feb.  17,  1782. 


Dea.  William  J.  Lawrence,  son  of  Jonathan  and 
Elizabeth  (Johnson)  Lawrence,  was  b.  in  Woburn  Jan.  1, 
1773.  lu  bis  infancy  the  family  removed  to  Ashby  where 
he  passed  the  years  of  childhood  and  youth.  He  was  a 
tanner  and  it  is  possible  he  followed  his  trade  in  Lexing- 
ton as  he  came  from  there  to  this  town  in  1797,  and  at  the 
time  of  his  removal  he  bought  of  Willard  Lane  a  tan-yard 
that  was  located  near  the  residence  of  George  C.  Foster, 
Esq.  He  built  the  house  now  occupied  by  his  dau.  Mrs. 
White,  and  joined  many  acres  to  his  estate.  He  was  an 
honest,  conscientious  man,  and  steadfast  in  his  adhe- 
rence to  his  convictions.  He  was  a  deacon  of  the  Congre- 
gational church  twenty-five  years  and  was  chosen  to  sev- 
eral positions  in  town  affairs.  He  md.  1798,  Elizabeth 
Griffin  of  Bedford.  He  d.  suddenly  July  8,  1844 ;  his 
widow  d.  Feb.  18,  1862. 

I.  Betsey,  b.  Jan.  15,  1801  ;  md.  Josiah  White,  q.  v. 
II.  Nancy,  b.  Dec.    19,   1802  ;    md.   Samuel  Barrett, 

q.  V. 
III.   Zoa,  b.  April  21,  1804  ;  md.  Ivers  White,  q.  v. 


Alethon  Lawrence,  son  of  Charles  and  Naomi  Law- 
rence, was  b.  in  Ashby  Oct.  15,  1771.  In  Ashby  his  name 
appears  on  the  records  as  Alethon,  but  when  he  removed 
to  Ashburuham  the  town  officials  wrote  the  name  Elna- 
than.  He  md.  1797,  Mary  Tenuey,  dau.  of  Cheney  Ten- 
ney  of  Littleton.  He  was  a  farmer  and  resided  in  Ashby 
until  1813,  when  he  removed  to  this  town.  The  farm  is 
partly  in  this  town  and  partly  in  Ashby.  He  d.  in  this 
town  June  6,  1842  ;  his  widow  d.  1861. 

I.  Polly,  b.  Feb.  15,  1798;  d.  March  30,  1800. 
II.  Sarah,   b.  April   18,   1800;    md.   Aug.   26,    1832, 


796 


HISTORY    OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


49 


<55) 


57 


<56) 


58 


59 


60 


•61 


62 


•63 


^4 


Edward    Smith ;    resided  on   North   Turnpike. 

1.  Leonard,  b.  Aug.    10,   1835;    removed  to 
AVestminster  ;  md.  Mary  Mansfield. 

in.  Mary,  b.  May  3,  1801 ;    md.  Nathan  Hunt. 

IV.  Elizabeth,  b.  May  10,  lS04  ;  md.  Amos  Derby. 
V.  Leonard,  b.  Feb.  17,  1806  ;  d.  July  29,  1806. 

VI.   Zoa,  h.  June  17,  1808  ;  d.  June  25,  1808. 

vii.  Nayicy,  b.  June   17,  1809  ;    md.  1834,  Zimri  Whit- 
ney, b.  July  2,  1807,  son  of  Isaac  and  Susannah 
Whitney  of  Ashby.     They  resided  in  Ashby, 
where  he  d.,  felo  de  se,  and  she  d.  1879. 
viii.   Charles,  b.  March  29,  1812.+ 

IX.  Leonard,  b.  1814. -f- 


Charles  Lawrence  is  a  farmer  residing  on  the  North 
Turnpike.  He  md.  Susan  Lovejoy,  b.  Jan.  11,  1812, 
dau.  of  Benjamin  and  Ruth  (Wood)  Lovejoy  of  Rindge ; 
she  d.  Dec,  1848  ;  md.  (2d)  July  1,  1849,  Jane  R.  Law- 
rence, dau.  of  Amos  Lawrence,  q.  v.  She  d.  Sept.  5, 
1876;  md.  (3d)  Sept.,  1881,  Martha  (Hadley)  Lawrence, 
widow  of  his  brother  Leonard.     One  child. 

I.  Susan  Jane,  b.  June  19,  1851 ;  md.  Charles  E. 
INIansfield,  son  of  Jonathan  M.  Mansfield;  she 
d.  May,  1875. 


Leonard  Lawrence  was  a  farmer ;  he  lived  on  the 
farm  formerly  of  his  father  in  the  northeast  part  of  the 
town.  He  md.  Maj-  4,  1837,  Martha  C.  Hadley,  dau.  of 
Gamaliel  Hadley,  q.  v.  He  d.  suddenly  June  14,  1870 ; 
his  widow  md.  (2d)  his  brother,  Charles  Lawrence. 

I.  3Iary,  b.  March   7,  1838  ;    md.   John  Kendall  of 

Ashby. 
II.    Walter,  b.  Aug.  23,  1840  ;    md.  1868,  Emeline  A. 

Whitnejs  dau.  of  Dwell  Whitney,  q.  v. 

III.  Elnathan,   b.   Feb.    4,    1842 ;    unmd ;    resides   in 

Ashby. 

IV.  Martha  Jane,  b.  March  19,  1844  ;  md.  1865,  Lewis 

W.  Whitney,  son  of  Dwell  Whitney,  q.  v. 
V.   C/iarZes,  b.  June  23,  1846;    md.   1881,  H.Evelyn 

Foster  ;  resides  in  Ashby. 
VI.  Sarah  A.,  b.  Sept.  2,  1848  ;  md.  1878,  John  Fos- 
ter ;  reside  in  Colorado. 
VII.  HaUie  E.,  b.  Sept.  3,   1852  ;    md.  Dec.    7,   1872, 
George  W.  Blanchard  of  Ashby. 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  797 

an.  Leonard,  b.  Feb.  8,  1855  ;  unmd ;  resides  in  Colo- 
rado. 

IX.  Amanda,  b.  Dec.  20,  1859  ;    md.  Nov.   25,   1880, 

Alfred  Brewer  ;  resides  in  Ashburnham. 
X.  Alice  N.,  b.  May  7,   1867;    md.   Dec.   24,    1885, 
James  Doloflf ;  resides  in  Maiden. 


John  Lamtjence,  son  of  Reuben  and  Lois  (Tenuey) 
Lawrence,  and  a  grandson  of  Charles  and  (Naomi)  Law- 
rence, was  b.  in  Ashby  March  31,  1796.  He  md.  1834^ 
Phebe  W.  Broughton,  dau.  of  William  Broughton. 

I.  Esther  Sirena,  b.  July  21,  1834;    md.  March   14^ 
1854,  Robert  J.  Elliot.     He  d.  . 

1.  L.  Agnes,  b.  May  8,  1865  ;  md.  Dec.  24^ 

1885,  Robert  Samson. 

2.  Etta  M.,  b.  June  18,  1867  ;    md.  Winslow 

O.  Fletcher,  q.  v. 

II.  John  Chauncey,  b.  May  28,  1836  ;  md.  March  17, 
1866,  Abbie  A.  Blane}',  dau.  of  Benjamin 
Blaney.  She  d.  Aug.  18,  1876;  md.  (2d) 
April  14,  1880,  Jane  (Pierce)  Lane,  widow  of 
Milton  Lane,  q.  v.     Resides  at  Lane  Village. 

III.  George  W.,  b.  June  3,  1838  ;    md.  Feb.  15,  1864, 

Ellen  E.  Reed.    He  is  a  veteran  21st  Regiment. 

IV.  Reuben  H.,  b.  Sept.  19,  1845  ;    md.  Fanny  Good- 

ale.     He  was  killed  in  braking  cars,  Dec.   9, 
1877. 
V.    William  A.,  b.  July  8,  1856  ;    md.  Jan.  31,  1877, 
Mary  E.  Bixby,  dau.  of  Aaron  B.  Bixby. 


Capt.  Jeremiah  Lawrence,  son  of  Peter  Lawrence, 
was  b.  in  Ashby  Jan.  29,  1772.  He  md.  Rachel  Wright, 
b.  June  26,  1773,  dau.  of  Henry  and  Sarah  (Spalding) 
Wright  of  Westford  and  Ashby.  About  1821  he  removed 
to  this  town.  He  d.  Feb.  20,  1854  ;  his  wife  d.  March 
22,  1851.     Children  b.  in  Ashby. 

I.  Persis,  b.  Oct.  30,  1792. 
II.  Jeremiah,  b.  Feb.  4,  1796.-|- 

III.  Tila  0.,  b.  Sept.  30,  1799. 

IV.  Jonas,  b.  Aug.  8,  1806. -|- 

V.  Susan   Stearns,   b.   Jan.   23,    1812 ;    md.  Asahel 
Wheeler,  q.  v. 


Jeremiah   Lawrence,  Jr.,  md.   Feb.   20,   1821,  Mary 
Tuttle  of  Ashby,  b.  Dec.  21,  1792  ;  removed  to  this  town 


798 


HISTORY    OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


82 


83 

84 


(80) 


90 


about  the  date  of  his  marriage.     He  d.  July  3,  1872  ;  she 
d.  Dec.  7,  1883. 

I.  William  T.,  b.  Sept.  22,  1825  ;  md.  Nov.  1,  1846, 
Nancy  W.  Blanchard  of  New  Ipswich.  He  re- 
sides in  Peterborough,  N.  H. 

1.  Mary  A.,  b.  May  4,  1852  ;  d.  Sept.  2,  1852. 

2.  Marah  A.,  b.  Oct.  9,  1853;    d.   Nov.   15, 

1853. 

3.  Lillie  A.,  b.  Feb.  26,  1855. 

4.  Emma  F.,  b.  March  3,  1857. 

II.  Charles  H.,  b.  Sept.  2,  1827  ;  removed  to  Boston, 
where  he  md.  1848,  Sarah  E.  Riblet  of  Charles- 
town.  He  d.  March  23,  1878  ;  his  widow  d. 
April  10,  1879. 

III.  3Iarah  S.,  b.  Jan.  19,  1829  ;  d.  April  20,  1850. 


Jonas  Lawrence,  a  brother  of  Jeremiah,  Jr.,  md.  June 
6,  1833,  Sarah  White,  dau.  of  Dea.  Elisha  White,  q.  v.  ; 
she  d.  June  22,  1845  ;  he  md.  (2d)  1852,  Eliza  (Russell) 
Houghton,  dau.  of  David  Russell,  q.  v.     She  d.  April, 

1885. 


I.   Charles  A..,  b. 
II.  Ivers  TF.,  b.  - 


md.  1867,  Sarah  A.  Luce. 


John  Leathers  was  b.  in  Charlestown  Nov.  16,  1799. 
In  his  youth  he  went  to  Albany,  N.  Y.,  and  came  to  this 
town  in  1823.  He  md.  Sept.  26,  1826,  Alma  G.  Marble, 
dau.  of  Oliver  Marble,  q.  v.  He  was  a  farmer  near  Rice 
pond.  The  house  was  burned  several  years  ago.  He 
removed  to  Fitchburg  late  in  life,  and  d.  there  Sept.  14, 
1876  ;  his  widow  d.  at  Bath,  Me.,  June  19,  1884. 


1827 
Me. 

1829 


md.  Albion  C. 


resides  in  Ohio ; 


I.  Alma  Eliza,  b.  July  21, 

Mallot ;  reside  in  Bath, 
II.  John  Cobleigh,  b.  Ma}-  9, 

is  md. 
[II.  Emma  S.,  b.  Nov.  30,  1830  ;  md.  George  Moors ; 

she  d.  at  Wilton  Junction,  Iowa,  Jul}-  23,  1886. 
[V.  ^lary  Elizabeth,  b.  July  13,  1832  ;  unmd.  ;  resides 

in  Fitchburg. 
V.  Dorothy  Marble,  b.  March  11,  1834  ;  md.  Sept.  5, 

1853,  Joshua  S.  Wheeler,   son  of   Lewis  and 

Mary  (Stowell)  Wheeler,  b.  in  Fitchburg  Oct. 

16,  1829.     He  is  a  manufacturer  and  dealer  in 

machinists'  tools  in  Worcester  where  he  resides. 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER. 


79^, 


7 

VI. 

Leiois  Edwin,  b.  Feb.  8,  1836  ;  d.  unmd.  in  San- 
dusky, Ohio,  Nov.  22,  18.55. 

8 

VII. 

Joel  Francis,  b.  Oct.  9,  1837;  md.  Sarah  Smith; 
resides  in  Winn,  Me. 

9 

vm. 

George  Elliot,  b.  July  13,  1840  ;  resides  in  Worces- 
ter ;  md.  Marelia  Ames. 

10 

IX. 

Ivers  Warren,  b.  Nov.  20,  1841  ;  d.  May  11,  1844. 

11 

X. 

Hosea  Marshall  b.  Dec.  IG,  1843;  d.  May  11, 
1844. 

These  two  children  died  about  the  same  hour. 

12 

XI. 

Charles  F.,  b.  Aug.  10,  1846  ;  d.  at  Fitchburg 
April  25,  1877  ;  left  a  family. 

13 

XII. 

William  C,  b.  Aug.  11,  1847;  md.  Laura  Mar- 
shall ;  resides  in  Fitchburg. 

LITCH. 

Among  the  children  of  one  of  the  Scotch-Irish  emigrants  who  settled  in 
Londonderry,  N.  H.,  was  Thomas  Litch  who  was  b.  about  1720.  If  the  tra- 
dition is  sustained  that  he  was  four  years  of  age  when  his  parents  came  to 
America  it  is  probable  that  he  was  b.  quite  as  early  as  the  year  named.  The 
name  in  the  early  records  is  written  Leatch.  He  md.  Jane  Kennedy,  and 
d.  in  Winchendon  1802.  He  left  two  sons,  John  and  Samuel.  John  Litch 
md.  Martha  Stuart  and  settled  in  Lunenburg,  and  d.  1815.  Among  his  four 
sons  was  Thomas  Litch,  b.  1777;  md.  Hannah  Kimball  and  resided  in  Fitch- 
burg, where  he  d.  Oct.  23,  1820. 

Samuel  Litch,  the  other  son  of  Thomas  and  Jane  (Kennedy)  Litch,  resided 
in  Lunenburg  until  1781,  when  he  removed  to  Winchendon.  At  once  he 
became  a  prominent  citizen.  August  11,  178G,  he  was  a  delegate  to  the 
Leicester  covention,  but  subsequently  he  became  involved  in  the  Shays' 
revolt.  It  has  been  asserted  that  he  left  the  State,  but  it  is  claimed  with 
greater  confidence  that  he  d.,  1787,  from  injuries  received  from  a  falling  limb 
while  felling  trees.  Samuel  Litch,  Jr.,  b.  July  9,  1779,  was  the  famous 
school-teacher  of  Winchendon  and  Jaffrey,  N.  H. 


Joel  H.  Litch,  b.  in  Fitchburg  April  14,  1807,  son  of 
Thomas  and  Hannah  (Kimball)  Litch,  md.  Nov.  17, 
1831,  Lucy  Maynard,  dau.  of  Stephen  Maynard,  q.  v.  He 
resided  in  Worcester,  where  he  was  engaged  in  the  manu- 
facture and  sale  of  doors,  sashes  and  blinds  until  1850 
when  he  purchased  the  Maynard  farm  and  removed  to 
this  town.  As  a  farmer  he  maintains  a  foremost  rank, 
and  as  a  citizen  he  is  held  in  high  esteem.  He  has  been 
repeatedly  elected  to  positions  in  town  affairs,  and  in  1852 
he  represented  the  town  in  the  Legislature. 

I.  Ellen  E.,  b.  Sept.  28,   1832  ;  d.  unmd.  Aug.   22, 

1883. 
II.   Charles    T.,  b.  Dec.   12,    1834;  md.  A.  Theresa 
Rockwood,    dau.    of   George   Rockwood,    g.  v. 
He  is  a  farmer  on  the  homestead  with  his  father. 
They  are  engaged  extensively  in  the  sale  of  milk. 


800 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


III,  John  Frovcis,  b.  July  6,  1837  ;  md.  June  2,  1867^ 

Emily  E.  Merriam,  dau.  of  Benjamin  Merriam, 
q.  V.  He  is  foreman  and  lumber  agent  with 
Boston  Chair  Manufacturing  Company. 

1.  Carrie  E.,  b.  April  26,  1868. 

2.  Herbert  F.,  b.  Oct.  3,  1870. 

3.  Ernest  W.,  b.  April  9,  1872. 

4.  Clesson,  b.  May  9,  1874. 

IV.  Martha  S.,  b.  Feb.  20,  1840  ;  d.  April  23,  1860. 
V.  George  H.,  b.  June  6,  1843  ;  md.  Lucy  A.  Pierce 

of  Templeton.  He  resides  in  Templeton.  Hi& 
wife  d.  ,  leaving  two  children. 


John  Locke  was  a  German  emigrant  who  came  to  this 
town  in  1758.  It  appears  that  he  had  no  interest  in  the 
purchase  of  the  Lexington  grant.  He  settled  near  the 
site  of  the  Cushing  Academy.  Invariably  he  wrote  the 
name  Overlook,  in  the  early  records  it  is  Oberlock,  and  in 
this  form  the  name  is  written  when  reference  was  had  to 
the  father,  but  his  children  were  known  by  the  name  of 
Locke,  and  his  descendants  in  the  male  line  are  probably 
bearing  the  name  of  Locke  and  perplexing  the  genealogist 
at  the  present  time.  John  Oberlock  was  an  original 
member  of  the  church,  and  as  a  citizen  he  bore  a  full  share 
of  public  burdens  and  responsibility.  The  name  of  his 
wife  was  Mary.  The  children  of  whom  any  knowledge 
has  been  secured,  except  Jacob,  were  born  before  the 
family  arrived  in  this  town.  He  d.  Jan.  2,  1783.  His 
widow  probably  d.  in  Winchendon,  where  Capt.  Daniel 
Putnam,  who  had  the  farm  and  was  responsible  for  her 
support,  resided  a  few  years. 

I.  Jb/m  iocfce,  md.  1774,  Molly  Bigelow.  The  inten- 
tion of  marriage  is  recorded  Jan.  9,  1774.  She 
d.  May  6,  1775;  he  md.  (2d)  Feb.  27,  1777, 
Pbebe  Howe.     He  d.  March  7,  1778. 

II.  Philip,  owned  a  saw-mill  on  the  stream  in  the  South 
Village,  which  he  sold  in  1778  to  Daniel  Gibbs. 
He  md.  Dec.  17,  1777,  Olive  Gates.  An  infant 
of  Philip  Locke  d.  May  15,  1779.  He  probably 
removed  from  town. 

III.  Elizabeth,  md.  March  18,  1777,  Capt.  Daniel  Put- 

nam, g.  V. 

IV.  Jacob,  was  a  soldier  in  the  Revolution  ;  he  d,  in  the 

service.     Mr.    Cushing   records    his    death    in 
November,  1777,  "  aged  about  18  years." 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER. 


801 


William  Locke,  son  of  William  and  Eleanor  (Haynes) 
Locke  of  New  Ipswich,  was  b.  July  29,  179.S.  The  line- 
age of  this  family  is  found  in  the  ''  Book  of  the  Lockes." 
He  md.  INI  arch  29,  1.S29,  Jane  W.  Wilder.  They  re- 
moved to  this  town  soon  after  their  marriage.  He  d., 
from  injuries  received  from  a  fall  from  a  pear  tree,  Sept. 
7,  1837.  His  widow  md.  Nov.  17,  1846,  Harrison 
Wyman  of  AVestminster. 


JosiAH  Locke,  a  brother  of  William  (6),  was  b.  Oct.  18, 
1804  ;  he  md.  Oct.  18,  1827,  Elizabeth  W.  Willard,  dau. 
of  John  Willard,  q.  v.  They  resided  in  this  town  until 
1840  ;  subsequently  in  Wakefield. 

I.  Charles  E.,  b.  July  14,  1828  ;  md.  May  3,  1849, 
Lucy  M.  Wood,  dau.  of  Nathan  Wood,  q.  v.  ; 
resided  in  Fitchburg,  where  he  d.  May  23,  1874. 
II.  John  W.,  b.  April  10,  1832  ;  resides  in  Wakefield; 
was  postmaster  there  twelve  years.  He  md. 
Charlotte  A.  Tufts,  who  d.  1867 ;  md.  (2d) 
Susan  G.  Berry  who  d.  March  2,  1881  ;  md. 
(3d)  C.  Delia  Kilgore. 
III.  3Iary  Elizabeth,  b.  Oct.  4,  1833;  md.  Charles 
Bennett. 

William  Locke,  son  of  William  and  Rebecca  (Barrett) 
Locke  of  Fitzwilliam,  N.  H.,  b.  Feb.  7,  1778,  md.  Feb. 
7,  1804,  Polly  Walker,  and  resided  in  this  town  about 
three  years  ending  1837,  when  they  removed  to  Fitz- 
william, N.  H. 


William  D.  Locke,  son  of  William  (11),  b.  Oct.  5, 
1807,  md.  Dec.  11,  1833,  Miranda  Adams,  dau.  of  Dea. 
Isaac  Adams  of  New  Ipswich ;  was  here  the  same  time  as 
his  father. 


LOWE. 

Over  the  twelve  ships  bearing  emigrants  to  America  in  1630,  Capt.  John 
Lowe,  of  the  ship  Ambrose,  was  Admiral.  The  fleet  sailed  in  April,  and  having 
safely  arrived  at  Salem,  a  day  of  public  thanksgiving  was  observed  in  all 
the  adjacent  plantations  July  8,  1G30.  Dea.  Thomas  Lowe,  son  of  Capt. 
John,  was  b.  in  Ipswich  1G32.  He  md.  Martha  Boreman,  dau.  of  Thomas 
Boreraan,  and  was  a  leading  spirit  in  the  settlement.  He  d.  April  12,  1712, 
aged  80,  leaving   seven   children ;  of   these  the   second   son  was   Jonathan 

Lowe,  who  md. Thompson.     Of  their   children,  Jonathan,  Jr.,  was   b. 

Sept.  14,  1708;  md.  Nov.  18,  1781,  Sarah  Perkins.  About  1760  they 
removed  to  Lunenburg.  The  fourteenth  of  their  sixteen  children  was  Dr. 
Abraham  Lowe  of  Ashburnham.  He  was  b.  in  Chebacco  parish,  Ipswich, 
Feb.  11,  1755. 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

Dr.  Abraham  Lowe  removed  to  Ashburnham  in  1785 
or  1786.  He  boarded  until  his  marriage  with  Capt.  Tim- 
othy Willard  at  the  David  Russell  place.  He  lived  a  few 
years  at  corner  of  Main  and  Gushing  streets,  and  about 
1792  he  purchased  the  estate  still  known  as  the  Dr.  Lowe 
place,  and  there  resided  until  his  death.  Vide  pages  178 
and  466.  He  md.  Oct.  30,  1788,  Charlotte  Hale,  b. 
Dec.  30,  1766,  eldest  dau.  of  Col.  Nathan  and  Abigail 
(Grout)  Hale  of  Rindge.  He  d.  Oct.  23,  1834;  his 
widow  d.  May  5,  1841. 

Col.  Nathan  Hale,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Lowe,  was  b.  in 
Rowley  or  in  Hampstead,  N.  H.,  Sept.  23,  1743.  He 
was  a  merchant  and  farmer  in  Rindge,  and  an  extensive 
land  owner  in  that  town.  He  was  a  major  in  Col.  Reed's 
regiment  in  1775,  and  Heut. -colonel  of  the  2nd  New 
Hampshire  Battalion  1777.  He  d.  a  prisoner  within  the 
British  lines  Sept.  23,  1780.  He  was  a  descendant  of  the 
fifth  generation  of  Thomas  Hale,  b.  in  Hertfordshire, 
England,  May  15,  1606,  and  settled  in  Newbury  previous 
to  1635.  The  generations  are  Thomas,  Thomas,  Capt. 
Thomas,  all  of  Newbury,  Moses  of  Newburj^  Hampstead, 
N.  H.,  and  Rindge,  and  Col.  Nathan  of  Rindge.  Of  Dr. 
Abraham  and  Charlotte  (Hale)  Lowe  there  were  eight 
children. 

I.  Nathan  Hale,  b.  July  21,  1789  ;  d.  Dec.  13,  1789. 
II.  Abigail,  b.  Jan.   24,    1791;  md.  Dr.  William  H. 
Cutler,  q.  v. 

III.  CJiarlotte,h.  May  29,    1793;  md.  June    4,    1840, 

David  Goodwin,  Esq.,  of  Chelsea,  Vt.  After 
his  decease  she  resided  in  this  town,  where  she 
d.  March  12,  1877. 

IV.  Abraham  Thompson,  b.  Aug.  15,  1796. -|- 

V.   Thomas  Hale,  b.  Nov.  27,  1799  ;  d.  Jan.  13,  1800. 
VI.  Mary  Hale,  b.  May  9,  1801  ;  md.  Samuel  Woods, 

q.  V. 
VII.   George  Henry,  b.  May  12,  1803.-}- 
VIII.  Benoni,  b.  Sept.  19,  1807;  d.  Feb.  22,  1808. 


(5) 


Dr.  Abraham  T.  Lowe  is  the  oldest  native  of  this  town 
known  to  be  living.  For  a  brief  outline  of  a  prolonged 
and  useful  career  the  reader  is  referred  to  page  466.  He 
md.  Oct.  20,  1822,  Emma  B.  Gould  of  Ashby,  who  d. 
Aug.  9,  1833  ;  he  md.  (2d)  Nov.  6,  1836,  Susan  Burr  of 
Ashby,  who  d.  May  16,  1843  ;  he  md.  (3d)  April  5,  1844, 
Eliza  B.  Burr,  who  d.  Nov.  5,  1860  ;  he  md.  (4th)  April 
30,  1862,  Cordelia  Burditt.  Two  children  of  first  wife 
died  in  infancy. 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  803' 

I.  Elizabeth,  b.  Nov.  5,  1825  ;  d.  March  15,  1842. 

II.  Lewis  G,,  b.  Aug.  18,  1828.  He  is  a  physician 
in  Boston. 

[II.  Abraham  Thompson,  b.  Feb.  20,  1856  ;  a  gradu- 
ate of  Dartmouth  Medical  School  1880. 


George  H.  Lowe,  occupying  the  Jewett  store,  was  a 
merchant  in  this  town  several  years,  and  associated  with 
otliers,  he  was  engaged  a*  short  time  in  the  manufacture 
of  chairs.  He  was  a  man  of  exemplary  character,  com- 
manding at  all  time  the  respect  and  confidence  of  the 
community.  He  rad.  Feb.  18,  1830,  Catherine  M.  Brig- 
ham,  b.  in  Westboro'  Jan.  21,  1801,  dau.  of  Hon.  Elijah 
and  Sarah  (Ward)  Brigham  and  a  granddau.  of  Gen.  Arte- 
mas  Ward.  In  1842  he  removed  to  North  Brookfield.  He 
d.  at  Dewitt,Iowa,  Dec.  21,  1866. 

I.  Emma  Catherine,  bap.  Aug.  30,  1835. 
II.  George  Abraham,  bap.  Dec.  29,  1836. 
III.  Sarah  Brigham,  bap.  June,  1840. 


Francis  M.  Lund,  b.  in  Hollis,  N.  H.,  March  8,  1845, 
son  of  Warner  and  Mary  F.  (Lovejoy)  Lund,  md.  Feb. 
10,  1867,  Elizabeth  J.  Wheeler  of  Hollis,  N.  H.  He  re- 
sides on  Chapel  street  in  Central  Village. 

I.  Frajik  W.,  b.  April  17,  1869. 
II.  Bertha  M.,  b.  July  22,  1873. 
III.  Daisie  B.,  b.  Dec.  1,  1877. 


Solomon  Manning  was  b.  in  Billerica  May  15,  1753. 
He  was  a  son  of  Lieut.  William  and  Elizabeth  (Danforth) 
Manning,  grandson  of  Ensign  William  and  Elizabeth 
(French)  Manning  and  great-grandson  of  Samuel  and 
Elizabeth  (Stearns)  Manning,  all  of  Billerica.  Solomon 
Manning  md.  May  20,  1777,  Alice  Wilson,  b.  Oct.  17, 
1749,  dau.  of  John  and  Alice  (Totman)  Wilson;  she  d. 
April  26,  1787  ;  he  md.  (2d)  Jan.  6,  1789,  Olive  French 
of  Hollis,  N.  H.  With  two  children  they  removed  to  this 
town  in  1792  and  resided  near  the  present  residence  of 
Cyrus  A.  Jefts.  He  d.  Sept.  2,  1833  ;  she  d.  June  27, 
1841. 

I.  Solomon,  b.  Dec.  26,  1789.-f 
II.   Olive,  b.  March  16,  1792  ;  d.  Nov.  6,  1799. 
III.  Andrew  Bailey,  b.  March  13,  1794  ;  removed  from 
town  about  1830  ;  unmd.  at  that  time  ;  d.  May 
6,  1851. 


804 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


(2) 


IV.  Alice  Wilson,  b.  Nov.  5,  1795  ;  cared  for  her  aged 
parents,  and  was  often  a  cheerful  nurse  in 
the  neighborhood ;  she  lives  unmd.  in  Fitch- 
burg. 

V.  Samxid^'h.  June  26,  1797. 

VI.  Elizabeth,  b.  Ma}- 5,  1799;  md.  Peter  Carter  of 
Fitchburg.  Several  children.  She  d.  March 
30,  1865. 


Solomon  Manning.  Jr.,  md.  Lucy  'Webber  of  Chelms- 
ford, and  resided  in  Ashburnham  and  in  Ashby.  He  d. 
Dec.  13,  1825. 

I.  Lucy  Maria,  b.  1814,  non  comp. ;  d.  Dec.  20, 1872. 

II.  Ivers  B.,  b.  April  6,  1816;  md.  April  6,  1843, 
Phebe  J.  Eaton,  b.  Oct.  1, 1822,  dau.  of  Samuel 
Eaton  of  Reading  and  Lynn.  He  was  a  chair 
maker;  d.  Aug.  15,  1884  ;  his  widow  resides  in 
Gardner. 

1.  Helen   Elizabeth,  b.   Feb.   2,   1844;    md. 

Merrick  W.  Wallace,  son  of  Dr.  Merrick 
Wallace,  q.  v. 

2.  Josie  Augusta,  b.  May  15,  1847  ;    d.  Sept. 

28.  1848. 

3.  Frank  Abbott,  b.  Sept.  9,  1850;    d.  Feb. 

22,  1876. 

4.  Caroline  Alice,  b.  Nov.  2,  1862;    d.  Dec. 

9,  1881. 

III.  Elzina  E.,  b. ;  md.  Alvan  F.  Ward,  son  of 

Jacob  Ward,  q.  v. 

IV.  Laurette,  b.  . 

V.  Elson,  b. ;  md.  Rebecca  Tufts;  d.  in  Fitch- 
burs:  about  1878. 


MARBLE. 

The  name  of  Marble  has  been  continued  in  this  town  about  one  hundred 
years.  The  first  of  the  name  in  this  town  were  Jabez  and  Oliver  Marble, 
who  came  from  Stow  1789,  and  from  them  are  descended  the  numerous 
families  of  Marble  in  this  town.  It  is  a  tradition  of  the  family  that  the  father 
of  Jabez  and  Oliver  Marble  was  impressed  into  the  English  army,  and  while 
his  regiment  was  employed  in  the  conquest  of  Canada,  without  a  full  dis- 
charge, he  left  a  service  which  had  been  instituted  without  his  consent,  and 
soon  after  settled  in  Stow.  The  sequel  of  tlie  tradition  is  confirmed  by  the 
records  of  Stow.  Asa  Marble  is  found  a  resident  of  Stow,  and  there  jabez 
and  Oliver  Marble,  twin  sons  of  Asa  and  Hannah  (Wheeler")  Marble,  were  b. 
Sept.  15,  1755.  While  residents  of  Stow,  they  were  in  the  Revolutionary 
service.  Vide  Chap.  VI.  A  cannon-ball  brought  home  by  Jabez  Marble  is 
now  in  the  possession  of  his  great-grandson,  Warren  E.  Marble. 


9 

10 

11 

(4) 

12 

(5) 


15 


16 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  805 

Jabez  jMarble,  b.  in  Stow  Sept.  15,  1755,  md.  Nov. 
29,  1780,  Mary  Salter,  dau.  of  Samuel  Salter,  q.  v.,  and 
settled  in  Stow  where  he  lived  until  1789,  when  he  re- 
moved to  this  town.  He  lived  on  the  farm  formerly 
occupied  by  Samuel  Salter,  and  now  by  Warren  Marble. 
He  d,  Dec.  23,  1843  ;  she  d.  Dec.  22,  1845. 

I.  Hannah,  b.  ;  d.  Sept.  21,  1792. 

II.  Eunice,  b.  April  28,  1783  ;    md.  George  Wilker, 
Jr  ,  q.  V. 

III.  Jahez,  b.  April  29,  1785.+ 

IV.  Stephen,  b.  Nov.  8,  1787.-}- 

V.  Phebe,  b.  Feb.  1,  1790  ;  md.  John  Carter  of  Fitch- 
burg. 
VI.  Lydia,  b.   Feb.   8,    1792;    md.   John   Russell  of 

Townsend. 
VII.  Lois  (twin),  b.  Feb.  8,  1792  ;  md.  April  21,  1812, 

Joseph  Smith  of  Leominster. 
VIII.  Joel,  b.  Feb.  1,  1794.+ 
IX.   Grata,  b.  May  4,  1797 ;  md.  April  7,  1822,  Joseph 

Wheeler;  resided  in  Acton. 
X.  Asenath,  b.  Oct.  25,  1801 ;  md.  1821,  David  Flint, 
b.  March  27,  1793,  son  of  Edmund  and  Abi- 
gail (Damon)  Flint  of  Ashby.     He  d.  Sept.   5, 
1870  ;  she  d.  Aug.  22,  1867. 


Jabez  Marble,  Jr.,  md.  1815,  Anna  Dutton,  b.  Nov. 
9,  1788,  dau.  of  Samuel  and  Rhoda  Dutton  of  Ashby. 
He  was  a  faroier.     He  d.  in  this  town  July  8,  1826. 

I.  Son,  h. ;    d.  young. 


Stephen  Marble  md.  Nov.  12,  1816,  Polly  Flint,  b. 
Oct.  27,  1790,  dau.  of  Edmund  and  Abigail  (Damon) 
Flint  of  Ashby.  He  was  a  farmer  on  Russell  hill ;  re- 
moved to  Ashby  1850,  where  he  d.  Aug.  19,  1855;  she 
d.  March  2,  1855. 

I.  Albert  Proctor,  b.  Aug.  9,  1817  ;  d.  unmd. 
II.  Elmira,  b.  June  '2%,  1820 ;    md.  Joseph  Gushing, 
q.  V. 

III.  Edmund  Newton,  b.  Dec.  4,  1822  ;    md.  April  23, 

1848,  Doll}'  Billings,  dau.  of  Joshua  Billings, 
Jr.,  q.  V.  He  d.  Aug.  19,  1885  ;  she  resides  in 
Fitchburg. 

IV.  Stephen   Jackson,   b.   Nov.   3,    LS-i-S;    md.    1850, 

Lydia  A.  Maynard,  dau.  of  Horace  Maynard, 
q.  V.     She  d. .     He  resides  in  Fitchburg. 


806 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


(9) 


(17) 


24 

25 
26 

(18) 


28 


Joel  Marble  md.  Nov.  19,  1818,  Susan  Sawin,  dau. 
of  Asa  Sawiu,  q.  v.  ;  she  d,  June  22,  1823  ;  he  md.  (2d) 
1823,  Mary  Winship  of  Westminster.  He  was  a  farmer 
and  at  different  times  occupied  the  farms  now  of  Warren 
Marble  and  of  Hosea  Green.  He  d.  March  10,  1869  ;  his 
wife  d.  Oct.  12,  1859. 

I.  Luke,  b.  April  30,  1820.+ 

II.  Neioell,  b.  Jan.  29,  1822.4- 
in.  Infant,  b.  and  d.  June,  1823. 
IV.  Susan,  b.  Sept.  19,  1824;  d.  Dec.  20,  1838. 

V.   Warren,  b.  Aug.  1,  1826. -(- 


Luke  Marble  md.  April  24,  1845,  Abigail  Moore,  dau. 
of  Pitt  Moore,  q.  v.,  and  now  resides  in  Central  Village. 
Until  recently  he  lived  in  the  northeast  part  of  the  town, 
where  he  was  successfully  engaged  in  farming  and  in  the 
manufacture  of  lumber.  He  has  been  assessor  and  elected 
to  other  office  in  town  affairs. 

I.  Jonas  P.,  b.  April  3,  1846  ;  d.  Sept.  14,  1848. 
II.  Joel  P.,  b.  June  11,  1848.     He  is  a  merchant  in 

the  firm  of  Marble  and  Gilson.     He  md.   June 

11,  1871,  Caroline  Holmes. 

III.  Alden  B.,  b.   Aug.    11,  1851  ;    md.  Feb.  1,  1873, 

Flora  A.  Jaquith.  He  is  a  successful  farmer 
on  the  old  Kibling  farm,  frequently  called  the 
Caldwell  farm. 

IV.  Warren  E.,}:).  Oct.  7,  1855;    md   June   15,  1882, 

Nellie  M.  Fuller.    He  is  a  farmer  and  proprietor 
of  the  Marble  INIills. 
V.  3Iary  E.,h.  A\^y\\   24,1857;    md.  Feb.   5,    1881, 
Frank  W.  Davis  of  Ashb}'.     He  resides  in  Ash- 
burnham. 


Newell  Marble  md.  April  29,  1845,  Emma  J.  Wilker, 
dau.  of  Jacob  Wilker,  q.  v.  He  was  a  farmer  and  a 
morocco  finisher  and  lived  near  the  school-house  in  the 
third  district.     He  d.  Aug.  12,  1885. 

I.   George  Francis,  h.  July  16,   1846;    md.  Oct.   1, 
1871,  Hannah  B.  Boston  of  Barrington,  N.  H.  ; 
resides  at  Great  Falls,  N.  H. 
II.   Franldin  Augustus,  b.  March  17,   1848  ;    d.   June 
28,  1848. 

III.  Ella  Augusta,  b.  Feb.  10,  1850  ;  d.  Aug.  28,  1852. 

IV.  Celia  Viola,  b.  Aug.  25,  1853  ;   md.  Feb.  7,  1877, 

Elwyn  D.  Gibson,  son  of  Jerome  S.  Gibson,  q.  v. 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  807 

V.   Charles  Sumner,  b.  Nov.  1,  1855  ;    md.   Jan.   27, 

1877,  Lillian   A.   Gibson,   dau.    of   Jerome  S. 

Gibson,  q.  v. 

VI.  Lyra  Madora,  b.  Aug.  4,  1858  ;  d.  March  11,  1865. 

vir.  Rosetta  Emogene,  b.  March  3,  1862. 

v^iii.  Fernando    Uhjsses,  h.  l^ov.   7,   1865;    d.   June  4, 

1.S76. 
IX.  Lilla  3Mora,  b.  Oct.  18,  1867. 
X.  Melviii  Newell,  b.  Sept.  7,  1869  ;  d.  May  29,  1876. 


Warren  Marble  is  a  farmer  on  the  homestead.  He 
md.  May  22,  1851,  Mary  L.  Wilker,  dau.  of  Jacob  Wil- 
ker,  q.  v. 

I.  Emma  A.,  b.  March  16,  1852  ;  md.  Sept.  4,  1870, 
Herbert    W.   Whitney,    son   of   Otis  Whitney, 
g.  V. 
II.  Franh   L.,  b.  Aug.  1,  1854;  md.  April  30,  1876, 
Sarah  A.  Nichols,  dau.  of  John  Nichols,  q.  v. 

III.  Walter  H.,  b.  Sept.  13,  1858  ;  a  physician.      Vide 

page  509. 

IV.  Susie  E.,  b.  Dec.  1,  1861. 
V.  Lizzie  L.,  b.  Jan.  7,  1865. 

VI.  BertonH.,  b.  July  11,  1867;  d.  Aug.  8,  1870. 
VII.  Harlan  B.,  b.  Dec.  10,  1871  ;  d.  July  22,  1877. 


Oliver  Marble,  twin  brother  of  Jabez  Marble,  md. 
Deborah  Bailey,  and  with  five  children  removed  to  this 
town  in  1789.  He  settled  on  the  Emory  Fairbanks  farm 
now  of  Charles  Kelton.  He  d.  while  visiting  a  son  in 
Lyndeboro',  N.  H.,  July  29,  1827.  His  widow  d.  in  this 
town  Aug.  28,  1833,  aged  70. 

I.   Oliver,  b.  Aug.  8,  1781.-|- 
II.  Ehoda,  b.  Oct.  10,  1783  ;  md.  Nathan  Taylor,  q.  v. 

III.  Deborah,  b.  Aug.  6,    1785;  md.  Dec.    12,    1805, 

Asa  Eaton,  b.  Nov.  29,  1785,  son  of  Benjamin 
and  Lydia  Eaton  of  Ashby.  They  removed  to 
SpringQeld,  Vt. 

IV.  Bailey,  b.  Aug.  3,  178- ;  removed  to  western  New 

York  ;  md.  Penelope  Hall. 
V.  I^ois,  b.  Sept.  20,  1791  ;  md.  John  Hall,  q.  v. 
VI.    Tamar,  b.  July  2,  1789  ;  d.  Oct.  27,  1794. 
VII.   Samuel,  b.  July  8,  1793.+ 

VIII.  Hannah,    b.    Nov.   10,    1795;  md.    Joel   Barrett, 
q.  V.  ;  md.  (2d)  Joseph  Miller,  q.  v. 
IX.  Abner,   b.  Oct.  29,  1798;  resided  in    Lyndeboro', 
N.  H. 


808 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


54 


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55 


61 

62 
63 

64 
65 
66 

(51) 


Tamar,  b.  June  23,  1803  ;  md.  Sept.  27,  1832, 
Benjamin  C.  Pillsbury ;  they  reside  in  Ashby. 
Three  or  more  children. 


Oliver  Marble  md.  April  7,  1805,  Dolly  Green,  dau. 
of  Oliver  Green,  q.  v.  He  resided  in  this  town  many 
years  and  subsequently  in  New  Ipswich,  where  he  d.  in 
1851  ;  his  widow  d.  Nov.  12,  1859. 

I.  Alma  (?.,  b.  March  29,  1806  ;  md.  John  Leathers, 
q.  V. 

11.  Betsey,  b.  ;  d.  March  16,  1808. 

in.  Lewis,  b.  May  7, 1809  ;  md.  Dec.  11,  1842,  Louisa 
Adams;  he  was  a  millwright;  d.  in  this  town 
Oct.  25,  1844. 

1.  Lewis,  b.  1844. 

IV.  Heman  Z/.,  b.  April  7,  1811  ;  a  carriage  maker  in 

Springfield,  Vt.  ;  md.  Eliza  Smallev. 

V.  AsaheUh.  Feb.  1,  1814  ;  md.  Sept.  8,  1842,  Betsey 

Walton,  b.  Aug.  10,  1814,  dau.  of  Nathan  Wal- 
ton of  Rindge  ;  he  was  a  mechanic ;  resided  in 
New  Ipswich,  Rindge,  and  after  1850  in  Ash- 
burnham,  where  he  d.  Jan.  15,  1871. 

1.  Henry  A.,  b.  Aug.  29,   1843;  enlisted  in 

53d  Regiment ;  d.  at  New  Orleans  May 
19,  1863. 

2.  Nathan    E.,  b.  Jan.   6,    1848;  d.    unmd. 

March  13,  1879. 

3.  William   A.,  b.   Sept.    18    1850;  unmd.; 

resides  in  Ashburnham. 

VI.  Dorothy  II.,  b.  Nov.  11,  1816  ;  md.  Elliot  Moore, 

g.  V. 
VII.   Chester,  b.  March  19,   1820;  md.  Sarah  Smalley ; 

resided  at  Chicago,  111. 
VIII.  iawu'a,  b.  April  4, 1823  ;  unmd.;  resides  at  Town- 
send. 


Samuel  Mardle  resided  in  Lyndeboro'  and  in  Milford, 
N.  H.,  and  later  in  Jatfrey,  N.  II.,  where  he  d.  April  10, 
1883.  He  md.  May  21,  1816,  Lucy  Metcalf,  dau.  of 
Ezekiel  S.  Metcalf,  q  v.  ;  md.  (2d)  Grata  Carter,  b.  Dec. 
26,  1804,  dau.  of  Capt.  Jonah  Carter;  md.  (3d)  Olive 
Greenwood.  There  were  six  children  of  Samuel  and  Lucy 
(Metcalf)  Marble. 


GENEALOGICAL  REGISTER. 


809 


67 

I. 

Baileii,  b. ;  md.  Nov.  10,  1839,  Nancy  Ellis, 

dau.  of  Jesse  Ellis,  q.  v.  They  resided  in  this 
town  and  subsequently  in  Lowell,  where  she  d. 
Jan.  31,  1854;  he  d.  1881. 

68 

X.  Abbie  Jane,  b.  Sept.  10,  1842. 

69 

2.  MaryE.,   b.  Sept.  13,   1846;  d.  Oct.   14, 
1847. 

70 

3.   Waldo  B.,  b.  April  3,  1851. 

71 

II. 

Howard,  b.  July  23,  1820;  md.  April  6,  1847, 
Mary  A.  Creliore,  dau.  of  Col.  Timothy  Cre- 
hore,  (/.  V.     They  reside  in  Fitchburg. 

72 

III. 

Louisa,  b.  . 

73 

IV. 

Dustan,  b.  ;  resides  at  Akron,  Ohio. 

74 

V 

Calvin,  b.  ;  resides  at  Cleveland,  Ohio. 

75 

VI. 

Tila,  b.  ;  d.  unmd.  at   JafTrev,  N.  H.,  May 

21,  1883. 

MARTIN. 

John  Martin,  Jr.,  and  wife  Elizabeth,  removed  from  Ipswich  to  Lunen- 
burg 1789.  He  d.  about  1753,  leaving  a  widow  and  ten  children.  Of  these, 
four  at  least  became  associated  with  the  people  of  Ashburnham  :  I.  John,  b. 
Oct.  12,  1740  (No.  1);  II.  Elizabeth,  b.  .June  12,  1744,  md.  .Job  Colman, 
q.  v.;  III.  Susannah,  b.  April  1,  1751,  md.  Benjamin  Colman,  q.  v.;  IV. 
Prudence,  b.  May  6,  1753,  md.  Amos  Brooks,  q.  v. 


John  Martin,  son  of  John  and  Elizabeth  Martin,  b. 
Oct.  12,  1740,  md.  March  3,  1761,  Betty  Chaplin  of  Lun- 
enburg. They  united  with  the  church  in  1764,  and  with- 
drew to  join  the  Baptists  in  1778.  He  was  identified  with 
the  settlement,  but  it  is  probable  he  lived  over  the  line  in 
Fitchburg.  Five  children  were  baptized  after  the  ordina- 
tion of  Mr.  Cushing.  Tliere  is  no  record  of  baptisms  dur- 
ing the  ministry  of  Mr.  Winchester. 

Barzillai,  bap.  June  4,  1769. 
Betty,  bap.  Oct.  28,  1770. 
3Iolhi,  bap.  Sept.  22,  1772. 
Prudence,  bap.  Sept.  11,  1774. 
Sarah,  bap.  April  13,  1777. 

Lewis  Gt.  Matthews  was  b.  in  Gardner  May  13,  1817. 
He  is  a  son  of  Joel  and  Sarah  (Coolidge)  Matthews  and 
a  grandson  of  John  and  Patience  (Graves)  Matthews. 
He  was  a  merchant  several  years  at  the  South  Village, 
where  he  still  resides,  unmd. 

Hezekiah  Matthews,  a  brother  of  Lewis  G.,  was  b.  in 
Gardner  Oct.  24,  1818;  md.  June  9,  1851,  Sally  Gates, 


2 

I. 

3 

II. 

4 

III. 

5 

IV. 

6 

v. 

810 


HISTORY    OF   ASIIBURNHAM. 


dau.  of  William  Gates,  q.  v.  For  a  number  of  years  he 
was  a  manufacturer  of  chairs.  He  resides  at  South  Vil- 
lage.    Two  children. 

I.  Edward  L.,  b.  March  9,  1855  ;  d.  young. 
II.'  Josephine  Isabel,  b.  Nov.  4,  1860. 


Sumner  Mat  was  b.  in  Sterling  Jul}^  18,  1799.  He 
was  a  son  of  Levi  and  Deborah  (Wilder)  May,  grandson 
of  Thomas  and  great-grandson  of  John  May.  He  resided 
in  Westminster  until  the  autumn  of  1827,  when  he 
removed  to  South  Village.  In  1856,  in  connection  with 
his  son  Charles,  he  built  the  mill  occupied  by  Bernard 
Duane  «fc  Co.  He  md.  in  Westminster,  Nov.  15,  1821, 
Mira  Eaton,  b.  Nov.  20,  1800,  dau.  of  Nathan  Eaton  ; 
she  d.  May  4,  1861  ;  md.  (2d)  Feb.  13,  1862,  Mrs.  Phil- 
etta  J.  Johnson  of  Templeton.     He  d.  Feb.  9,  1879. 

I.  Augustine,  b.  Oct.   14,  1822  ;  md.    1846,   Lorena 

Cram  of  Gardner. 
II.  Augustus  (twin),b.  Oct.  14,  1822;  md.  Elizabeth 
Reed  of  Groton  ;  he  resides  at  South  Village. 
•  III.  Levi  Wilder,  b.  Feb.  2,  1825  ;  resides  in  Newfield, 
N.  J.  ;  he  md.   1846,   Mary  Bosworth   of  Win- 
chendon. 
IV.   Charles  Sumner,  b.   April    10,    1827  ;  unmd.  ;  re- 
sides at  South  Village. 
V.  Harriet  Elvira,  b.  Feb.  2,  1829  ;  md.  J.  B.  Bar- 

rell,  q.  v. 
VI.  George    Washington,  b.  Oct.    14,   1831  ;  md.  Jane 

Hoyt ;  resides  in  Templeton. 
VII.  Sarah   E.,   b.   Feb.   13,   1834;  d.  unmd.   July  4, 

1858. 
VIII.  Orange  Scott,  b.  Nov.  22,  1836  ;  unmd.  ;  resides 
at  South  Village.  He  is  a  postmaster  at  Ash- 
burnham  Depot. 
IX.  Achsah  Irene,  b.  Jul)'  5,  1839;  md.  April  14, 
1861,  Stephen  C.  Whitney  of  Westminster.  He 
d.  Feb.  20,  1863.  Vide  p.  455.  She  resides  in 
Templeton. 


MAYNARD. 

John  Maynard,  the  emigrant  ancestor  of  the  Maynard  family  of  New  Eng- 
land, was  a  resident  of  Sudbury.  His  homestead  was  in  the  east  part  of  the 
town  and  is  now  included  within  the  town  of  Wayland.  He  was  md.  in  Eng- 
land, and  came  to  America  in  1638.  He  shared  in  the  division  of  Sudbury 
meadows  1639,  and  was  one  of  the  petitioners  for  the  town  of  Marlboro', 
where  he  settled  his  son,  John.  He  was  a  selectman  and  held  other  office  in 
Sudbury.     No  record  of  his  first  marriage  or  the  death  of  his  wife  appears ; 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTEK. 


811 


he  md.  (2d)  164G,  Mary  Axtell,  by  whom  he  had  three  daughters.  He  d. 
Dec.  1,  1G72 ;  his  widow  was  residing  in  Charlestown  during  the  Indian 
troubles  in  1(575-G.  John  Maynard,  son  of  Jolin,  was  b.  in  England  1630, 
being  eight  years  of  age  when  his  father  came  to  America.  He  md.  April  5, 
1G5S,  IV'iary  Gates,  dau.  of  Stephen  Gates  of  Lancaster  and  Cambridge,  and 
settled  in  Marlboro'.  He  was  a  selectman  and  was  prominently  associated 
with  the  affairs  of  the  settlement.  He  md.  (2d)  Sarah  Blanford  Keyes,  b. 
Jan.  27,  1G42-3,  widow  of  Elias  Keyes  and  dau.  of  John  and  Dorothy 
(Wright)  Blanford  of  Sudbury.  Eight  children  by  first  and  three  by  second 
marriage.  He  d.  Dec.  22,  1711;  his  widow  was  living  in  1722.  David 
Maynard,  son  of  John  and  Mary  (Gates)  Maynard,  b.  Dec.  21,  1669,  md. 
Hannah  Wait,  dau.  of  Joseph  and  Kuhamah  (Hager)  Wait.  He  lived  in  the 
westerly  part  of  Marlboro',  now  Westboro',  and,  following  in  the  footsteps 
of  his  father  and  grandfather,  he  was  much  employed  in  town  affairs  and  was 
frequently  chosen  to  office.  His  wife  d.  March  IG,  1724-5;  he  md.  (2d) 
Feb.  G,  17o2-3,  Jemima  Brigham.  He  d.  Oct.  2,  1757.  Of  his  eleven  chil- 
dren, the  descendants  of  Nathan  and  Jotham  have  resided  in  Ashburnham. 
Nathan  Maynard,  son  of  David,  was  b.  in  Westboro'  Jan.  2,  1722;  md.  Jan. 
1, 1750-1,  Lucy  Pratt,  according  to  town  records,  but  Lucy  Whipple  by  tradi- 
tion. He  lived  in  Westboro',  where  he  d.  1811;  his  wife  d.  May  18,  1773. 
Neheniiah  Maynard,  son  of  Nathan,  b.  May  27,  1754,  settled  in  this  town 
and  is  No.  1  in  the  following  register. 

Jotham  Maynard,  son  of  David  and  Hannah  (Wait)  Maynard,  b.  May  29, 
1714,  md.  1740,  Abiah  or  Abigail  Allen  and  resided  in  Westboro'  and  Bolton 
The  eldest  of  their  ten  children  was  Jotham  Maynard,  b.  March  14,  1741 
md.  1763,  Dinah  Powers.  The  sixth  of  their  seven  children  was  Dea.  Anti 
pas  Maynard,  b.  in  Bolton  April  27,  177G;  md.  Aug.  14,  1797,  Sally  Rice,  b 
in  Marlboro'  Nov.  15,  1772,  dau.  of  Eleazer  and  Elizabeth  (Darling)  Rice 
They  resided  in  Sullivan,  N.  H.,  and  in  Keene,  N.  H.,  where  he  d.  March 
15,  1833;  she  d.  in  Boston,  Oct.  22,  18G1.  Of  their  children,  Antipas  May 
nard,  b.  in  Sullivan,  N.  H.,  Dec.  31,  1801,  is  No.  23  in  the  following  register. 
Jotham  Maynard,  the  grandfather  of  Antipas  Maynard  of  Ashburnham,  was 
a  first  cousin  of  Nehemiah  INIaynard  of  Ashburnham. 


Nehemiah  Maynard,  the  first  of  the  name  in  Ashburn- 
ham, was  b.  in  Westboro'  Ma}^  27,  1754.  He  was  a  son 
of  Nathan  and  Lucy  (Pratt)  Maynard.  He  md.  Dorotliy 
Maynard,  b.  in  Shrewsbury  Oct.  3,  1748,  dau.  of  Reuben 
and  Dorothy  (Williams)  Maynard.  He  settled  in  Ash- 
burnham, on  the  farm  now  of  Joel  H.  Litch,  in  1775  or 
the  spring  of  1776.     He  d.  May  29,  1828. 

I.  Edivard,  b.  June  4,  1776.-|- 
II.  Stejihen,  b.  March  11,  1778.+ 

III.  Sally,  b.  April   21,    1780;  md.    Sept.    27,    1803, 

Stephen  Lawrence,  b.  May  28,  1780,  son  of 
Charles  and  Naomi  Lawrence  of  Ashby.  She  d. 
in  Ashby  July  24,  1810  ;  he  md.  (2d)  Mehitable 
Coe.    There  were  two  children  by  first  marriage. 

1.  Amy,  b.  Sept.  6,  1805. 

2.  Charles,  b.  Jan.  20,  1808;  d.  Feb.  24^ 

1808. 

IV.  JosejyJi,   b.  Oct.   24,    1782;  md.  Dec.    13,    1804, 

Sarah   Miller,  b.    Jan.  3,    1785,    dau.  of  Isaac 


S12 


HISTORY  OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


13 
14 

<2) 

15 

16 
17 

(3) 

18 


19 


Miller,  q.  v.  They  resided  in  this  town  a  short 
time  after  marriage,  and  in  New  Hampshire  and 
Vermont;  he  d,  about  1815;  his  widow  md. 
(2d)  Dec.  25,  1817,  Amos  Stearns  of  Winehen- 
don,  whose  first  wife  was  Deborah  Hunt,  dau. 
of  Dea.  Sherebiah  Hunt. 

1.  Joseph  Bennett,  b.  April  13.  1805  ;  d.  July 

15,  1835. 

2.  Laban,  b.  April  24,  1807  ;  d.  July  5,  1844. 
8.  Alonzo,   b.  March    11,   1809;  d.   Aug.  2, 

1857. 

4.  Sally  L.,  b.  June  2,  1811. 

5.  Sarah  A.,  b.  April  16,  1813  ;  md.  Prentice 

Britton  of  Northfield. 

Timothy,  b.  Oct.  9,  1785  ;  he  was  taxed  a  few 
years  in  this  town.  He  md.  Sally  Whiting  of 
Lancaster  and  removed  to  Vermont. 

Eliza,  b.  Dec.  7,  1788 ;  md.  Stephen  Gibson 
of  Ashby.  She  d.  March  18,  1861.  Among 
their  children  is  Eber  Gibson  of  this  town. 


Edward  Maynard  md.  March  31,  1801,  Persis  Gates, 
dau.  of  Henry  Gales,  q.  v.  He  was  one  of  the  Ashburn- 
ham  Light  Infantry  when  in  service  in  the  AVar  of  1812. 
He  d.  Oct.  9,  1825  ;  she  d.  in  Fitchburg  1861. 

I.  Levi,  b.  March  19,  1806  ;  was  a  blacksmith  in  this 
town,  where  he  d.  June  9,  1831.    He  md.  March 
5,  1829,  Harriet  French  of  Templeton. 
11.  Eliza,  b.  Sept.  23,  1808  ;  md.  Alfred  M.  Wheeler 

of  Fitchburg. 
III.  Sarah   Lawrence,    b.  Dec.  20,    1814  ;  md.  Josiah 
W.  Boutelle. 


Stephen  Matnard  md.  April  7,  1803,  Miriam  Ellis, 
dau.  of  Jesse  Ellis,  q.  v.  He  was  a  farmer  on  the  home- 
stead.    He  d.  Aug.  3,  1840  ;  she  d.  March  14,  1853. 

I.  Horace,  b.  Nov.  4,  1804  ;  md.  1828,  Lydia  Froth- 
ingham  of  Lancaster.  He  was  a  farmer  ;  d.  in 
this  town  Aug.  19,  1849.  There  were  five 
children  ;  the  birth  of  twins,  Lydia  A.  and  Lucy 
Jane,  b.  March  19,  1831,  is  found  in  town 
records.  The  widow  and  children  removed  from 
town  1850. 
II.  Dorothy,  b.  Jan.  3,  1806  ;  md.  John  Brown,  q.  v.  ; 
md.  (2d)  Ohio  Whitney,  Sen.,  q.  v. 


20 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  8ia 

III.  Lucy,  b.  Jan.  23,  1808  ;  md.  Joel  H.  Litch,  q.  v. 


David  Maynard,  son  of  David,  Jr.,  and  a  first  cousin 
of  Nehemiali  Maynard,  rad.  June  11,  1767,  Sarah  Savage. 
They  were  admitted  to  the  church  1772,  and  in  1804  were 
dismissed  to  Chittenden,  Vt.  In  the  meantime  seven 
children  were  baptized.  It  is  pi'obable  that  they  lived 
over  the  line  in  Westminster. 


Levi  Maynard  md.  1812,  Phebe  (Wright)  Winter, 
widow  of  John  Winter,  q.  v.  He  removed  to  this  town, 
leaving  twelve  children  b}'  a  former  marriage,  and  d.  here 
Dec.  30,  1822.  He  was  a  brother  of  David  Maynard. 
His  widow  md.  (3d)  Aug.  13,  1829,  Benjamin  Hawks  ; 
he  d.  about  1840  ;  and  last  of  all  she  d.  Dec.  27,  1847. 


Antipas  Maynard,  son  of  Antipas  and  Sally  (Rice) 
Maynard,  was  b.  in  Sullivan,  N.  H.,  Dec.  31,  1801.  He 
md.  Dec.  3,  1822,  Almira  Samson,  dau.  of  Oliver  Samson, 
q.  V.  He  resided  a  few  3'ears  in  Keene,  N.  H.,  and  in 
1833  removed  to  this  town,  where  they  lived  to  an 
advanced  age.  Mr.  Maynard  was  a  man  of  generous 
sympathies  and  an  ardent  temperament.  His  faith  and 
courage  were  never  clouded.  In  business  affairs  he  was 
exact  and  honest,  and  in  his  social  relations  he  was  kind 
and  considerate.  In  every  good  work  his  sympathies 
were  spontaneous  and  his  adherence  loyal  and  firm.  He 
was  prominent  in  the  Methodist  church,  and  for  many 
years  his  efforts  were  unabated  and  his  infiuence  contin- 
ually renewed.  His  worthy  example  lives  in  the  memory 
of  his  associates  and  in  the  love  of  his  children.  He  d. 
Nov.  18,  1882  ;  his  widow  d.  July  29,  1886. 

I.  Nancy  A.,  \i.  Oct.  27, 1823  ;  md.  Charles  Winches- 
ter, son  of  Caleb  Winchester,  q.  v. 

II.  George  A.,  b.  March  3,  1826  ;  md.  Sept.  25,  1848, 
Sarah  A.  INIerry,  b.  Aug.  5,  1827,  dau.  of  Capt. 
John  and  Sarah  A.  Merry  of  Edgecomb  ;  she  d. 
Sept.  2, 1870  ;  he  md.  (2d)  Oct.  12,  1872,  Mary 
E.  McLean,  b.  Oct.  12,  1847,  dau.  of  Anthony 
and  Martha  McLean  of  Shelburne.  Eight  chil- 
dren. He  is  a  commission  merchant :  resides 
in  Somerville. 

III.  Lambert  M.,  b.  March  26,  1828;  md.  Feb.  17, 
1853,  Rose  W.  Knight,  b.  Oct.  31,  1828,  dau. 
of  Asa  and  Susan  M.  Knight ;  resides  in  Somer- 
ville. 


814 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


27 


28 


31 


32 
33 


34 
35 
36 

37 


IV.  Abbie  S.,  b.  Aug.  11,  1880;  md.  July  2,  1848, 
Stillman  S.  Knapp,  b.  March  6,  1825,  son  of 
Eliab  aud  Rachel  Knapp  of  Mason,  N.  H.  ;  he 
resides  in  Gardner. 
V.  Lizzie  C,  b.  May  28,  1838  ;  md.  Nov.  22,  1854, 
Oliver  D.  Wilder,  b.  Aug.  25,  1830,  son  of 
Josiah  P.  and  Amanda  (Carter)  Wilder  of  New 
Ipswich.  He  was  in  the  service  in  the  Civil 
War  from  this  town.  In  18 —  he  removed  to 
Lowell. 
VI.  Infant,  b.  and  d.  May  11,  1834. 

VII.  Jane  A.,  b.  March  27,  1836  ;  md.  Nov.  22,  1854, 
Frank  W.  Cummings,  b.  Jan.  31,  1831,  son  of 
George  Cummings  of  Plymouth,  N.  H.  ;  resides 
in  Shirley. 

VIII.  Elliot  ^.,  b.  Oct.  14,  1839;  md.  April  6,  1864, 
Mary  Jane  Clark,  who  d.  Jan.  14,  1874  ;  md. 
(2d)  May  4,  1873,  Abbie  B.  Caswell.  He  is  a 
carpenter  in  Ashburnham  and  postmaster  at 
Central  Village. 

1.  Irving  E.,  b.  Oct.  3,  1868. 

2.  Mamie  Addie,  b.  May  2,  1871  ;   d.  April 

20,  1873. 

IX.  Susan  H.,  b.  March  8,  1841  ;  md.  Frank  W.  Wal- 
lace, q.  V. 

X.  Mary  Isabel^  b.  July  20,  1843  ;  md.  Nathan  Eaton, 
q.  V. 

XI.   Charles  Wesley,  b.  Oct.  21,  1845.     He  was  a  rail- 
road conductor;  d.  unmd.  at  Houston,  Texas, 
Oct.  18,  1873. 
XII.  Emma  C,  b.  Nov.  4,    1848;  md.  Nathan    Eaton, 
q.  V. 


Daniel  McIntire  was  b.  in  Eeading  July  2,  1781.  He 
was  a  son  of  Daniel  and  Jane  (Hutchinson)  McIntire  of 
Reading  and  later  of  Fitchburg.  He  md.  April  24,  1808, 
Sally  Billings,  dau.  of  Joshua  Billings,  q.  v.,  and  settled 
on  the  north  turnpike  on  the  farm  now  occupied  by 
his  sous.  He  d.  Aug.  27,  1860  ;  his  widow  d.  Aug.  18, 
1871. 

I.  Lewis,  b.  Sept.  29,  1808 ;  md.  May  7,  1846, 
Syrena  Whitney,  b.  Oct.  16,  1808,  dau.  of  Ben- 
jamin and  Nancy  (Fuller)  Whitney  of  Marl- 
boro', N.  H.  ;  she  cl.  July  9,  1851  ;  he  resides 
on  the  homestead. 


GENEALOGICxVL    REGISTER.  815 

II.  Daniel,  b.  Nov.  24,  1810;  unmd.  ;  resides  on  the 
homestead. 

III.  Allen,  b.  June   3,    1818  ;  unmd.  ;  resides   on    the 

homestead. 

IV.  Lavina,  b.  April  4,  1823.;  d.  young. 

T.  Jane  E.,  b.  Feb.  11,  1825;  md.  Jan.  1,  1846, 
Luther  L.  Howard  of  Rojalston ;  resides  in 
Nashua,  N.  H. 


Jacob  McIxtire,  a  brother  of  Daniel  Mclntire  (1), 
removed  to  Jetlerson  county.  New  York,  and  there  md. 
Polly  Russell.  In  1840  he  removed  to  this  town.  He 
was  a  farmer  and  a  blacksmith  and  resided  on  the  farm 
more  recently  of  his  son.  Parley  Mclntire.  He  d.  Aug. 
9,  1863  ;  she  d.  May  8,  1868. 

I.  Adaline,    b. ;  md.    Feb.    17,    1840,    Timothy 

Metcalf,  b.  Jan.  26,  1798,  son  of   Timothy  and 
Ruth  (Chaplin)  Metcalf  of  Rindge  ;  she  d.  July 

28,  1843. 

1.  Timothv,  b.  June  15,  1841. 

2.  Adaline\  b.  July  21,  1843  ;  d.  Aug.  16, 
1843. 

II.  Jane,  b. :  md.  April  15,  1839,  Joseph  Davis, 

son  of  Ebeuezer  Bennett  Davis,  q.  v. 
III.  David  Dean,  b.  Oct.  13,  1826 ;  md.  June  19, 
1850,  Hannah  S.  Cowdrey,  dan.  of  Jacob  and 
Hannah  (Blood)  Cowdrey;  she  d.  June  19, 
1880;  he  md.  (2d)  Feb.  5,  1881,  Eunice  M. 
Buxton.  He  is  a  farmer  in  the  north  part  of 
the  town  on  the  Benjamin  farm. 

1.  Adaline  Maria,  b.  Oct.  13,  1852;  d. 
unmd.  July  2,  1875. 

2.  Edward,  b.  Feb.  1,  1854;  md.  Aug.  21, 
1875,  Mary  Emily  Marcy,  dan.  of  Wash- 
ington Marcy  of  Holland.  He  resides 
in  Rindge.     Three  children. 

3.  Amanda,   b.  1856  ;  d.  Jan.  2,    1863. 

4.  Mary,b.  Dec,  1857;  d.  April  13,  1858. 

5.  Arthur,  b.  Jan.  29,  1859  ;  d.  young. 

6.  Talbot,  b.  Jan.  13,  1861  ;  md.  1882, 
Isabel  Blankinship  ;  resides  in   Boston. 

7.  Waterman,    b.  Nov.   8,   1863;  md.    Jan., 
I  1887,  Emeline  Nichols. 

20  I  8.  Frederick  L.,  b.  Aug.  5,  1865. 


816 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


21 


IV.  Robert  White,  b.  April  7,  1828  ;  md.  June  30, 
1853,  Eliza  K.  Cowdrey,  b.  Jan.  26,  1827,  dau. 
of  Jacob  and  Hannah  (Blood)  Cowdrey.  He  is 
proprieter  of  the  Corey  Mills  near  the  line  of 
Rindge,  and  for  several  years  has  been  one  of 
the  road  commissioners. 

1.  Emma  Clara,  b.  Oct.  7,  1854;  d.  Oct.  18, 

1854. 

2.  Flora  Helen,  b.  Nov.  2, 1856  ;  d.  Nov.  16, 

1862. 

3.  Walter  Herbert,  b.  Jan.  9,   1858  ;  d.  Oct. 

25, 1862. 

4.  Carrie  Belle,  b.  Ma3^15,  1861  ;  md.  James 

A.  Lane,  son  of  Allen  F.  Lane,  q.  v. 

5.  Herman  R.,  b.  Sept.  10,  1862. 

6.  Effle  E.,  b.  Dec.  28,  1864. 

7.  Hiland,   b.  April  18,   1867;  d.   Sept.   28, 

1869. 

8.  Gertie  V.,  b.  Jan.  16,  1869. 

V.  Parley,  b.  Aug.  23,  1833  ;  md.  Jan.  1,  1856,  Hattie 
E.  Hardy  of  New  Ipswich.  In  the  Civil  War  he 
served  in  the  25th  Regiment. 

1.  Ruby  S.,   b.   1860;  md.   Charles  Wilson; 

reside  in  Jaffrey,  N.  H. 

2.  Frank,  b.  June  22,  1872. 


Nathan  Melvin  was  a  resident  of  Dorchester  Canada, 
several  years  previous  to  the  incorporation  of  Ashburn- 
ham.  He  lived  in  the  ninth  school  district  and  near  the 
Amos  Pierce  farm.  He  was  a  farmer  and  an  innholder. 
He  was  chosen  a  deer  reeve  in  1765,  and  subsequently 
was  an  assessor  and  a  selectman.  In  1775  his  name  is 
found  on  the  roll  of  Capt.  Davis'  company.  He  was  here 
in  1780  and  was  then  chosen  a  surveyor  of  the  highways, 
but  the  family  removed  soon  after  that  date.  The  name 
of  his  wife  was  Anna  ;  six  or  more  children  were  b.  in  this 
town.  Mary  Melvin,  probably  a  relative  and  possibly  an 
elder  dau.,  md.  Sept.  11,  1770,  John  Bigelow. 

I.  Anva,  b.  Nov.  8,  1760. 

II.  Sarah,  b.  Sept.  15,  1762. 
m.  Phehe,  b.  March  27,  1765. 
IV.  Hejjsibah,  b.  March  24,  1767. 

V.  Nathan,  b.  March  1,  1769. 
VI.   Theodore,  b.  May  1,  1771. 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER. 


817 


MERRIAM. 

During  the  Revolution,  and  until  the  close  of  the  century,  a  family  of 
Merriam  resided  in  this  town,  but  none  of  the  descendants  of  this  family 
appear  among  the  later  inhabitants  of  Ashburnham.  Isaac  Merriam,  the  head 
of  this  family,  was  of  the  fifth  generation  of  Merriam  in  this  country. 
Through  valued  favors  of  George  O.  Merriam  of  Dorchester  this  register  is 
rendered  more  complete.  Joseph  Merriam,  a  son  of  William  and  Sarah 
Merriam  of  Hadlowe,  county  of  Kent,  England,  with  wife  Sarah,  is  found 
residing  in  Concord  at  an  early  date.  He  was  admitted  freeman  March  14, 
1638,  and  d.  Jan.  1,  1G41.  Joseph  Merriam,  probably  the  eldest  of  three 
sons,  was  b.  1630;  he  md.  July  12,  1053,  Sarah  Stone,  b.  1033,  dau.  of  Dea. 
Gregory  Stone.  He  was  admitted  freeman  May  22,  1651;  he  d.  April  20, 
1677;  his  widow  d.  April  8,  1701.  Thomas  Merriam,  son  of  Joseph  and 
Sarah  (Stone)  Merriam,  b.  1672,  md.  Dec.  23,  1696,  Mary  Hayward,  and 
resided  in  Lexington,  where  he  was  a  constable  and  selectman  several  years. 
He  d.  Aug.  16,  1738;  his  widow  d.  Sept.  29,  1756.  The  youngest  of  several 
sons  was  Isaac  Merriam,  b.  July  11,  1714.  He  md.  Sarah  Davis,  and  among 
his  children  was  Isaac  Merriam  of  Ashburnham. 

Benjamin  Merriam,  number  32,  was  of  the  seventh  generation  in  this 
country,  and  was  a  descendant  of  John,  another  son  of  Joseph  and  Sarah 
(Stone)  Merriam.  He  was  b.  May  30,  1662;  md.  1688,  Mary  Wheeler  of 
Concord ;  resided  at  Cambridge  Farms,  now  Lexington,  and  was  one  of  the 
most  prominent  men  of  the  parish  and  of  the  town.  He  d.  May  21,  1727; 
his  widow  d.  Dec.  26,  1747.  His  son,  Jonas  Merriam,  bap.  Jan.  12,  1704, 
md.  Oct.  3,  1728,  Abigail  Locke,  b.  .Tune  22,  1710,  dau.  of  Dea.  William  and 
Abigail  (Hayward)  Locke  of  Woburn ;  she  d.  Dec.  5,  1755;  he  md.  (2d) 
June  22,  1758,  Sarah  Winship.  He  lived  in  Lexington  and  was  frequently 
chosen  to  office.  He  d.  July  23,  1776;  his  wife  d.  March  15,  1773.  Abra- 
ham Merriam,  son  of  Jonas,  b.  Dec.  23,  1734,  md.  April  22,  1750,  Sarah 
Simonds,  b.  April  25,  1739,  dau.  of  Daniel  and  Abigail  (Smith)  Simonds. 
They  lived  some  years  in  Lexington  and  about  1767  removed  to  Woburn, 
where  their  son,  Ezra  Merriam,  was  b.  June  15,  1760.  He  md.  Susan  Elliot 
and  resided  in  Mason,  N.  H. 


Isaac  Merriam,  son  of  Isaac  and  Sarah  (Davis)  Mer- 
riam, was  b.  in  Concord  1736.  He  md.  April  10,  1759, 
Eleanor  Munroe  of  Lexington  who  d.  in  Concord  July  19, 
1767;  he  md.  (2d)  Dec.  2,  1767,  Rebecca  Davis  of 
Acton.  With  four  children  he  removed  to  Ashburnham 
in  1772  or  early  in  1773.  He  was  a  selectman  and  promi- 
nent in  the  affairs  of  the  town.  In  1793  he  removed  to 
Groton,  N.  H. 


David,  b.  in  Concord  Jan.  28,  1760.-1- 
Isaac,  b.  in  Concord  Jan.  29,  1762. -f- 
Jonathan,  b.  in  Concord  July  6,  1764:.-|- 
Bevjamin,    b.   in   Concord   July   9,    1767 ;    d.    in 

Malone,  N.  Y. 
Rebecca,  b.  in  Concord  Nov.  12,  1771. 
Joshua,  b.   in   Ashburnham  Nov.  1],  1775;  d.  in 

Malone,  N.  Y. 
Jonas,  b.  in  Ashburnham  April  25,  1780  ;  lived  in 

Brandon,  Vt, 


2 

I. 

3 

II. 

4 

III. 

5 

IV. 

6 

V. 

7 

VI. 

8 

VII. 

52 

818 


HISTORY  OF  ASHBURNHAM. 


(2) 


9 

10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
17 

(3) 


18 
19 
20 
21 
22 
23 
24 
25 

(4) 


26 

27 
28 

29 
30 
31 


Capt.  David  Merriam  came  to  this  town  with  the 
family  ;  was  a  soldier  in  the  Revolution.  Vide  page  192. 
He  md.  Nov.  21,  1782,  Phebe  Foster,  dau.  of  Moses  Fos- 
ter, Jr.,  q.  v.,  and  soon  after  this  marriage  he  removed  to 
Brandon,  Vt.  His  wife  d.  April  7,  1794,  and  he  again 
appears  in  the  records  and  is  styled  Capt.  David  Merriam, 
and  md.  Feb.  10,  1795,  Betty  Conant,  dau.  of  Ebenezer 
Conant,  Jr.,  q.  v.  He  d.  in  Brandon,  Vt.,  Feb.  15, 
1849  ;  his  wife  d.  June  3,  1842. 

I.  Fhebe,  b.  Dec.  26,  1783. 
II.  David,  b.  June  9,  1786. 
ni.   George  W.,  b.  Oct.  4,  1787. 
IV.  Isaac  Foster,  b.  July  27,  1790. 
V.   Cyrus,  b.  July  14,  1793. 
VI.  Betsey,  b.  Sept.  13,  1796. 
VII.   Alvin,  b.  March  26,  1802. 
VIII.  Angeline  E.,  b.  July  18,  1808. 
IX.  Daniel  D. 


Isaac  Merriam  was  a  soldier  in  the  Revolution.  Vide 
page  191.  After  the  war  he  removed  from  this  town  and 
subsequently  lived  in  Northumberland,  N.  H.  He  md. 
1786,  Betsey  Wait,  b.  April  8,  1765.  He  d.  in  Jackson, 
N.  Y.,  Feb.  1,  1853.  Two  of  his  children  are  living  in 
Northumberland . 

I.  David,  b.  May  5,  1790. 
II.  Isaac,  b  Feb.  24,  1792. 

III.  Betsey,  b.  March  2,  1794. 

IV.  William,  b.  March  21,  1796  ;   d.  July  5,  1814. 
V.  Jonas,  b.  May  23,  1798. 

VI.  Benjamin,  b.  Sept.  15,  1801. 
VII.  Joseph  Waite,  b.  Aug.  27,  1803. 
VIII.  Sarah,  b.  March  31,  1808. 


Jonathan  Merriam  md.  Nov.  6,  1788,  Sarah  Conant, 
dau.  of  Ebenezer,  Jr.,  g.  v.  He  resided  in  this  town  until 
near  the  close  of  the  century  and  removed  with  other 
families  to  Brandon,  Vt.,  perhaps  in  1798.  He  was  a 
captain  of  the  militia  in  this  town.     He  d.  April  26,  1826. 

I.  Isaac,  b.  Oct.  25,  1789. 
II.  Jonathan,  b.  Nov.  5,  1791. 

III.  Sarah,    b.    Aug.    31,     1794  ;    md.    Rev.     Samuel 

Waite,  D.  D. 

IV.  Abel  Wood,  b. . 

V.  Mylon,  b. . 

VI.  Lydia,  b. ;  md.  Jacob  Powers  of  Brandon. 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER. 


819 


32 


33 
34 
35 
36 

37 

38 


39 

40 


Benjamin  Merriam,  son  of  Ezra  and  Susan  (Elliot) 
Merriam,  was  b.  in  Mason,  N.  H.,  Mav  13,  1802.  He 
md.  Nov.  4,  1832,  Irene  Kuapp,  b.  Jan. '4,  1812,  dau.  of 
Elijah  and  llhoda  Knapp,  of  Mason,  N.  H.  The  family 
removed  to  this  town  in  1845,  where  he  was  engaged  some 
years  in  the  stove  and  hardware  trade.  He  d.  Aug  5, 
1872. 

I.  Benjamin  F.,  b.  Sept.  7,  1833  ;  d.  Nov,  27,  I860. 
II.   Henry  A.,  b.  June  16,  1835;  d.  March  28,    18f>5. 

III.  George  E.,  b.  Sept.  3,  1837  ;  d.  March  25,    1842. 

IV.  Emily  E.,  b.  July  7,  1842  ;  md.  Francis  J.  Litclu 

q.  V. 

V.  Susan  3/.,  b.  July  16,  1844  ;  d.  Dec.  13,  1861. 

VI.  Ahhie  /.,  b.  Oct.   16,    1846;  md.   June    2,   1867, 

William  H.  Richardson  of  Ashburnham.  He  is 
a  manufacturer  of  carriages  and  a  dealer  in  car- 
riages, sleighs  and  furnishings. 

VII.   Laura E.,  b.  Jan.  7,  1849  ;  d.  March  2,  1878. 

viii.   Clarabell  A.,  b.  Aug.  7,  1853  ;  d.  May  21,  1882. 


MERRIAM. 

The  families  of  Merriam  included  in  the  following  register  are  a  branch  of 
the  Marion  family.  The  name  of  Merriam  was  assumed  by  William  and 
Joseph  of  Ashburnham  and  their  descendants,  and  it  appears  that  Ignatius 
Marion  was  the  ancestor  of  the  later  families  of  Merriam  in  this  town.  This 
also  accounts  for  the  name  of  Meriam  which  frequently  appears  in  the  signa- 
tures and  records  of  the  town.     John  Marion,  b.  in  England  1620,  d.  in 

1705;  Sarah,  his  wife,  b.  1^25,  d.  Feb.  3,  1709.  Samuel  Marion,  son  of 
John  and  Sarah,  b.  Dec.  14,  1655,  lived  in  Boston,  Charlestown  and  again  in 

Boston.     He  md.  Hannah ,  who  d.  April  4,  1688.     Reference  is  made  to 

her  death  in  Sewall's  Diary  :  "  At  night  Sara  Marion's  wife  hangs  herself  in 
the  chamber,  fastening  a  cord  to  the  Rafter  Joice ;  two  or  three  said  she  was 
distracted  and  had  been  for  some  time.  She  was  buried  in  the  burying 
place."  He  md.  (2d)  Mary  Wilson,  dau.  of  Edward  and  Mary  (Hale)  Wil- 
son of  Charlestown.  He  d.  Aug.  6,  1726.  Among  the  twelve  children  of 
Samuel  Marion  was  Isaac  Marion,  a  son  of  the  second  wife,  b.  in  Charles- 
town Marcli  8,  1694.  He  md.  July  7,  1717,  Rebecca  Knight,  and  of  their  five 
children  Ignatius,  the  second  son,  came  to  Ashburnham,  and  Rebecca,  the 
youngest,  b.  Oct.  18,  1730,  d.  here  unmd.  June  2,  1816. 


Ignatius  Merriam,  son  of  Isaac  and  Rebecca  (Knight) 
Merriam,  was  b.  Aug,  15,  1724.  He  lived  in  Lexington, 
where  the  birth  of  children  Susannah  and  Joseph  are 
recorded,  and  in  Woburn.  Joseph,  in  his  affidavit,  page 
209,  alleges  that  he  was  b.  in  Woburn.  I  have  found  no 
record  of  his  marriage.  After  his  children  were  married 
and  settled  in  life  he  came  to  this  town,  where  two  sons 
were  living,  about  1790.  He  d.  April  3,  and  his  wife  d. 
April  2,  1799  ;  they  were  buried  in  one  grave  in  the  old 
cemetery. 


820 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


4 
5 
6 

7 
8 

(7) 


I.  Mary,  b.  Feb.  9,  1749  ;  md. Draper. 

II.  Susannah^  b.  Jan.  9,  1751 ;  md.  April  8,  1777, 
Ephraim  Winship,  b-  in  Lexington  June  25, 
1753,  son  of  Richard  Winship. 

III.  Sarah,  h.  June  19,  1754;  md. Reed. 

IV.  Hepsibah,  b.  Aug.  2,  1756  ;  md. Wetherbee. 

V.  Abigail,  b.  March  20,  1760  ;  d.  unmd.  in  Frances- 
town,  N.  H. 

VI.  Joseph,  b.  Feb   3,  1763.-f- 
VII.    William,  b.  Sept.  12,  1767.+ 


9 

10 
11 

12 

13 

14 

(8) 


Joseph  Merriam  md.  Sept.  25,  1782,  Phebe  Russell,  b. 
May  24,  1764,  dau.  of  Philip  and  Lydia  (Dodge)  Russell 
of  Lexington.  He  lived  a  short  time  in  Bedford,  remov- 
ing to  this  town  in  1784.  He  lived  at  the  centre  of  the 
town,  in  the  northwest,  and  subsequently  in  the  southwest 
part  of  the  town,  near  the  toll-gate.  He  d.  April  4,  1849, 
aged  86  years  ;  recorded  88  ;  she  d.  May  29,  1845,  aged 
81  years;  recorded  71. 

I.  Philip  Russell,  b.  Jan.  4,  1784.-}- 
II.  Joseph,  b.  Aug.  19,  1785. -(- 

III.  Nathan,   b.    Oct.    21,    1787;  d.    in    Ashburnham 

unmd.  April  7,  1851. 

IV.  Phebe,  b.  Dec.  13,  1789  ;  md.  Philip  Bowman,  son 

of  John  Bowman,  q.  v. 
V.  Jonas,  b.  Nov.  25,  1804  ;  removed  to  New  Orleans, 

La.,  where  he  d.  unmd.  Oct.  23,  1832. 
VI.  Joshua,  b.  Oct.  10,  1807. -|- 


"WiLLiAM  Merriam  md.  Oct.  30, 1788,  Rebecca Metcalf, 
dau.  of  Joseph  Metcalf,  q.  v.  He  was  a  blacksmith  and 
lived  near  Factory  Village.  He  is  remembered  as  a  man 
of  good  character  and  an  excellent  citizen.  He  d.  June 
11,  1834;  she  d.  Dec.  9,  1831. 

William  S.,  b.  Feb.  14,  1789.-1- 

Ezekiel,  b.  May  17,  1792.-|- 

3Ios€s  B.,  b.  March  19,  1794;  md.  March  14, 
1824,  Abigail  Simonds  ;  was  a  machinist ;  d.  in 
Northboro'  Dec.  24,  1876  ;  his  wife  d.  Dec.  17, 
1870. 

Rebecca,  b.  Dec.  12,  1796  ;  d.  April  1,  1819. 

Margaret  S.,  b.  April  2%,  1800 ;  d.  June  10,  1830. 

Joel,  b.  Jan.  28,  1802. -f- 

James,  b.  Oct.  16,  1803. -f 

Asa,  b.  Feb.  2,  1810.-}- 

Sarah  R.,  b.  Sept.  20,  1816  ;  d.  Jan.  15,  1817. 


15 

I. 

16 

II. 

17 

III. 

18 

IV. 

19 

V. 

20 

VI. 

21 

VII. 

22 

VIII. 

23 

IX. 

GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  821 

Philip  R.  Merriam  was  a  merchant  and  a  manufacturer 
of  chairs  in  this  town,  and  for  many  years  he  was 
engaged  in  teaming  between  Ashburnham  .and  Boston. 
He  was  enterprising  and  ambitious  and,  until  the  advent 
of  the  Winchesters,  who  were  his  successors  in  the 
chair  business,  he  was  the  principal  supporter  of  the 
activities  of  the  town.  He  md.  Oct.  2,  1806,  Sally  San- 
derson, d;ui.  of  Moses  Sanderson,  q.  v.  ;  she  d.  Oct.  15, 
1843;  md.  (2d)  Sept.  6,  1844,  Ruth  (Wallis)  Morton, 
widow  of  John  D.  Morton,  q.  v.  He  d.  April  29,  1880  ; 
his  wife  d.  June  7,  1865. 

I.  Philip  Russell,  b.  May  29,  1807. -[- 
II.   Otis  Whiton,  b.  May  27,  1812.-[- 
III.  Francis  Henry,  b.  Sept.  23,  1845  ;  d.  unmd.  April 
14,  1869. 


Joseph  Merriam,  son  of  Joseph,  md.  Sept.  11,  1806, 
Betsey  Adams  ;  md.  (2d)  May  4,  1809,  Betty  (Oates) 
Wheeler,  widow  of  Josiah  Wheeler  of  Gardner  and  dan. 
of  John  Gates,  q.  v.  He  removed  1807  to  Boxboro'  and 
subsequently  lived  in  Chesterfield,  N.  H.,  and  in  Royals- 
ton.     He  d.  Oct.  11,  1850. 

I.  Josiah  TF.,  b.  June  12,  1809  ;  was  a  merchant  in 
Baltimore;  md.   Eliza  Ann   Rowell ;  md.  (2d) 
Catherine  Hall.     Six  children. 
II.  Elizabeth  A.,  b.  April  12,  1811  ;  unmd. 

III.  Joh7i   G.,  b.  April   18,   1813;  md.   May  12,  1833, 

Sarah  F.  Warren  ;  lived  several  years  in  Leom- 
inster.    Four  children. 

IV.  .Sultina  H.,  b.  June  23,  1815  ;  md.  Nov.  17,  1842, 

Edward  H.  Reif ;  removed  to  Baltimore.     Six 
children. 
V.  Sarah   G.,  b.    May  7,   1817  ;  md.  Sept.  3,    1849, 
George   W.    E.    Kelley  of   Hopkinton,   N.    H. 
Two  children. 
VI.   Nancy  H.,  b.  Oct.  26,   1819  ;  md.  June  20,   1859, 

Benjamin  B.  Howell.     Five  children. 
VII.  Anna  T.,  b.  Aug.  26,   1822;  md.    Sept.    3,   1845, 
Henry  Bisselle.     Three  children. 


(14)  Joshua  Merriam  md.  Nov.  19,  1835,  Nancy  W.  Hol- 
brook,  dau.  of  Jesse  Holbrook,  q.  v.  She  d.  July  30, 
!  1852  ;  md.  (2d)  Nov.  14,  1852,  Roxanna  Fassett  of  Filz- 
'  William,  N.  H.,  who  d.  Oct.  3,  1859  ;  md.  (3d)  June  1, 
1861,  Jane  R.  Wood,  b.  in  England,  a  sister  of  Rev. 
Plin}'  Wood.     He  is  a  shoemaker  in  Central  Village. 


822 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


84 


35 
36 


(15) 


37 


38 

39 
40 

41 
42 

43 

44 

45 

46 
(16) 


1.  Sarah  E.,  h.  May  21,  1839  ;  md.  March  10,  1868, 
Harding  G.  Woodward  of  Greenfield ;  he  d. 
March  9,  1884.     Three  children. 

II.  JaneE.,  b.  Sept.  29,  1840;  d.  Feb.  14,  1844. 

III.  Effie  Jane,  b.  June  2,  1863. 


William  S.  Merriam  md.  March  10,  1810,  Martha 
Lawrence,  dau.  of  Amos  Lawrence,  q.  v.  He  was  a  black- 
smith in  this  town  and  lived  on  the  Amos  Whitney  farm 
and  near  the  homestead  of  his  father.  In  1841  he  re- 
moved to  Chelsea.  He  d.  Aug.  3,  1878  ;  she  d.  Aug., 
1872. 

I.  Otis,  b.  Sept.  14,  1810;  md.  Jan.  1,  1830,  Abigail 
R.  Savils  ;  removed  to  Chelsea  1832  ;  his  wife 
d.  May  7,  1839;  md.  (2d)  Oct.  10,  1839, 
Harriet  Lamont.  He  has  continued  a  residence 
in  Chelsea  many  years,  and  was  an  auctioneer 
,  and  an  insurance  and  real  estate  agent.  A  few 
years  ago  he  began  business  at  Putnam,  Conn., 
and  until  recently  was  president  of  the  Putnam 
Gas  Light  Companv.     Four  children. 

II.  Ezra  Lawrence,  b.  Feb.  28,  1812;  md.  Aug.  27, 
1835,  Eliza  B.  Prescott  who  d.  July  12,  1865  ; 
resides  in  Putnam,  Conn. 

III.  Martha  M.,  b.  Oct.   10,  1814;  md.  Lyman  Wood 

of  Fitchburg;  she  d.  March  8,  1839. 

IV.  William   Newton,    b.  Nov.    15,   1816;  md.    1841, 

Abigail  Lord  of  Sanboruton ;  removed  to  Chel- 
sea ;  md.  (2d)  Margaret  Clark  ;  served  in  40th 
Mass.  Regiment  and  d.  in  Andersonville  prison. 
V.  Susan  Augusta,  Wilson,  b.  Nov.  8,  1818  ;  md.  Dec. 
12,  1855,  William  E.  Stanwood. 

VI.  Liberty,   b.  Jan.  16,    1821  ;  md.    March   8,    1844, 

Lucinda  Douglas  ;  md.   (2d)   1854,   Mary  Ann 

Heath.     He  was  a  manufacturer  of  wall  paper. 

VII.  Elvira,   b.    Dec.   31,    1822;  md.    May   22,    1844, 

George  G.  Desmezes  ;  resides  in  Chelsea. 
VIII.  SuUina   Townsend,  b.  June  15,  1825  ;  md.  Oct.  2, 
1845,   William   E.    Stanwood 
1853. 

IX.  Jeremiah  Metcalf,  b.  July  7,  1827  ; 
1847,  Elizabeth  Moseley  ;  was  a 
of  wall  paper. 

X.  Sarah,  b.  Nov.  6,  1829  ;  d.  Aug.  17 


she   d.   May  8, 

md.   Nov.    7, 
manufacturer 


1832. 


EzEKiEL   Merriam  md. 
dau.  of   Jouas  Reed,  q. 


Nov.  23,    1815,    Nancy  Reed, 
;.     He  was  a  stone-cutter  and 


GKNEALOfUCAL    RKdISTKU.  823 

I  resided  ia  Mason,  N.  H.,  and  in  this  town.     He  d.  Jan. 
25,  1863;  shed.  Nov.,  l87o. 
A7  T    Nancv    b.   Aug.  26,   1816  ;  md.  Sept.   12,    1838, 

^^  George  Howard;    she   d.    in    Ashby  March  2, 

48  II.    Wmtam  Johnson,  b.  Aug.  25,  1818;  md  June  1, 

1842,    Matilda    Russell   of   Boston;    he    d.    at 
Auburndale  Dec.  16,  1875. 

49  III.   Rebecca,  b.  Feb.  5,  1822  ;  d.  Feb.  2o,  1822. 

Jo  IV.  Rebecca,  b.  June  8,    1824;  md.  Nov.    19,    1840, 

Harvey  Howard;  she   d.    at   Nashua,  N.    H., 
Aug.  26,  1870;  he  d.  Feb.  6,  1874. 

51  1  V.  George  W.,  b.  Aug.  12,  1827;  md.  Nov.  1,  1850, 
Caroline  Sears. 

52  1  VI.  Sarah,  b.  Jan.  18,  1832 ;  md.  May  12,  l8o3, 
Theodore  H.  Wood,  b.  in  Littleton  April  13, 
1830  Mr.  AVood  removed  from  Worcester  to 
Nashua  in  1852.  He  was  treasurer  of  the 
Nashua  and  Lowell  Railroad  several  years  and 
president  of  the  Manchester  and  Keene  Rail- 
road.   Sarah  (Merriam)  Wood  d.  Sept.  o,  1880. 

1  Clara  Abbott,  b.  July  2,  1854  ;  md.  April 
15,  1875,  Francis  E.  Nims  who  d.  June 
l,'l881. 


53 

(20) 

54 

55 
56 
57 

58 

59 
60 
61 

(21) 


Joel  Merriam  md.  1826,  Deborah  Cook  dau  of  John 
Cook,  q.  V.  ;  resided  in  this  town;  he  d.  Dec.  1/,  1»5»  , 
she  d.  1877. 

I.  John   Cool%  b.  June  15,  1827  ;  md.  Oct.   7,  1849 
Sophronia  A.  Chase  of  Leominster ;  resides  m 

Athol.  ,      ,    «    100  1 

II.  Rosilla,  b.  Nov.  9,  1828  ;  d.  March  7,  1831. 
III.  i^osi'Wa,  b.  Dec.  5,  1831.  i^^.wnf 
iv.  MaryE.,h.Jm,e  15,   1834;  md     Job   Foster    f 

Ashby;  he   d.  March  14,  1877    .  ^^^  chddren. 

V.  Edward  Balcom,  b.  1S41  ;  served   in   36th   Regi- 
ment ;  resides  in  Lawrence.  . 

VI.  Anqeline,  b. ;  md.  William  Drury ;  she  d.  m 

Worcester  1882.  ^  . , 

yi,.  Rhoda,  b.  ;  md.  Samuel   McC .;  resides 

in  Lawrence.  ^,  ^^  , 

vm.  Melinda,  b.  Feb.  16,  1847;  md.  Clarence  Upton, 
resides  in  Lawrence. 


James  Merriam,    son  of    William,    'l^-/^^'^^F>f^^, 
Bemis,  b.  in  Winchendon   May  27,   1807,  dau.    of  Abel 


824 


HISTOEY   OF   ASHBURNIIAM. 


(22) 


(24) 


71 


(25) 


Bemis.     He  resided  in  this  town  where  he  d.  July  31, 1840  ; 
she  md.  (2d)  Hosea  Green,   q.  v. 

I.  Dolly,  b.  Nov.  2,  1830  ;  d.  Sept.  13,  1833. 
n.  Dolly  A.,  b.  Aug.  26,  1834,  md.  Prof.  Levi  W. 
Russell,  q.  v. 


Asa  Merriam  resided  in  this  town  until  about  1848, 
when  he  removed  to  Gardner.  He  was  much  employed 
in  town  affairs  ;  was  captain  of  the  Light  Infantry  and 
represented  the  town  of  Gardner  in  the  Legislature.  He 
md.  Oct.  11,  1832,  Almira  B.  Crosbv,  dau.  of  Frederic 
Crosby,  q.  v.  She  d.  Feb.  13,  1845;  md.  (2d)  1845, 
Mary  Barker,  b.  Aug.  31,  1811,  whod.  Aug.  13,  1864; 
md.  (3d)  Esther  C.  Ryan,  b.  May  27,  1825  ;  d.  March  23, 
1883.     He  d.  in  Gardner  Jan.  24,  1885. 

I.  Hilton,   b.    April   29,    1835;    md.    Elizabeth    G. 
Watts,  b.  March  30,  1837  ;  resides  in  Gardner. 
II.  Lavina,  b.  March  30,  1837. 
HI.  Mary  Almira,  b.  Dec.  28,  1846. 

IV.  Frances  Neiiton,  b.  Jan.  9,  1848  ;  d.  Sept.  23, 1848. 

V.  Austin,  b.  May  25,  1852  ;  d.  Nov.  18,  1852. 


Philip  R.  Merriam,  Jr.,  was  engaged  in  business  with 
his  father  and  subsequently  was  a  merchant  in  this  town. 
He  removed  in  1840  to  Chelsea  and  was  in  trade  in  that  city 
and  in  Boston.  He  md.  July  2,  1835,  Helen  A.  Smallpeace, 
b.  in  Boston  Feb.  20,  1816,  dau.  of  Robert  and  Hannah 
(Stevens)  Smallpeace.  He  d.  March  25,  1879 ;  his 
widow  resides  in  this  town. 

I.  Helen  Maria,  b.  April  27,  1838  ;  d.  May  16,  1852. 
11.  Florence  Otis,  b.  Oct.  24,  1853  ;  md.  Jan.  24, 1817» 

Frank  H.  Parker,  son  of  Jesse  Parker,  q.  v. 
III.  Abbott  Smallpeace,  b.  Sept  4,  1855  ;  md.  Aug.  31, 
1880,  Jennie  Fleming  ;  resides  in  Boston. 


Otis  W.  Merriam  was  associated  with  his  father  in  the 
manufacture  of  chairs  and  subsequently  was  a  partner  of 
Charles  Winchester.  At  his  suggestion  many  substantial 
innovations  were  adopted,  and  wLile  he  remained  in  this 
town  he  was  an  important  factor  in  the  development  of 
an  indu&tiy  which  has  contributed  to  the  prosperity  of 
the  town.  Subsequently  he  was  engaged  in  business  in 
Boston  and  in  California.  He  now  resides,  an  invalid,  in 
Chelsea.  He  md.  Hepsev  Gibson,  dau.  of  Samuel  Gibson 
of  Ashby.     She  d.  June  27,  1 843  ;  he  md.  (2d) . 


-^/^^if>-^^l-je^o>7^ 


^C-^%.i^^7~^ 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER. 


825 


L  rcti,    i>uuicc  iVlloM.  , 
ree  children   were  b.  in 


unty  of  Kent,  England,  about  1590,  came 


S26 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


I.  Eunice  Jane,  b.  May  27,  1847  ;  d.  Aug.  25,  1847. 
II.  Ellen  Anna,  b.  Oct.  21,  1851  ;  d.  Dec.  15,  1851. 


Ezra  M.  Merritt,  a  brother  of  Simeon,  was  b.  in 
Gardner  March  2,  1825.  He  is  a  chair  maker  and  has 
resided  in  this  town  since  1849.  He  md.  Dec,  1855, 
Adaline  M.  Sawyer,  dau.  of  Abel  Sawyer,  q.  v.  ;  she  d. 
Aug.  14,  1886. 

.  I.   Carrie  M.,  b.  Nov.  8,  1861  ;  d.  Jan.  10, 1866. 


Joseph  Metcalf,  b.  April  3,  1734,  is  found  residing  in 
Groton  several  years  before  he  came  to  Ashburnham.  In 
1755  he  served  in  the  Indian  War.  He  md.  Jan.  24, 
1759,  Margaret  (Shattuck)  Bennett,  b.  in  Groton  July 
4,  1732,  widow  of  Joseph  Bennett  and  dau.  of  William 
and  Margaret  (Lund)  Shattuck.  These  are  the  ancestors 
of  all  the  Metcalfs  who  have  resided  in  Ashburnham. 
They  removed  from  Groton  in  1770  and  settled  east  of 
Lake  Naukeag  and  about  two  hundred  yards  northwest 
from  the  residence  of  John  T.  Wilson.  The  fame  of  their 
kindness  as  neighbors  and  exemplary  character  is  re- 
newed in  the  traditions  of  succeeding  generations.  Among 
their  descendants  are  included  many  bearing  the  names  of 
Rice,  Townsend,  Laws  and  Merriam,  and  in  later  genera- 
tions other  names  are  included  in  the  collateral  branches. 
Joseph  Metcalf  d.  from  injuries  received  by  falling  from 
an  apple  tree,  March  19,  1793,  aged  59  years  ;  Margaret, 
his  widow,  d.  suddenly  in  Groton,  while  visiting  her 
brother.  Job  Shattuck,  June  20,  1802,  aged  nearly  70 
years. 

I.  Ezekid  Shattuck,  b.  Oct.  13,  1759.-}- 
II.  Samuel,  b.  March  15,  1761.+ 

III.  Margaret,  b.  March  19,  1763  ;  md.  Reuben  Town- 

send,  q.  V. 

IV.  Sarah,  b.  Sept.  7,  1765  ;  md  Reuben  Rice,  g.  v. 
V.   Thankful,  b.  Aug.  18,  1767  ;  d.  young. 

VI.  Rebecca,  b.  Aug.  13,  1769  ;  md.  William  Merriam, 

q.  V. 
VII.  Joseph,  b.  Aug.  25,  1771  ;  d.  March  29,  1791. 
VIII.  Jeremiah,  b.  Oct.  30.  1773  ;  d.  March  8,  1774. 
IX.    Thankful,  b.  May  18,  1775  ;  md.  March  21,  1797, 
James  Laws,  son  of  James  Laws  of  Westminster. 


2) 


EzEKiEL  S.  Metcalf  md.  Jan.  10, 1782,  Eunice  Brooks. 
He  was  a  farmer  on  the  homestead.  He  d.  May  31, 
1831  ;  she  d.  June  12,  1811. 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  827 

I.  Eunice^  b.  ;  md.  Jonas  Robbins,  q.  v. 

II.  Ezekiel,  b. .-[- 

III.  Joseph,  b. ;  rad.  1814,  Lucy  Adams  of  West- 

minster.    Resided  in  Gardner. 

IV.  Jeremiah,  b.  1789.-|- 

V.  Lncfj,  b. ;  rad.  Samuel  Marble,  (j.  v. 

VI.  Asa,  b.  June  8,  1793  ;  d.  Sept.  10,  1794. 

VII.  Dinah,  b.  ;  md.  Daniel  Adams   of   Gardner. 

She  d.  about  1830,  leaving  eight  children. 
VIII.   Rhoda,  h.  May  4,  1799;  md.   Phinehas   Stimson, 
Jr.,  <j.  V. 


Samuel  ^Metoalf,  whose  service  in  the  Revolution  is 
stated  in  Chapters  Vr  and  VI,  removed  from  this  town 
about  1785.  He  lived  in  Groton,  N.  H.,  where  he  d. 
Dec.  25,  1822.  He  md.  Nov.  3,  178G,  Phebe  Fletcher  who 
d.  April  7,  1802  ;  md.  (2d)  June  10,  1802,  Betsey  Kemp. 
Nearh'  all  of  his  numerous  children  removed  to  the  West. 

I.  Samuel,  b.  Aug.  3,  1787  ;  md.  Dec.  26, 1815,  Mary 
Ball  of  Groton,    N.  H.  ;    removed  to  Kirtland, 
Ohio.     Three  children. 
II.  Reuben,  b.  Aug.  3,  1789  ;  d.  unmd.  1823. 

III.  Aaron  (twin),  b.  Aug.  3,   1789;   md.   1812,  Sally 

Ames,  b.  in  Groton,  N.  H.,  1788.  (Probably 
this  family  of  Ames  were  descendants  of  Stephen 
Ames  who  removed  from  Ashburnham  to  Groton 
in  1776.)  Removed  to  Kirtland,  Ohio.  Four 
children. 

IV.  Joseph,  b.  Aug.  12,  1792  ;  md.  Lucy  Ames  (a  sister 

of  Sally  Ames),  b.  1794;  removed  to  Kirtland, 
Ohio  ;  she  d.  1843.  Three  children. 
V.  Levi,  b.  Nov.  7,  1794;  md.  Betsey  Whipple  of 
Groton,  N.  H.  ;  removed  to  Michigan.  He  d. 
1848.  Five  children. 
VI.  Moses,  b.  May  5,  1797  ;  md.  Sally  Overrocker  ;  re- 
moved to  Jackson  county,  Mich.  Six  children. 
[Was  his  wife  a  descendant  of  John  Overlock  of 
Ashburnham?] 

VII.  David,  b.  Feb.  10,  1799  ;  d.  March,  1799. 
VIII.  Nehemiah,  b.  March  24,  1802;   d.  unmd.  Nov.  11, 
1842. 
IX.  Hardij  (twin),  b.  March    24,   1802;  rad.  Nov.  24, 
1826,  Judith  B.  Russell ;  reraoved  to  Plainfield, 
111.     Six  children. 
X.    William,  b.  Dec.  31,  1804  ;  a  ship  carpenter  ;  lived 
in  Massachusetts. 


828 


HISTOEY    OF    ASHBURNHAM. 


29 

30 
31 
32 


(12) 


34 
35 
36 

37 
38 


(14) 


39 
40 


41 

42 

43 

44 
45 
46 

(34) 


XI.  Betsey,  b.  June  15,  1808  ;  md. Kidder;  lived 

in  Groton,  N.  H. 
XII.  Infant,  b.  April  29,  1811  ;  died  in  infancy. 

XIII.  Infant  (twin),  b.  April  29,  1811  ;  d.  in  infancy. 

XIV.  PJiebe,  b.    May  28,  1815;  md.    Ezra   Ames;    re- 

moved to  Minnesota. 
XV.  David,  b.  July  31,  1819  ;  went  to  California. 


EzEKiEL  Metcai.f  md.  Feb.  16,  1815,  Dorothy  Foster, 
dau.  of  Samuel  Foster,  q.  v.  He  was  a  farmer  on  Foster 
Hill.     He  d.  Feb.  26,  1852  ;  she  d.  April  14,  1867. 

I.   Otis,  b.  Jan.  10,  1816. + 
II.  Joel  F.,  b.  Jan.  6,  1819. -|- 

III.  Mary  Ann,  b.  April  17,   1821  ;  md.  Orin  Morton, 

q.  V. 

IV.  Sultina,  b.  Dec.  2,  1824  ;  d.  Sept.  29,  1840. 

V.  Lavijia  S.,  b.  Sept.  26,  1835  ;  d.  Sept.  14,  1848. 


Jeremiah  Metcalf  md.  Nov.  28,  1815,  Dorothy 
Clark,  dau.  of  David  Clark,  q.  v.  He  was  a  man  of  good 
repute  ;  a  farmer  on  the  old  homestead.  He  d.  March  25, 
1824;  she  d.  May  12,  1869. 

I.   Cynthia,  b.  Feb.  15,  1817;  md.  John  Cook,    g.  v. 

II.  Leonard,  b.  Jan.  27,  1819;  md.  Feb.  24,  1846, 
TrypheuiaT.  Travis  of  Shirley  ;  she  d.  April  30, 
1853;  he  md.  (2d)  March  25,  1854,  Esther 
Damon  of  Ashby.  He  d.  in  this  town  Sept.  17, 
1857.    Three  children  were  b.  in  Boston. 

1.  Frank  A.,  b.  Feb.  21,  1847  ;  md.  Sept.  11, 
1871,  Ella  H.  Reynolds  of  New  Bedford ; 
he  resides  in  Charlestown. 

2.  Helen  M.,  b.  Jan.   11,   1849;    md.  James 

Oilman. 

3.  Charles  H.,  b.  Sept.  8,  1851. 

III.  Levi,  b.  Jan.  29,  1821  ;  d.  unmd.  March  18,  1847. 

IV.  Charles,  b.  Feb.  16,  1823  ;  d.  Feb.  24,  1823. 

V.  George  J.,  b.  June  5,  1824;  d.  unmd.  Dec.  6, 
1863. 


Otis  Metcalf  md.  April  23,  1839,  Sarah  C.  Davis, 
dau.  of  Reuben  Davis  of  Ashby.  He  resided  in  the 
Central  Village.  In  the  Civil  War  he  served  in  the  36th 
Regiment  and  was  transferred  to  the  Veteran  Reserve 
Corps.     He  d.  Feb.  8,  1872  ;  she  d.  April  9,  1882. 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER. 


829 


47 


48 


49 


(35) 


Gi'orge   0.,  b.    April  12,    1840;  d.  in   California 

April  14,  1870. 
S.  Stdtina,  b.  Feb.  18,  1842  ;  md.  Jan.  22,  1860, 

Martin  V.  B.  Howe,  b.  in   Jamaica,  Vt.,  April 

7,  1837.     Reside  in  Gardner. 
E.  Augusta,  b.  May  29,  1844;  md.  Nov.  29,  1866, 

Charles   W.    Brigham,  b.   in  Wardsboro',   Vt., 

July  2,  1837  ;  reside  in  Lowell. 


Joel  F.  Metcalf  md.  Nov.  28, 1839,  Martha  D.  Davis, 
dau.  of  Reuben  Davis  of  Ashb}'.  He  resided  in  this  town 
until  he  removed  to  Leominster,  1870.  He  served  his  native 
town  as  an  assessor  and  a  selectman  and  with  the  influence 
of  a  good  citizen.     Five  children. 

I.  Emily,  b.  May  25,  1841  ;  a  physician  in  Waltham. 
Vide  page  516. 

II.  Sarah,  b.  Jan.  27,  1843;  md.   Nov.,  1865,  Jonas 

P.  Sawin,  son  of  Abram  Sawin,  g.  v. 

III.  Martha,  b.  Jan.  6,  1845  ;  d.  Nov.  4,  1864. 

IV.  Maria,  b.  Dec.  25,  1846  ;  md.  Russell  Whitney, 
v.    Walton  J.,  b.  March  4,  1854  ;  md.  Nov.  15,  1879, 

Ada  Harris  ;  resides  at  Leominister. 


MILLER. 

The  Miller  families  of  Ashburnham  are  descendants  of  Dea.  Joseph  Miller, 
a  prominent  character  in  the  early  annals  of  Westminster.  The  emigrant 
ancestor  was  Richard  Miller  who  is  found  in  Charlestown  1C37;  he  removed 
to  Cambridge  and  d.  previous  to  1G62,  when  his  widow  Eleanor  md.  (2d) 
Henry  Harbard.  Joseph  Miller,  son  of  Richard,  b.  about  1620,  md.  Mary 
Pope,  dau.  of  Walter  Pope.  He  resided  in  Cambridge  and  in  Newton  where 
he  d.  1697;  his  widow  d.  1711.  Samuel  Miller,  son  of  Joseph,  was  b.  in 
Newton  Sept.  24,  1678;  md.  1708,  Elizabeth  Child.  He  was  a  selectman  in 
Newton  and  subsequently  removed  to  Worcester,  where  he  d.  1759.  Joseph 
Miller,  son  of  Samuel,  b.  in  Newton  July  29,  1716,  md.  1741,  Mary  Williams 
and  became  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Westminster.  He  was  an  assessor, 
selectman,  treasurer,  a  deacon  of  the  church  and  a  representative.  Isaac  Miller, 
b.  in  Westminster  March  31,  1754,  the  eighth  of  the  eleven  children  of  Dea. 
Joseph  and  Mary  (Williams)  Miller,  md.  1779,  Sarah  Bennett.  He  resided 
in  Westminster.  To  these  parents  seven  children  were  b.  as  follows  :  I. 
Joseph,  b.  Sept.  22,  1780,    resided   in  Ashburnham    and   is  number  1  in  the 

following    register.     II.    Betsey,    b.    Feb.    18,     1782,    md.    Winslow. 

III.  Sarah,  b.  Jan.  3,  1785,  md.  Joseph  Maynard,  q.  v.  IV.  Rebecca,  b. 
Dec.  2Q,  1786,  md.  Aug.  24,  ISll,  James  Hancock  of  Surry,  N.  H.,and  had 
ten  children.  V.  Isaac,  b.  July  12,  1789.  VI.  Benjamin,  b.  April  15,  1791, 
resided  some  years  in  Ashburnham.  No  record  of  his  marriage  and  children 
has  been  received.  His  dau.,  Susan  W.  Miller,  md.  July  3,  1842,  John  W. 
Hunt  of  Worcester.  VII.  Abigail,  b.  .June  18,  1793,  md".  1825,  Ira  Hyland 
of  Westmoreland,  N.  H.  They  had  three  children:  1.  Clarissa  Maria,  b. 
Jan.  8,  1827,  md.  Frederic  A.  Parker;  2.  Reuben,  b.  Jan.  21,  1829.  road 
master  and  wood  agent  of  Cheshire  Railroad;  3.  Joseph  M.,  b.  Feb.  28,  1831. 
VIII.  Dorcas,  bap.  Oct.  5,  1800.  The  mother,  Sarah  (Bennett)  Miller, 
was  a  member  of  the  church  in  Ashburnham  and  several  of  her  children 
were  baptized  by  Mr.  Cushing. 


830 


HISTOEY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


(4) 


Joseph  Miller,  son  of  Isaac,  b.  in  Westminster  Sept. 
22,  1780,  md.  Dee.  2,  1802,  Zipporah  Ellis,  dau.  of  Jesse 
Ellis,  q.  V. ;  she  d.  Nov.  4,  1827  ;  he  md.  (2d)  June  4,^ 
1829,  Hannah  (Marble)  Barrett,  widow  of  Joel  Barrett,. 
Jr.,  q.  V.  He  was  a  carpenter  in  Ashburnham.  He  d. 
July  12,  1860  ;  his  widow  d.  Aug.  14,  1875.  Three  chil- 
dren by  first  and  two  by  second  marriage. 

I.  O&ed^.,  b.  Feb.  26,  1803;  md.  June  17,  1827, 
Sarah  Lapham  of  Fitchburg ;  md.  (2d)  Sept. 
13,  1842,  Hannah  Twiss  of  Charlestown.  He 
is  a  carpenter  in  Templeton. 

II.  Nancy,  b.  May  29,  1805  ;  d.  unmd.  Dec.  12,  1826. 

III.  Stephen  Austin,  b.  July  1,  1819. -f- 

IV.  Sarah   Nancy,  b.  April    18,   1830 ;  md.  Oct.   22, 

1851,  William  Leonard  Davis,  dealer  in  stoves, 
furnaces  and  tin  ware,  in  firm  of  Davis,  Wright 
&  Co.,  Keene,  N.  H. 
V.   George,  b.  May  16,  1834  ;  d.  July  6,  1834. 


Stephen  A.  Miller  is  kindly  remembered  in  his  native 
town  as  a  loyal  citizen  and  a  gentleman  of  unblemished 
character.  Pie  removed  about  1855  to  Leominster,  where 
in  company  with  Oliver  G.  Caldwell  he  has  been  actively 
engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  tubs  and  pails.  In  his 
business  and  social  relations  he  has  not  failed  in  com- 
manding the  respect  of  his  associates.  He  md.  Feb.  2, 
1843,  Miranda  S.  Wilder  of  Winchendon. 

I.  Emeretta   31.,  b.    Nov.    9,    1846;  md.    June    15, 
1870,  Francis  W.  Burdett ;  resides  in  Leomin- 
ster. 
II.   Genifrede  Jofiephine,  b.  Aug.  4,   1850  ;  md.   Feb. 
26,  1880,  C.  Stephen  Marcy  of  Fitchburg. 

III.  Edtvard  Austin,    b.  May  30,   1852  ;  d.    May   27,. 

1859. 

IV.  Joseph   Leivis,   b.  Nov.   29,   1857;  md.   July  21, 

1880,  Carrie  E.  Sanderson  of  Shirley;  resides 
in  Leominster. 


Dr.  Alfred  Miller,  son  of  John  and  Betsey  (Robin- 
son) Miller  and  a  grandson  of  Robert  Miller,  was  b.  in 
Westminster,  Vt.,  March  15,  1815.  Middlebury  College 
1840;  M.  D.,  Woodstock,  Vt.,  1844;  resident  physician 
in  Ashburnham  1845-62.  Vide  page  470.  He  md.  Dec. 
28, 1847,  Elsie  L.  Kibling,  dau.  of  Francis  Kibling,  q.  v.  ; 
d.  in  Fitchburg  Nov.  15,  1877. 


GENEALOGICAL   KEGISTER.  831 

I.  Alfred  31.,  b.  Oct.  13,  1849  ;  d.  Oct.  20,  1849. 
II.  Ernest  Parker,  b.  Jan.  4,  1851.     He  is  a  physician 
in  Fitchburg.      Vide  page  508.     He  md.  Oct., 
1878,  Myra  B.  Richardson. 

III.  Alice,  b.  April   20,  1855  ;  graduate  of  Fitchburg 

High  School  1873  ;  Vassar  College  1876. 

IV.  Emma  Louise,  b.  Nov.  26,  1857  ;  rad.  Oct.,  1878, 

George  H.  Crocker. 
V.  Margaret  Fiske,  b.  March  8,  1868. 
VI.  Alfred  Kihling,  b.  March  31,  1870. 


Thomas  Monohan  md.  in  Fitchburg  Dec.  8,  1848, 
Bridget  Rowley,  and  removed  to  this  town  a  few  years 
subsequently.  They  are  natives  of  Ireland  and  reside  in 
the  northwest  part  of  the  town. 

I.  John,  b.  July  13,  1849  ;  d.  young. 
II.  Lizzie,  b.  Dec.  19,  1852  ;  md.  B.  F.  Brewin. 

III.  Thomas  P.,b.  Sept.  22,  1854. 

IV.  Mar}/,  b.  Aug.  5,  1856. 

V.  Margaret,  b.  May  20,  1858;  d.  May  21,  1863. 
VI.  James  A.,  b.  May  3,  1861  ;  d.  July  15,  1882. 
VII.  Ellen,  b.  March  8,  1863  ;  d.  May  20,  1885. 


Pitt  Moore  was  b.  in  Sterling  Dec.  5,  1787.  He  was 
a  son  of  Jonathan  Moore  and  a  brother  of  Rev.  Martin 
Moore,  many  years  editor  of  the  Boston  Recorder.  He 
md.  Abigail  Sawj'er  and  resided  in  Boylston  until  1828, 
when  he  removed  to  this  town.  He  lived  many  years 
near  Little  Wataticon  a  farm  known  as  the  Hinds  place. 
In  his  age  he  found  a  home  with  his  son-in-law  Luke  Mar- 
ble. His  wife  d.  about  1821,  and  he  md.  (2d)  Esther 
Hastings.  He  d.  March  5,  1877  ;  his  widow  d.  Feb. 
21,  1879.     The  children  were  b.  in  Boylston. 

I.  Asher,  b.  Nov.  21,  1815. + 
II.  Elliot,  b.  April  25,  1819.4- 

III.  Edward,  b.  Jan.  28,  1823  ;  md.  Rachel  Monahan  ; 

he  d.  May  11,  1859. 

IV.  Abigail,  b.  Sept.  8,  1826  ;  md.  Luke  Marble,  q.  v. 


Asher  Moore  md.  April  26,  1841,  Elizabeth  Leland  of 
Hubbardston.  He  resides,  a  farmer,  in  this  town.  He 
was  formerly  a  school-teacher  and  has  been  a  member  of 
the  school  committee  several  years. 

I.  Martha,  b.   May  9,    1842;  md.    June  20,    1865, 
Joseph  B.  Brown.     He  served  in  the  21st  Regt. 


832 


HISTORY   OF    ASHBURNHAM. 


(3) 


and  was  discharged  on  account  of  wounds,  May 
7,  1863.     She  d.  Sept.  6,  1880. 
II.   Oliver,  b.  Sept.  28,  1846  ;  d.  Jan.  7,  1847. 

III.  Alfred,    b.  Nov.    11,  1847;  md.    May  10,    1876, 

Ellen  T.  Day  of   Templeton.     They  reside    in 
Baldwinville. 

IV.  Charles  Asher,  b.  Aug.  11,  1862. 


Elliot  Moore  md.  Jan.  4,  1841,  Dorothy  H.  Marble, 
dau.  of  Oliver  Marble,  Jr.,  q.  v.  He  was  a  school-teacher 
and  a  merchant  in  this  town,  and  was  a  selectman,  asses- 
sor and  a  member  of  the  school  committee  About  twelve 
years  ago  he  removed  to  Townsend. 

I.  Harriet,  b.  Dec.  5,  1841  ;  d.  young. 
II.  Ahbie  S.,  b.  Dec.  12,  1849. 

III.  Alice  i.,  b.  Aug.  23,  1858. 

IV.  John  Elliot,  b.  June  17,  1861 ;  d.  1864. 


John  D.  Morton  from  Boston  was  a  tailor  in  this  town 
about  ten  years.  He  md.  Dec.  5,  1831,  Ruth  D.  Wallis, 
dau.  of  David  Wallis,  q.  v.  He  d.  Oct.  21,  1841  ;  she 
md.  (2d)  Philip  R.  Merriam,  q.  v. 

I.  Andrew    Wallis,    b.   May  26,    1833 ;  removed   to 

Kansas. 
II.  3fary  Wallis,  h.  May  2,  1836  ;  md.  Aaron  Pratt, 
son  of  William  Pratt,  q.  v. 

III.  Alexander   Hamilton,   b.  Feb.  24,   1839  ;  d.  Dec. 

20,  1854. 

IV.  Isabelle  D.,  b.  Sept.  6,   1841  ;  md.  Jan.  1,   1867, 

George  J.  Savage,  b.  in  Greenfield,  N.  H.,  Feb. 
22,  1841,  son  of  William  and  Asenath  (Patch) 
Savage.  They  reside  in  this  town.  Four  of 
their  five  children  are  living. 


Orin  Morton,  b.  in  Orange  May  16,  1817,  md. 
Dec.  26,  1839,  Mary  Ann  Metcalf,  dau.  of  Ezekiel  Met- 
calf,  q.  V.  ;  she  d.  Nov.  2,  1875.    He  resides  in  this  town. 

I.  Mary  S.,  b.  July  28, 1841  ;  md.  Andrew  J.  Howe  ; 
resides  in  this  town. 

II.  Francis  Henry,  b.  May  14,  1844  ;  md.  Sabra  Par- 
tridge ;  resides  in  Providence,  R.  I.  He  served 
in  21st  Regiment. 

III.  Clara  Amanda,  b.  April  27,  1848;  md.  1869, 
George  Allen  of  Providence,  R.  I.  ;  d.  July 
18,  1876. 


GENEALOGICAL   KEGLSTEll. 


833 


IV.   Orin  Edward,   b.  June  23,  1851  ;  d.  unmd.  Jan. 

26,  1873. 
V.  Dorothy  Lavinia,  b.  June  23,    18G0  ;  resides    in 

Providence,  R.  I. 


MOSSMAN. 

The  name  of  Mossman  is  of  frequent  mention  in  the  early  annals  of  Dor- 
chester Canada.  Timothy  Mossman  was  b.  in  Wrentham  Nov.  17,  1679. 
He  md.  July  27,  1701,  Sarah  Hicks,  dau.  of  Samuel  Hicks  of  Dorchester. 
On  account  of  the  service  of  tlie  family  of  his  wife  in  the  expedition  to  Can- 
ada in  1690,  he  was  admitted  a  grantee  of  the  township  of  Dorchester  Can- 
ada July  5,  1736.  By  this  favor  lie  became  one  of  the  sixty  original  propri- 
etors of  the  township.  He  resided  in  Sudbury  where  his  wifed.,  and  hemd. 
(2d)  Nov.  27,  1767,  Tabitha  Baloom.  He  d.  Feb.  22,  1773.  Among  the  sons 
of  Timothy  and  Sarah  (Hicks)  Mossman  was  Timothy  Mossman,  b.  in  Sud- 
bury 1710.  In  pages  56  and  79  the  assertion  is  made  that  Timothy  Mossman, 
Sen.,  was  a  resident  of  Dorchester  Canada.  All  that  is  said  of  Timothy 
Mossman  in  the  record  of  settlements  is  fully  verified,  only  it  was  Timothy 
Mossman,  Jr.,  and  not  the  father,  who  came  to  this  town.  He  was  here  in 
the  first  eflbrt  to  establish  a  settlement,  and  owned  the  land  extending  on  the 
west  side  of  Gushing  street  from  Main  street  to  the  common.  A  part  or  all 
of  this  tract  with  other  lands  was  secured  by  Timothy  Mossman,  the  father, 
at  the  first  division  of  land  among  the  proprietors.  On  this  land  the  son  built 
a  house  of  entertainment.  Ftde  page  71.  In  1744,  when  it  became  evident 
that  the  settlement  must  be  abandoned  and  at  a  time  when  several  families 
had  removed  to  places  of  greater  security,  Timothy  Mossman  remained  and 
was  directed  to  take  care  of  the  meeting-house  and  to  board  up  the  windows 
and  doors.  In  August  of  this  year  he  sold  the  house  of  entertainment  and  his 
land  to  Asher  Cutler  and  was  one  of  the  last  to  desert  the  settlement.  He 
never  returned,  but  the  descendants  of  Timothy  Mossman,  Sen.,  have  been 
included  among  the  later  and  the  present  inhabitants  of  this  town.  Timothy 
Mossman,  Jr.,  when  driven  from  this  town  by  the  Indian  alarm,  returned  to 
Sudbury;  but  a  few  years  after,  about  1760,  he  is  found  in  Princeton,  and 
was  living  upon  the  Potash  farm  in  that  town.  Afterward  he  lived  in  West- 
minster many  years,  and  tliere  his  restless  spirit  found  rest  Sept.  5,  1801, 
aged  nearly  92  years.  He  md.  Feb.  26,  1733-4,  Martha  Whitney,  b.  in 
Weston  April  4,  1716,  dau.  of  William  and  Martha  (Peirce)  Whitney. 


Matthias  Mossman,  b.  in  Sudbury  March  17,  1749, 
was  a  son  of  James  and  Elizabeth  (Balcom)  Mossman 
and  a  grandson  of  Timothy,  Sen.,  and  Sarah  (Hicks) 
Mossman.  He  md.  Sarah  Haines  and  removed  from 
Sudbury  to  Ashburnham  in  1793.  In  1795  and  a  few 
succeeding  years  he  was  chosen  an  assessor,  and  the 
repeated  mention  of  his  name  in  the  records  suptjorts  the 
voice  of  tradition  that  be  was  an  educated,  capable  man 
and  that  his  services  were  held  in  high  esteem.  He  was  a 
farmer  and  a  surveyor  and  many  maps,  plans  and  outlines  of 
highways  neatly  executed  by  him  are  in  the  possession  of 
John  M.  Pratt.  About  1800  he  removed  to  Westminster, 
but  subsequently  returned  to  this  town  where  he  d.  Nov. 
8,  1819  ;  his  wife  d.  in  Westminster  Sept.  29,  1808.  Of 
their  eleven  children  the  eldest  was  b.  in  Marlboro',  eight 
in  Sudbury  and  two  in  Ashburnham. 

53 


834 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


9 
10 

11 

12 

13 
14 
15 
16 

17 
(8) 


18 


I.  Micah,  b.  July  8,  1774  ;  d.  Sept.  17,  1775. 
II.  3farJ£,  b.  Sept.  3,  1775;  mcl.  Oct.  18,  1798,  Lois 

of  Fitchburg,  and  removed  to   Vermont. 

Had.  June  11,  1841. 

III.  Betsey,  b.  June  6,  1777  ;  md.  Hayman  Wheeler  of 

Westminster;  d.  May  11,  1809. 

IV.  JBeulah,    b.    Oct.    13,    1779;    d.    July   21,    1824. 

Vide  page  546. 

V.  Rebecca,  b.  April  20,  1782  ;  md.  John  Wilson  of 
Westminster;  md.  (2d)  Gilbert  of  Brook- 
field  ;  d.  March  5,  18G4. 

VI.  JoJin,  b.  Oct.  26,  1784;  md.  May  8,  1810,  Copia 
Ward,  dau.  of  John  Ward,  q.  v.  He  was  taxed 
here  a  few  years  and  the  birth  of  third  child  is 
recorded  in  this  town,  but  he  resided  a  longer 
time  in  Westminster,  where  he  d.  June  11, 1841. 

1.  Leonard,  b.  Sept.  15,  1810. -j- 

2.  Aaron,  b.  Nov.  21,  1811  ;  md.  Martha  Ball. 

3.  John  Ward,  b.  Sept.  26,  1813  ;   md.  Mary 

E.  Libbey. 

4.  Lucinda,  b.  March  8,  1816  ;  md.  Nov.  15, 

1838,  Joseph   Woodward.     She  d.  May 
10,  1842. 

5.  Dorothy,  b.  Sept.  29,  1822  ;  md.  Jonathan 

Hapgood. 

VII.  Deidama,  b.  April  19,  1787  ;  md.  Silas  Ward,  g.  v. 
vm.   Tyler,  b.  April  8,  1790  ;  d.  April  22,  1790. 

IX.  Sally,  b.  April  13,  1791  ;  d.  July  18,  1807. 

X.  Lucinda,  b.  Sept.  13,  1794:  md.  John  Boynton  of 
Fitchburg  ;  d.  March  27,'  1876. 

XI.  Leonard,  b.  March  12,  1797  ;  d.  July  26,  1808. 


Leonard  Mossman,  son  of  John,  md.  1840,  Clarinda 
Richardson,  who  d.  June  7,  1861  ;  md.  (2d)  Nov.  13, 
1862,  Lucy  Smith,  dau.  of  Joshua  Smith,  Jr.,  q.  v.  She 
d.  Dec.  6,  1873.  He  md.  (3d)  Mrs.  Gates  of  West- 
minster. He  resided  many  years  in  this  town  and  d.  in 
Westminster  Sept.  28,  1878. 

I.  Hollis,  b.  Oct.,  1852  ;  md.  Oct.  5,  1882,  Jennie  L. 
Clark,  dau.  of  Luther  Clark,  q.  v. 


MUNROE. 

William  Munroe,  b.  in  Scotland  1625,  arrived  in  New  England  in  March, 
1652,  and  in  1657  he  is  found  in  Cambridge.  He  settled  in  the  part  of  Cam- 
bridge that  is  now  within  the  limits  of  Lexington  and  near  the  line  of  Woburn. 
He  was  admitted  freeman  1690,  and  in  1693  he  was  one  of  a  committee  "to 


GENEALOGICAL    REGISTER. 


835 


treat  for  the  purchase  of  land  for  the  minister."  In  lG94he  was  a  selectman, 
and  subsequently  he  was  frequently  named  in  the  records  in  connection  with 
municipal  affairs.  He  md.  Martha  George,  dau.  of  John  and  Elizabeth  George 
of  Charlestown;  she  d.,  leaving  four  children,  about  1071;  he  md.  (2d)  Mary 
Ball,  dau.  of  Jolm  Ball  of  \yatertown  by  whom  he  had  ten  children.  She  d. 
in  Aug.,  1092,  aged  41;  he  md.  (3d)  Elizabeth  (Johnson)  Wyer,  widow  of 
Edward  Wyer  of  Charlestown;  she  d.  Dec.  U,  1715;  he  d.  Jan.  27,  1717-18, 
aged  92.  From  his  will  it  appears  that  fdurteen  of  his  children  were  living 
in  1716.  Susanna  the  youngest  is  not  named  and  probably  she  d.  at  an  early 
age. 

John  Munroe,  b.  March  10,  1CG6,  son  of  William  and  Martha  (George) 
Munroe,  resided  on  the  homestead  in  Lexington.  He  was  a  constable, 
assessor,  treasurer  and  selectman,  serving  in  these  capacities  many  years. 
He  was  a  subscriber  for  the  meeting-house  in  1692,  and  was  taxed  for  the 
purchase  of  the  ministerial  land  in  1G93.  He  was  employed  many  years  to 
ring  the  bell  and  to  sweep  the  meeting-house.  No  record  of  his  marriage  is 
preserved.  The  name  of  the  mother  of  the  younger  children  and  possibly 
of  all  of  them  was  Hannah.  Jonas  Munroe,  the  eighth  of  ten  children,  was 
bap.  Nov.  22,  1707.  He  md.  Jan.  3,  1733-4,  Joanna  Locke,  b.  Feb.  2,  1712-18, 
dau.  of  Joseph  and  Margaret  (Mead)  Locke  of  Lexington.  She  d.  Sept.  17, 
1748 ;  he  md.  (2d)  Rebecca  Watts  of  Chelsea.  He  was  styled  Lieut.  Jonas 
Munroe.  Among  the  children  of  the  first  wife  was  Joanna,  the  wife  of  John 
Adams  the  centenarian,  q.  v.,  and  of  the  second  wife  was  Lieut.  Ebenezer 
Munroe  of  this  town,  and  Martha  who.  d.  here  unmd.  May  11,  1793. 


Lieut.  Ebenezer  Munroe,  son  of  Lieut.  Jonas  Munroe, 
was  b.  iu  Lexington  April  29,  1752.  An  account  of  liis 
participation  in  the  engagement  at  Lexington,  May  19, 
1775,  appears  on  page  177.  He  md.  April  10,  1781, 
Lucy  (Muzzey)  Simonds  of  Woburn.  The  following  year 
he  removed  to  Ashburnham  and  settled  in  the  south  part 
of  the  town.  In  1787  he  was  a  lieutenant  of  the  militia 
and  subsequently  he  was  moderator  of  the  annual  meeting 
and  a  selectman  several  j-ears.  His  character  was  above 
reproach,  and  his  influence  iu  social  and  public  affairs 
was  constant  and  salutary.  He  d.  May  25,  1825  ;  his 
widow  md.  (2d)  John  Adams,  q.  v. 

I.  Charles,  b.  Sept.  12,  1781. -f 
II.  Lucy,  b.  March  21,  1783;  md.  Nov.  4,  1802, 
Daniel  Kinsman,  b.  in  Ipswich  March  30,  1778, 
sou  of  Jeremiah  and  Martha  (Andrews)  Kinsman. 
She  d.  April  3,  1833 ;  he  d.  in  Fitchburg 
Sept.  15,  1867. 

1.  Louisa,  b.  May  20, 1803  ;  md.  Flint  Sheldon 

of  Fitchburg  ;  she  resides  in  this  town. 

2.  Lucy,    b.    Sept.    4,    1804;    md.    Francis 
.    Hinds,    q.  v. ;    md.    (2d)    Jonathan   P. 

Wilder,  q.  v. 

3.  Charles  M.,  b.  Sept.  3,  1807  ;  md.  Hannah 

R.  Smith. 

4.  Cyrus,  b.  May  2,  1810. 


836 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBUKNHAM. 


(2) 


18 


5.  Martha  A.,  b.  Oct.  20,  1814;  md.  William 

Perkins  ;  mcl.  (2d)  E.  J.  B.  Baker,  q.  v. 

6.  Miranda,  b.  Sept.  10,   1815  ;  md.   Charles 

R.  Foster ;  reside  in  Bloomfield,  Wis. 

7.  Miiuroe,  b.  Jan.  13,   1826  ;    md.   Lucy  A. 

Browai ;  reside  in  Smithville,  N.  Y. 

8.  Alfred  D.,  b.  Dec.  5,  1820;  md.  April   3, 

1849,  Maria  C.  Houghton;  md.  (2d) 
April  27,  1861,  Susan  Bryant.  He  has 
resided  in  this  town  several  j'ears. 

1.  Frank    M.,    b.    Feb.    17,     1854; 
resides  in  Courtland,  N.  Y. 

m.  Ebenezer,  b.  Feb.  25,  1785. -f- 
IV.  Jonas,  b.  May  27,  1790.-1- 
V.  John,  b.  Oct.  4,  1793.-f- 
VI.  Rebecca,  b.  June   7,  1798;  md.  John  Gibson,  son 

of  Thomas  Gibson,  q.  v. 
VII.  Herrick,    b.   Nov.   1,   1802;    d.    unmd.   Dec.    14, 
1844. 


Charles  Munroe  md.  June  9,  1808,  Lydia  Conn,  dau. 
of  John  Conn,  q.  v.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Ashburn- 
ham  Light  Infantry  and  in  the  service  in  the  War  of  1812. 
Mr.  Munroe  resided  at  the  South  Village  and  was  one  of 
the  pioneer  manufacturers  of  chairs  in  this  town.  With 
this  industry  intimately  associated  with  the  growth  and 
prosperity  of  Ashburnham  he  was  an  influential  factor. 
As  a  citizen  be  commanded  the  respect  of  his  associates. 
He  d.  Oct.  26,  1834 ;  his  widow  d.  March  9,  1837. 

.1  Lydia,  b.  Aug.  30,  1809;  md.  June  21,  1832. 
Sylvester  Winship  of  Westminster ;  she  d. 
March  21,  1835;  he  md.  (2d)  her  sister  Lucy. 

1.  John   S.,  b.  July  22,    1833;  d.   July  22, 
1850. 

11.  John,  b.  Dec.  24,  1812. -j- 

iii.  Mary  Farwell,  b.  May  3,  1814  ;  md.  Sept.  15, 
1833,  John  Winship  ;  resided  in  Ashbnrnhara, 
where  he  d.  Nov.  11, 1879.    She  d.  Dec.  4, 1885. 

1.  Mary  Jane,  b.  Dec.  21, 1834  ;  md.  Reuben 

Bennett- 

2.  Sarah   L.,  b.  May  16,   1837;  md.    Frank 

Griffin. 

3.  Ellen  Susan,  b.  Oct.  19,  1846  ;  md.  1869, 

Fred    H.    Potter;    md.    (2d)    Hazeleus 
.    Souck. 


25 
26 

27 

28 

29 
30 

31 
32 
33 

34 

35 
36 

(13) 


37 


(14) 


GENEALOGICAL    REGISTER.  837 

IV.   Charles,   b.  Nov.  19,   1817;  removed  to  State  of 
New  York  where  he  d.  1882,  leaving  a  family, 
v.  Lucy,  b.  March  5,  1820,  md.  July  1,  1840,  Sylves- 
ter Wiiiship  ;  he  d.  in  this  town  July  11,  1883  ; 
she  resides  at  Central  Village. 

1.  Charles  M.,  b.  Nov.  15,  1840 ;  d.  May  30, 

1843. 
2.  Lydia,    b.    Feb.   27,     1843;    md.     Capt. 

Asahel  Wheeler,  q.  v. 

3.  Harriet  E.,  b.  Oct.  26,  1850. 

4.  Susan  M.,  b.  June  10,  1852. 

VI.  Ivers,  b.  May  30,  1823. + 
VII.  Loring,  b.  June  12,  1826. -f- 

VIII.  Harriet  Arvilla,  b.  July  20,  1829  ;  md.  Sept.  19, 
1853,  Timothy  Addison  Tenney ;  he  d.  April 
17,  1868. 

1.  Lucia  J.,  b.  June  23,    1854;  md.   Joseph 

Brown. 

2.  Hattie  E,.  b.  April  3,  1860. 

3.  Charles  H.,  b.  Jan.  23,  1864. 


Ebenezer  Munroe  md. ,  Mary  Sargent,  b.  July 

16,  1790,  dau.  of  Samuel  and  Marj'  (Vryling)  Sargent  of 
Winchendon.  He  was  a  soldier  in  the  War  of  1812,  and 
resided  in  this  town  until  about  1830  when  he  removed  to 
Westminster,  where  he  d.  July  31,  1844;  his  widow  d. 
Sept.  7,  1852. 

I.  Ebenezer  L.,  b.  July  3,  1809. 
Samuel  A.,  b.  Sept.  13,  1810. 
Jfary  S.,  b.  July  5,  1812  ;  d.  March  17,  1834. 
Emeline  A.,  b.  March  27,  1814. 
Charles  H.,  b.  May  3,  1816. 
Louisa  3/.,  b.  Feb    2,  1818  ;  d.  Sept.  26,  1838. 
Joseph  IF.,  b.  April  17,  1820  ;  d.  in  California. 
George  A.,  b.  May  24,   1823  ;  a   physician   in   St. 

Louis,  Mo.,  and  later  in  Indian  Territory. 
Lorenzo,  b.  Jan.  29,  1825. 
John  3L,  b.  March  10,  1828. 
Francis  A.,h.  July  1,  1833. 
Leayuler,  b.  Dec.  1,  1834  ;  d.  July  25,  1858. 

Jonas  Munroe  resided  in  this  town  until  1824  when  he 
removed  to  Rindge.  He  was  an  officer  of  the  Light  Infan- 
try five  years  and  commanded  the  company  two  years 
after  he  removed  from  town.     He  was  a  farmer.     He  md. 


38 

II. 

39 

III. 

40 

IV. 

41 

v. 

42 

VI. 

43 

VII. 

44 

VIII. 

45 

IX. 

46 

X. 

47 

XI. 

48 

XII. 

838 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


49 


50 
51 


52 

53 

54 

(lo) 

55 
56 

57 

58 
(20) 


59 

60 
61 
62 
63 


May  9,  1815,  Eliza  Sargent,  b.  May  10,  1792,  dau.  of 
Samuel  and  Mary  ( Vryling)  Sargent  of  Winchendon.  He 
d.  in  Riudge  May  9,  1849  ;  she  d.  Feb.  5,  1849. 

I.  Jonas  Austin,  b.  Feb.  4,  1816  ;  rad.  1837,  Eliza- 
beth Tibbetts  ;  resided  in  Chittenaogo,  N.  Y., 
where  he  d.  Sept.  26,  1839. 
n.  Eliza  Darling,  b.  April  16,  1818. 

III.  James  Watsoii,   b.  Sept.  30,   1824  ;  md.   April  4, 

1848,  Laurana  Crane,  dau.  of  Larra  and  Sally 
B.  Crane  of  Boston. 

IV.  Merrick  Adams,  b.  Feb.  27,   1828  ;  md.   Nov.   2, 

1869,  Henrietta  Mason  ;  resides  in  Middlebury, 
Vt. 

V.  Charles  Mavery,  b.  Jan.  7,  1831  ;  md.   Aug.   15, 

1865,  Emily  A.  Higgins. 

VI.  George  Milton,  b.  Nov.  4,  1832.-f 


JoHN  MuNROE  md.  May  6,  1819,  Sophia  Gibson,  dau. 
of  Thomas  Gibson,  q.  v.  He  resided  in  Ashburnham, 
Westminster  and  Cleveland,  N.  Y. 

I.   Orison  J.,  b.  Oct.  28,  1819  ;  md.  April  24,  1843, 

Ann  E.  Newton. 
II.  Sophia  H.,  b.  March  27, 1821 ;  md.  Feb.  26, 1845, 
Winchester  Wyman. 

III.  Porter,    b.    May    23,    1826;    md.    July    1,    1845, 

Harriet  Maynard  ;  he  d.   at  Brattleboro',  Vt., 
Oct.  30,  1880. 

IV.  Sophronia.  L.,  b.  June  4,  1831. 


John  Munroe  md.  1832,  Nancy  W.  Gushing,  dau.   of 
Laban  Gushing,  q.  v.     She  d.  Nov.  9,  1845  ;  he  md.  (2d) 

Dec.  7,  1846,  Martha  A.  Howland  ;  she  d.  ;  he  md. 

(3d)  July  21,    1864,  Lucy  M.  Wilson   of  Nelson,   N.  H. 
He  d.  May  7,  1874.     His  widow  resides  at  South  Village. 

I.  Susan  M.,  b.  Aug.  18,  1838  ;  md.  Rufus  Wheeler 

of  Ashby.     Two  children. 
II.  James  A.,  b.  Aug.  17,  1840  ;  d.  Aug.  15,  1849. 

III.  Sarah  I.,  b.  Feb.  17,  1844. 

IV.  Charles  L.,  b.  Sept.  15,  1848;  d.  Aug.  15,  1849. 
V.  Mary  Jane,  b.  May  7,   1851  ;  md.  April  8,  1871, 

George   W.    Carr   of    Westminster ;    reside   in 
Chelsea. 

VI.  Nellie,  b. ;  md. Avery  ;  reside  in  Maiden. 

VII.  Lucy  Rebecca,  b.  March  9,  1865. 


r 


Ci^ 


^^ 


nd.     lie  waa 

Iv  ;i    >.ai''.aer- 

■M- 


.  N.  y., 

-.i  career 
i.tusuy,  8a.j;a- 
'e  1^38  rfsirlod 


(54) j      ui 


840 


IILSTUKY    OF    ASllliUUNHAM. 


Since  the  war  he  resided  in  Washington,  D.  C,  and  in 
Philadelphia,  removing  to  Ashburnhara  in  187-.  He  md. 
Ann  Haliday,  b.  in  Natchez,  Miss.,  May  6,  1840. 

I.  Josephine  A.,  b.  July  10,  1866  ;  md.  Nov.  8,  1886, 

John  E.  Wilson,  son  of  John  Wilson,  q.  v. 
II.  Albert  Burnside,  h.  July  29,  1869. 


Samuel  Nichols,  with  wife  Lydia  and  one  child,  re- 
moved from  Harvard  1761.  The  same  year  he  purchased 
the  mills  at  Lane  Village  of  Caleb  Dana,  to  whom  Nathan 
Dennis  had  sold  the  property.  Here  Samuel  Nichols  re- 
sided until  1777  when  he  removed  to  Walpole,  N.  H. 
While  he  remained  in  this  town  he  was  a  prominent 
citizen. 

I.  Bethiah,  b.  June  29,  1760, 
II.  HezeJciah,  b.  Feb.  19,  1762. 

III.  Lydia,  b.  April  13,  1767. 

IV.  Mary,  b.  Sept.  14,  1770. 
V.  Lucy,  b.  June  20,  1772. 


12 


John  Nichols,  b.  in  Charlestown  July  4,  1821,  md.  in 
Ashburnham  Feb.  24,  1845,  Arvilla  Rice,  dau.  of  Levi 
Rice,  q.  v.  They  lived  several  years  in  Cambridge^  and 
removed  to  this  town  1865. 

I.  Frances    E.,    b.    Aug.    22,     1846  ;   md.    Lemuel 

Ripley. 
II.  James    C,   b.    Jan.    22,    1849;  md.  Melpha    R. 

Sawin,    dau.    of  Asa   Sawin,    q.  v.  ;  reside    in 

Leominster, 
ni.   Charles  H.,  b.  April  21,  1851 ;  d.  Feb.  24,   1871. 

IV.  Sarah  A.,  b.  May  31,   1853  ;  md.  Frank  L.  Mar- 

ble, son  of  Warren  Marble,  q.  v. 

V.  John  D.,  b.  Nov.  17,   1857;  md.  April  24,  1881, 

Etta  C.  Skillings,  dau.  of  Seward  E.  Skillings ; 
reside  in  Boston. 


Samuel  L.  Notes,  son  of  Henry  J.  and  Jane  L. 
(Gates)  Noyes,  and  grandson  of  Silas  and  Abiah  Noyes- 
of  Newburyport,  was  b.  in  Gardner  June  6,  1837.  He 
md.  Nov.  13,  1867,  Julia  W.  Lombard,  b.  in  Westminster 
Aug.  7,  1844,  dau.  of  Franklin  and  Eunice  (Whitney) 
Lombard.  Mr.  Noyes  removed  to  this  town  from  West- 
minster in  1883,  and  is  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of 
toys  on  Water  street.     He  is  of  the  board  of  selectmen . 

I.  Ernest  L.,  b.  April  20,  1873. 


GENEALOGICAL   KEGISTER. 


841 


Jonas  Nutting,  b.  in  Westford  1783,  son  of  Thomas 
and  Sybel  Nutting,  md.  Sept.  7,  1805,  Mary  Spaulding, 
dau.  of  James  Spaulding,  q.  v.  He  removed  to  this  town 
about  1809  and  was  a  farmer  on  a  discontinued  road 
leading  north  from  the  "  Children  of  the  Woods."  He 
d.  April  23,  1842  ;  his  widow  went  to  New  Ipswich  and 
d.  there  May  1,  1857. 

I.  Jonas,  b.  1806  ;  resided  in  New  Ipswich.  He  was 
an  oflScer  in  the  6th  New  Hampshire  Volunteers. 
He  md.  1828,  Lucy  S3'lvester,  who  d.  April  20, 
1862.     He  d.  June  20,  1873.     Eight  children. 

II.  Sally,  h.  Sept.  20,  1808;  md.  1834,  Ezekiel 
Nutting;  lived  in  New  Ipswich.    Four  children. 

III.  Phineas,  b.  1810  ;  d.  unmd.  1830. 

IV.  Hiram,  b.  1813;  md.  1833,  Asenath  Tenney ;  d. 

in  California.     Three  children. 
V.  Mary,  b.  1815  ;  d.  Aug.  20,  1816. 
VI.  John,  b.  1819;  md.  Cynthia  Davis;  lived  in  New 
Ipswich  and  in   Richmond,  N.  H.,  where  he  d. 
March  6,  1876.     Six  children. 


Oberlock  or  Oveklack,  vide  Locke. 


PACKARD. 

The  Packard  families  of  this  town  are  descendants  of  Robert  Packard  of 
Westmoreland,  N.  IL,  who  was  b.  about  17G0.  The  emigrant  ancestor  was 
Samuel  Packard  who  came  from  Windham  near  Hingham,  England,  in  the 
Diligent  1638,  and  settled  in  Hingham.  Subsequently  he  removed  to  West 
•Bridgewater,  where  he  d.  1684.  Among  his  twelve  children  was  Zaccheus 
Packard  who  md.  Sarah  Howard,  dau.  of  John  Howard,  and  d.  1723.  The 
eldest  of  his  nine  children  was  Israel  Packard,  b.  April  27,   1680;    md.   1703 

Hannah .     Of  their  nine  children  was  Robert  Packard  b.  1722,  and  there 

remains  little  doubt  that  he  was  the  father  of  Robert  Packard  of  Westmore- 
land, N.  H.,  who  md.  Feb.  11,  1782,  Elizabeth  Hudson.  Nathan  Packard, 
one  of  the  seven  children  of  Robert  and  Elizabeth  (Hudson)  Packard,  was  b. 
June  8,  1792.  He  md.  1815,  Celia  D.  Houghton,  dau.  of  Taylor  Houghton 
of  Woodstock,  Vt.  He  resided  in  Stockbridge  and  Rutland,  Vt. ;  he  d.  in 
Michigan  Sept.  1,  1836.  Another  son  of  Robert  and  Elizabeth  (Hudson) 
Packard  was  Robert,  Jr.,  b.  1708;  md.  May  11,  1818,  Diadema  Chamberlain 
of  Stockbridge,  Vt. 


Israel  Alfred  Packard,  b.  in  Stockbridge,  Vt.,  Sept. 
7,  1818,  son  of  Nathan  and  Celia  D  (Houghton)  Packard, 
has  resided  in  Ashburnham  since  1839.  He  was  a  tanner 
and  morocco  dresser,  but  during  the  past  thirty-five 
years  he  has  been  a  farmer.  He  owns  and  occupies  the 
farm  formerly  of  Ezekiel  Metcalf  and  a  part  of  the 
Foster  farm.  He  md.  Jan.  23,  1840,  Frances  Caldwell, 
dau.  of  John  Caldwell,  q.  v.  She  d.  Jan.  1, 1843  ;  he  md. 
(2d)  Aug.  3,  1843,  Hepsibath  C.  Lane,  dau.  of  Capt. 
Francis  Lane,  q.  v. 


842 


HISTORY    OF    ASHBUKNHAM. 


I.  Alfred  Philander,  b.  May  25,  1842  ;  d.  July  24, 

1842, 
II.  Charles  Francis,  b.  Aug.  12,  1844  ;  md.  May  9, 
1872,  Ardella  L.  Stearns,  dau.  of  Samuel  and 
Lois  B.  (Langley)  Stearns  of  Lawrence.  He  is 
a  millwright,  and  of  the  firm  of  Packard  Bros, 
who  own  the  mills  at  Lane  Village. 

III.  Sarah  Frances,  b.  April  6,   1846  ;   md.    Oct.  18, 

1870,  Andrus  Burnham,  son  of  John  P.  and 
Emily  (Hall)  Burnham  of  Woodstock,  Vt.  ; 
reside  in  Westminster. 

IV.  Susan  Rebecca,   b.    Aug.  6,  1848  ;  md.    Oct.  20, 

1868,  Augustus  A.  Scales,  son  of  Aaron  and 
Betsey  (Seaver)  Scales  of  Townsend ;  reside  in 
Minneapolis,  Minn. 

V.  Henry  Alfred,  b.  Dec.  6,  1852  ;  md.  Nov.  3,  1884, 

Nancy  J.  Scales,  dau.  of  Aaron  and  Betsey 
(Seaver)  Scales.  He  is  of  the  firm  of  Packard 
Brothers. 

VI.  3Iina  Augusta,  b.  Aug.   13,   1856  ;    d.    Dec.    17, 

1866. 


11 


Horace  C.  Packard,  b.  Aug.  21,  1831,  son  of  Robert, 
Jr.,  and  Diadema  (Chamberlain)  Packard,  md.  Sept.  15, 
1853,  Philena  Howard,  b.  Jan.  20,  1834,  dau.  of  Josiah 
Howard  of  Hinsdale,  N.  H.  He  enlisted  from  Greenfield 
in  Co.  C,  27th  Regiment,  and  d.  in  the  service  at  New- 
bern,  N.  C,  July  6,  1863.  His  widow  md.  (2d)  Charles 
W.  Lane,  q.  v. 

I.  Effie   L.,   b.    June    20,    1854;    md.    Charles  A. 

Billings,  q.  V. 
II.  Fremont  B.,  b.  Sept.  7,  1855  ;  md.  Oct.  24,  1878, 
Abbie  E.  Mather,  dau.  of  James  P.  andLucinda 
(Hadley)  Mather  ;  resides  at  Lane  Village. 


Joseph  Packard,  who  resided  in  this  town  from  1856  to 
1876,  was  a  son  of  Joseph  Packard  of  Jamaica,  Vt.,  and 
a  grandson  of  Robert  and  Elizabeth  (Hudson)  Packard 
of  Westmoi-eland.  He  md.  Asenath  Howe  ;  removed  to 
Winchester,  N.  H.,  where  he  now  resides. 


md.  Hosea  Esty  of  Winchendon. 
;   md. Dudley  of  War- 


I.  Mary,  b. ; 

II.  Melinda  0.,  b. 
wick. 

III.  Andrew  J.,  b. ;  resides  in  Warwick. 

IV.  Albert  D.,  b.  ;  md.    Esther  Bourne;  resides 

on  the  Oren  Willard  farm. 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER. 


843 


Thomas  Pahk,  then  of  Ashburuham,  md.  1779,  Abigail 
Wilder  of  Lancaster.  He  was  the  first  in  this  town  to 
engage  in  the  business  of  fulling  and  dressing  cloth,  and 
associated  with  him,  or  succeeding  him  for  a  short  time, 
was  Elisha  Park.  The  name  disappears  from  the  records 
about  1800.  The  fulling  mill  was  taxed  to  Elisha  Park, 
1799,  and  subsequently  to  Fitch  Crosby.  Six  children  of 
Thomas  and  Abigail  Paik  were  born  in  this  town. 

I.  Debhe,  b.  Nov.  11,  1779. 
II.  Elizabeth,  b.  June  16,  1782. 

III.  Thomas,  b.  Feb.  26,  1785 

IV.  Daniel,  b.  Nov.  5,  1787. 
V.   Caleb,  b.  Nov.  8,  1790. 

VI.  Susa,  b.  Feb.  9,  1793. 


PARKER. 

Nathan-  Parker,  a  representative  of  the  Andover  family  of  Parker,  was 
h.  in  Andover  about  1710.  He  was  probably  a  son  of  John  and  a  grandson 
of  Nathan,  an  early  settler  of  Andover.  He  md.  June  26,  1735, 
Hannah  Stevens  of  Andover,  and  among  their  children  was  John 
Piirker,  b.  May  V.),  1742.  He  md.  Feb.  7,  1771,  Abigail  Osgood, 
h.  in  Andover,  dau.  of  Josiah  and  Hannah  (Kittredge)  Osgood  and 
a  sister  of  Col.  Benjamin  Osgood  of  Westford.  Soon  after  marriage  he 
removed  to  Westford,  where  he  d.  Dec.  15, 1814;  his  widow  d.  June  21,  1820. 
He  was  a  soldier  in  the  Revolution  and  was  subsequently  styled  Lieut.  John 
Parker.  His  daughter  Betsey  was  the  wife  of  Jonathan  Bancroft,  q.  v.,  and 
his  son,  Jacob  Osgood  Parker,  b.  in  "Westford  Aug.  19,  1786,  md.  June  8, 
1811,  Rachel  Reed,  b.  Aug.  19,  1790,  dau.  of  Amos  and  Rachel  (Prescott) 
Reed  of  Westford.  He  was  a  merchant  in  Westford,  where  he  d.  March, 
1822. 


Jesse  Parker,  son  of  Jacob  Osgood  and  Rachel  (Reed) 
Parker,  was  b.  in  Westf.»rd  June  16,  1816.  His  father 
d.  when  he  was  between  five  and  six  years  of  age  and  he 
came  to  this  town  in  1831.  He  md.  Dec.  6,  1838,  Eliza- 
beth Gates,  dau.  of  William  Gates,  q.  v.  She  d.  April  8, 
1885.  He  is  a  chair  maker,  and  has  served  the  town  as 
assessor  and  selectman. 

I.  Ellen,  b.  Aug.  22,  1839  ;  d.  July  15,  1840. 
II.  Walter  Osgood,  h.  May  1, 1841.  Capt.  Walter  O. 
Parker  served  three  years  in  the  Civil  War  in 
the  34th  Regiment  and  has  been  an  officer  of  Co. 
E  or' Rice  Guards  eight  years.  Vide  page  439. 
He  is  a  merchant  in  Central  Village,  in  firm  of 
Parker  Bros.  In  1883  he  was  a  representative 
and  has  honorably  filled  other  positions  of  trust. 
He  md.  Aug.  23,  1866,  Josie  M.  Whitney,  dau. 
of  Hon.  Ohio  Whitney,  q.  v. 


844 


HISTORY    OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


III.  AkJen  Wright,  b.  May  29,   1843  ;    mcl ,  1873, 

Isabel    L.    Lj-nne    of    Covington,    Ky.       They 
reside  in  Akron,  Ohio. 

IV.  Frank  Hannibal^  b.  Feb.  6,  1854  ;    md.  Florence 

O.  Merriam,  dau.  of  Philip  R.   Merriman,  Jr., 
q.  V.     He  is  a  merchant  in  firm  of  Parker  Bros. 

Nathaniel  Parker  came  to  Ashburnham  about  1772. 
His  wife  Lydia  d.  May  8,  1776,  "  aged  30  to  40  years. '^ 
He  md.  (2d)  Nov.  19,  1776,  Hannah  Wetherbee.  His 
name  is  on  the  roll  of  Capt.  Gates'  company  1775.  He 
was  occasionally  elected  to  office,  and  incidentally  men- 
tioned in  the  records  until  1783.  His  name  is  not  found 
in  a  tax  list  of  1787. 

I.  Lydia,  b. ;  md  1795,  Joshua  Holden,  q.  v. 

II.   Caleb,  b. . 

III.  Betty,  b. .    First  three  bap.  1776. 

IV.  Lucy,  b.  May  27,  1773. 

V.  Emerson,  b.  June  11,  1779. 
VI.  Joel,  b.  April  22,  1781. 
VII.  Hannah,  b.  Feb.  17,  1783. 


Geo.  G.  Parker,  Esq.,  b.  May  10,  1800,  was  an  able 
lawyer  in  this  town  from  1831  until  his  death,  Dec.  14, 
1852.  Vide  page  475.  He  md.  Dec.  26,  1836,  Hannah 
(Hawkins)  Woods,  widow  of  Rev.  Joseph  W.  Woods ; 
she  d.  in  Andover,  1881. 

I.  George  H.,  b.  Oct.  11,  1838;  md.  Oct.  8,  1868, 
Elizabeth  Sawyer  Mahon,  who  d.  June  14,  1885. 
II.  Harriette  T.,  b.  April  14,  1844;  md.  June  13, 
1865,  Rev.  Asher  H.  Wilcox  of  Norwich, 
Conn.  ;  now  residing  in  Norwich  Town,  near 
New  London,  Conn. 


PEIRCE. 

The  orthography  of  Pierce  and  Peiree  is  a  perplexing  problem.  In  the 
preceding  pages  the  records  have  been  followed  and  the  name  occurs  in  both 
forms.  The  two  families  appearing  in  the  following  register  were  not  re- 
lated. It  is  probable  that  both  of  them,  following  the  general  usage  of  their 
ancestors,  wrote  their  names  Peiree. 

Thomas  Peirce  and  wife  Elizabeth  were  in  Charlestown  1635.  He  was 
b.  1583  and  d.  in  Charlestown  Oct.  7,  1666.  His  will  was  dated  Nov.  6,  1665, 
and  probated  in  March,  1667.  His  wife  survived  him.  His  son,  Thomas 
Peirce,  b.  about  1620,  settled  in  Woburn  as  early  as  1643;  he  md.  Elizabeth 
Cole,  dau.  of  Rice  Cole  of  Charlestown.  He  was  a  splectman  and  prominent 
in  the  affairs  of  Woburn,  and  was  styled  "  Sargent  Thomas  Peirce."  He  d. 
Nov.  6,  1683;  his  widow  d.  March  5,  1687-8.  Among  their  children  was 
Benjamin  Peirce,  not  named  by  Dr.  Savage  nor  included  in  list  of  children 


GENEALOrxICAL    HKGISTER. 


845 


in  Sewall's  Wobum.  lie  md.  Mary  Read,  dan.  of  Kalph  and  Mary  (Peirce) 
Read  and  a  granddau.  of  Anthony  Peirce  of  Watertown.  Among  their  chil- 
dren was  Thomas  Peirco.  He  md.  Nov.  5,  1722,  ILinnah  Locke,  b.  July  11, 
1701,  dau.  of  James  and  Sarah  (Cutter)  Locke  of  Wobum.  He  resided  in 
Leicester  and  later  in  Hopkinton,  wliere  his  wife  d. ;  he  md.  (2d)  Jan.  24, 
1743,  Lydia  Gibbs,  and  resided  in  Framingham  where  he  d.  17G8.  Benjamin 
Peirce,  son  of  Thomas  and  Hannah  (Locke)  Peirce,  b.  about  1728,  md.  May 
7,  1752,  Mary  Lanison,  b.  May  11,  1731,  dau.  of  John  Lamson  of  Weston. 
He  removed  to  Weston  where  his  ten  children  were  born.  Of  these,  three 
have  resided  in  Ashburnham. 


11 


Amos  Peirce,  son  of  Benjamin  and  Mary  (Lamson) 
Peirce,  was  b.  in  Weston  Aug.  5,  1760.  He  served  six 
weeks  in  Rhode  Island  in  tlie  war  of  tlie  Revolution,  and 
about  1785  he  settled  in  this  town  in  the  eighth  school  dis- 
trict. The  farm  is  known  as  the  Amos  Peirce  place.  He 
md.  March  3,  1789,  Hepsibah  Smith,  b.  Oct.  13,  1761, 
dau.  of  James  and  Lucy  (Stearns)  Smith.  He  was  a 
selectman  and  was  frequently  chosen  to  other  positions  in 
town  affairs.  He  d.  Nov.  27,  1834;  she  d.  Jan.  13, 
1856. 

I.  Hepsibah^  b.  June  8,  1791  ;  d.  unmd. 
II.  Amos,  b.  Aug.  1,  1794;  d.  unmd.  July  18,   1849. 
He   was   a   farmer   and   a   substantial    citizen. 
Vide  list  of  town  officers. 

III.  Lucy,  b.  Aprils,  1798;  d.  Oct.  24,  1814. 

IV.  James,  b.  Aug.  20,  1801  ;  resided    in  Berlin;  md. 

April  7,  1835,  Martha  W.  Warren.     He  d.  Dec. 
30,  1872. 


Asa  Peirce,  brother  of  Amos,  b.  in  Weston  Sept.  21, 
1766,  md.  Oct.  24,  1800,  Susannah  Willard,  dau.  of  Dea. 
John  Willard,  q.  v.  In  the  autumn  of  1806  they  removed, 
with  three  children,  to  Mt.  Holly,  Vt.,  where  he  d.  soon 
after  1836  ;  she  d.  May  28,  1808. 

I.  Martin,  b.  Nov.  20,  1801. 
II.  Mason  (twin),  b.  Nov.  20,  1801. 

III.  Osbom,  b.  Dec.  18,  1803. 

IV.  Elijah    Willard,    b.    Sept.    28,    1806;  md.    1831, 

JBetsey  Warner  of  Mt.  Holly. 


Caleb  Peirce,  a  brother  of  Amos  and  Asa  Peirce,  b. 
in  Weston  Feb.  27,  1763,  was  taxed  in  this  town  1787. 
No  tax  lists  for  a  few  preceding  and  subsequent  years  are 
preserved.  When  he  removed  from  town  is  uncertain. 
He  md.  1787,  Nabby  Felton. 


846 


HISTORY    OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


PEIRCE. 

John  Peirce,  a  weaver  from  the  county  of  Norfolk,  England,  settled  in 
Watertown  in  1G37.  He  was  admitted  freeman  1638  and  d.  Aug.  19,  1661 ; 
liis  wife  Elizabeth  survived  him.  His  son,  Anthony  Peirce,  b.  in  England 
1609,  was  in  Watertown  before  the  arrival  of  his  father,  John  Peirce.  He 
was  admitted  freeman  Sept.  3,  163-1;  he  was  twice  married  and  d.  May  9, 
1678.     Daniel  Peirce,  the  fifth  child  of  Anthony  Peirce,  b.  Jan.  1,  1039-40, 

md.  Elizabeth and  settled  in  Groton,  where  five  of  his  nine  children 

were  born.  In  1681  he  returned  to  Watertown  where  he  d.  1723.  Ephraim 
Peirce,  son  of  Daniel,  b.  Oct.  15,  1673,  md.  Mary  Whitney,  b.  July  1,  1675, 
dau.  of  Joshua  Whitney  of  Groton  and  Watertown.  He  was  one  of  the  early 
settlers  of  Lunenburg  where  he  was  a  selectman  1728.  He  d.  Eeb.  27,  1740; 
his  widow  d.  Dec.  29,  1749.  Their  third  child  and  eldest  son  was  Ephraim 
Peirce,  b.  Nov.  12,  1700;  md.  Oct.  30,  1721,  Esther  Shedd,  b.  March  21, 
1704,  dau.  of  Samuel  Shedd;  she  d.  June  28,  1768;  he  md.  (2d)  Huldah 
(Martyn)  Wetherbee,  dau.  of  Thomas  Martyn  and  widow  of  Hezekiah  Weth- 
erbee.  He  was  a  deacon  and  a  prominent  citizen  of  Lunenburg  where  he  d. 
1781.  Oliver  Peirce,  son  of  Ephraim  and  Esther  (Shedd)  Peirce,  b.  July 
17,  1741,  md.  May  19,  1768,  Mary  Smith,  b.  1751.  He  was  a  farmer  in  Lun- 
enburg where  he  d.  March  6,  1815;  his  widow  d.  1827.  Of  their  seven  chil- 
dren, the  fifth  child  and  fourth  son  was  Nathaniel  Peirce,  b.  Oct.  8,  1778,  for 
many  years  a  physician  in  Ashburnham.  John  Peirce,  a  brother  of  Dr. 
Nathaniel,  was  b.  Sept.  18,  1787;  md.  Nov.  28,  1816,  Esther  Smith,  who  d. 
March  10,  1830;  md.  (2d)  July  13,  1831,  Sarah  T.  Smith,  who  d.  May  27, 
1860.  He  was  a  farmer  in  Lunenburg  where  he  d.  Nov.  12,  1867.  Nathan- 
iel Peirce,  a  resident  of  this  town,  is  a  son  of  John  and  Esther  (Smith) 
Peirce. 


Dr.  Nathaniel  Peirce,  b.  in  Lunenburg  Oct.  8,  1778, 
d.  in  Ashburnham  Sept.  3,  1862.  Vide  page  468.  He 
md.  Jan.  11,  1807,  Judith  Kendall,  who  was  b.  June  21, 
1778  ;  d.  Aug.  27,  1828  ;  md.  (2d)  April  18,  1832,  Zebiah 
G.  Smallpeaee ;  she  was  b.  Dee.  26,  1785;  d.  June  2, 
1843;  md.  (3d)  Oct.  16,  1844,  Visa  (Clark)  Knight,  b. 
April  4,  1791,  d.  Feb.  13,  1883. 

I.  Joseph  B.,  b.  Jime9,  1809  ;  d.  March  6,  1818. 


Nathaniel  Peirce,  son  of  John  and  Esther  (Smith) 
Peirce,  was  b.  in  Lunenburg  March  20,  1824.  At  the 
age  of  eight  years  he  came  to  this  town  and  lived  with  Dr. 
Nathaniel  Peirce,  his  uncle,  whose  estate  was  bequeathed 
to  him.  He  md.  Sept.  23, 1874,  Melinda  C.  Willard,  dau. 
of  John  Willard,  q.  v. 


Joseph  Perry,  wife  Mary  and  four  children  removed 
from  Medway  1765.  His  name  appears  on  the  roll  of 
Capt.  Davis  company  of  minute-men,  but  soon  after  that 
date  no  subsequent  mention  of  the  name  appears  on  the 
records  except  the  marriage  of  a  dau. 


I.  Joseph,  b. 
II.  3fary,  b.  ■ 


10 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  847 

III.  Abigail,  b. . 

IV.  Anna,  b.  ;  md  Jolin  Holden,  q.  v. 

V.  Hannah,  h.  Nov.  15,  17G7. 

VI.  Levi,  b.  Feb.  24,  1770. 
VII.  Dolly,  b.  June  3,  1772. 
VIII.  Simeon,  b.  April  20,  1774. 
IX.  jSalhj,  b.  Feb.  18,  1776. 


(2) 


John  Petts,  lineage  not  traced,  md.  in  this  town  Nov. 
22,  1794,  Relief  Pollard,  dau.  of  William  Pollard,  q.  v. 
He  resided  a  farmer  in  this  town.  His  wife  d.  Feb.  17, 
1843.  His  death  is  not  on  record  and  only  a  fragmentary 
record  of  his  children  has  been  secured. 

I.  John,  b.  March  19,  1795. -|- 
II.  Relief,  b.  May  8,  1796  ;  md  James  Billings,  q.  v. 

III.  Abel,  h. . 

IV.  Mary,  b.  ;  md.  -Joshua  Turner ;    resided   in 

Cambridgeport. 

V.  Lucy,   b.   ;    md.  James   Gibson.     He  d.    in 

Leominster;   she  d.  in  Charlestown. 

VI.  Nancy  Maria,  b. ;  md.  John  A.  Conn,  q.  v. 

VII.  Harriet,  b.  ;  md.  Horace  Black,  q.  v. 

VIII.  Horace,  b.  . 

IX.  Joseph,  b.  . 


11 


Dr.  John  Petts  for  many  years  was  an  able  and  suc- 
cessful ph^'sician  at  Nichols,  N.  Y.  He  retired  from 
practice  and  removed  to  Ashburnham  1844.  During  the 
waning  years  of  a  prolonged  and  useful  life,  he  had  a 
home  with  his  children  in  Springfield,  Ohio,  where  he  d. 
Jan.  1,  1887.  He  md.  in  Surry,  N.  H.,  Jan.  11,  1825, 
Phebe  Howe,  dau.  of  Rev.  Perle}'  and  Lemiah  (Barnes) 
Howe.     She  d.  April  23,  1877. 

I.  Sarah  B.,  b.  1827 ;  md.  Edwin  L.  Barrett,  son  of 

Samuel  Barrett,  q.  v. 
II.  Eliza  H.,  b.  1829  ;  d.  1847. 

III.  Charles  H.,  b.  1831  ;  md.  1862,  Emily  Clark,  dau. 

of   Hon.  Oliver  Clark.     He  d.  in  Boston  1866. 

IV.  Maria  J.,  b.  June 5, 1837  ;  md.  Charles  E.  Sawyer, 

son  of  Edward  Sawyer,  q.  v. 
V.  Quincy  A.,  b.  April  25,  1841  ;  md.  Oct.  21,  1863, 
Lavinia  Grant,  dau.  of  William  and  Nancy  M. 
Grant.  He  removed  from  Ashburnham  to  Kan- 
sas in  1857  and  to  Springfield,  Ohio,  in  1860. 
In  the  war  of  the  Rebellion  he  served  in  the 
Second   Ohio    Regiment.      He    was    associate 


848 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


editor  of  the  Springfield  Repuhlic  1864-71, 
and  editor  of  the  Mechanical  Neios  1871-5. 
He  was  auditor  of  Clark  count}',  Ohio,  1875- 
81,  and  is  now  editor  of  the  Mechanical  News 
of  New  York,  with  a  residence  in  Jersey  City. 


PHILLIPS. 

Seth  Phillips,  son  of  Blaney  and  Christian  (Wadsworth)  Phillips,  was 
b.  in  Pembroke,  now  Hanson,  in  Plymouth  county,  about  1750.  He  was  one 
of  the  minute-men  at  the  Lexington  alarm,  and  was  subsequently  a  lieutenant 
in  the  Revolutionary  army.  About  1780,  he  md.  Betty  Hamlin,  a  sister  of 
the  father  of  Hon.  Hannibal  Hamlin,  and  removed  to  Fitchburg.  Of  their 
children  Samuel,  Asia,  John  and  Lydia,  the  wife  of  Jacob  Fairbanks,  were 
residents  of  this  town. 


(2) 


Samuel  Phillips,  sou  of  Seth  and  Betty  (Hamlin) 
Phillips,  b.  in  Fitchburg  Sept.  11,  1781.  He  md.  Nov.  3, 
1803,  Sally  Thurston,  b.  April  5,  1783,  dau.  of  Dea.  John 
and  Esther  (Wood)  Thurston.  In  1804  he  purchased  the 
Wilder  farm  and  removed  to  this  town.  This  farm  had 
been  owned  by  Samuel  Wilder,  Esq.,  between  thirty  and 
forty  years.  It  was  here  that  Rev.  John  Cushing  lived 
in  the  family  of  Mr.  Wilder,  until  he  began  housekeeping 
on  the  old  common.  It  is  a  pleasant  homestead,  com- 
manding an  extensive  view  of  the  surrounding  country. 
The  widow  retained  her  dower  in  the  homestead  and  occu- 
pied a  portion  of  the  dwelling  and  extensive  farm.  On 
this  farm  Samuel  Phillips  resided  until  1820,  when  he  sold 
to  his  brothers  Asia  and  John,  and  removed  to  Fitchburg. 
He  d.  in  Worcester  1842  ;  his  widow  d.  1848.  Two  chil- 
dren were  born  in  this  town. 

I.  Ivers,  b.  July  28,  1805. + 

II.  Sally,  b.  July  29,  1811  ;  md.  Charles  Russell,  son 
of  Thomas  Russell,  q.  v. 


Col.  Ivers  Phillips,  the  only  son  of  Samuel  and  Sally 
(Thurston)  Phillips,  was  b.  in  Ashburnham  July  28,  1805. 
After  a  brief  tuition  in  the  public  schools  of  Ashburnham 
and  of  Fitchburg  he  was  early  enlisted  in  the  activities  of 
an  eventful  and  successful  career.  For  many  years  he  re- 
sided in  Fitchburg  and  later  in  Worcester.  At  the  age  of 
twenty-eight  years  he  was  appointed  a  deputy  sheriff  and 
a  coroner.  The  former  office  he  resigned  in  1850  and  the 
latter  in  1856.  To  the  railroad  interests  of  Worcester 
county  he  was  allied  for  many  years,  and  to  his  energy 
and  prudent  counsels  these  corporations  were  indebted. 
He  was  an  early  advocate  of  the  Vermont  and  Massachu- 
setts Railroad  and  an  early  director  of  the  corporation. 


'Ci^. 


SoT.i 


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oobj. 


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GEN E ALOGIOA L   K VA\ I STEU. 


849 


At  the  oronnizatioii  of  the  Fitchburg  and  Worcester  Rail- 
load  he  was  chosen  a  directoi-,  and  was  the  second  presi- 
dent of  the  hoard,  succeeding  Dr.  Charles  W.  Wilder  of 
Leominster,  another  native  of  this  town.  Subsequently  he 
was  a  director  and  president  of  the  Agricultural  Railroad, 


^^  1 


now  a  part  of  the  Old  Colony,  and  also  of  the  Boston, 
Barre  and  Gardner  Railroad,  now  operated  by  the  Fitch- 
burg  Railroad.  In  these  positions  he  was  continuously 
employed  about  thirty  years.     In  1853  he  was  a  member 

54 


850 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


of  the  Massachusetts  Senate,  and  from  1862  to  1869  he 
was  Collector  of  Internal  Revenue  of  the  Eighth  Massa- 
chusetts district. 

In  military  affairs  Col.  Phillips  was  an  enthusiast  and 
won  honors  at  an  early  age.  In  1827  he  was  commis- 
sioned a  lieutenant.  His  promotion  was  rapid.  In  1834, 
under  a  radical  revision  of  the  militia  law,  the  officers  were 
discharged.  At  this  time  he  was  colonel  of  the  regiment. 
On  account  of  the  sickness  of  Col.  Lincoln  he  first  com- 
manded the  regiment  in  1831,  when  holding  the  commis- 
sion of  lieutenant-colonel.  Under  the  amended  militia 
system  of  the  State,  the  Volunteer  companies  in  the  north- 
ern towns  of  AVorcester  county  constituted  a  regiment. 
He  was  then  commissioned  colonel  of  the  new  organiza- 
tion. Declining  promotion  he  resigned  May  26,  1835, 
having  been  an  officer  eight  years,  and  not  yet  thirty  years 
of  age. 

In  the  midst  of  these  employments.  Col.  Phillips  ha& 
been  engaged  in  many  business  enterprises  and  has  been 
prominent  in  the  direction  of  several  business  and  mone- 
tary organizations.  In  positions  of  trust  and  in  business 
affairs,  in  an  eminent  degree,  he  has  secured  the  confidence 
and  respect  of  his  associates. 

In  1873  he  removed  to  Boulder,  Colorado,  and  is  now  a 
director  of  several  railroads  in  that  State. 

Col.  Phillips  md.  in  Fitchburg  Nov.  13,  1828,  Rebecca 
Carter,  b.  in  Leominster  Feb.  13,  1803,  dau.  of  Thomas 
Carter.  She  d.  July  2,  1867  ;  he  md.  (2d)  Jan.  19,  1869, 
Abbie  Rebecca  (Richardson)  Haines,  dau.  of  Dr.  Sewell 
Richardson  of  Leominster. 

Mary  Ann,  b.  Sept.  24,  1829. 

Ivers  Carter,  b.  July  9,  1831 ;  md.  Dec.  31,  1853, 
Harriet  Frances  Walker  of  GofFstown,  N.  H. 
He  d.  March  5,  1877. 

Harriet  Rebecca,  b.  July  6,  1833  ;  md.  Nov.  29, 
1855,  Edwin  D.  "Works,  son  of  Daniel  Works 
of  Fitchburg;  she  d.  Feb.  27,  1878. 

Sarah  Thurston,  b.  April  22,  1836  ;  md.  April  22, 
1857,  Gardner  P.  Wood  of  Temple,  N.  H.  ; 
she  d.  Nov.  26,  1872. 

Alhie  Louisa,  b.  Nov.  20,  1839;  md.  May  24, 
1871,  Albert  B.  Lawrence,  son  of  Daniel  B. 
Lawrence  of  Brimfield.  He  is  manager  and 
partner  of  the  hardware  house  of  A.  B.  Law- 
rence &  Co.,  Fitchburg. 


4 

I. 

5 

II. 

6 

III. 

7 

rv. 

Asia  Phillips,  a  brother  of  Samuel  Phillips,  resided  in 
this  town  from  1812  to  about  1830.     He  was  a  member 


GENEALOGICAL  REGISTER. 


851 


10 


of  the  Asbburnham  Light  Infantry  and  was  in  the  service 
at  Boston  Harbor  in  the  War  of  1812.  He  md.  1820, 
Sally  S.  Dwelly,  dan.  of  Dr.  Melzer  and  Sally  (Smith) 
Dwelly  and  a  granddau.  of  Joshua  Smith,  Esq.,  q.  v. 
Their  children  d.  in  infancy. 


John  Phillips,  brother  of  Samuel  and  Asia  Phillips, 
returned  to  Fitchburg  after  a  brief  residence  in  this  town. 
Subsequently  he  removed  to  Northampton. 


PIPER. 

Jonathan  Piper,  wife  Elizabeth  and  two  children  removed  from  Acton 
to  Ashby  in  April,  1783.  Eight  children  were  b.  in  Ashby.  Among  these 
was  Philip  Piper,  b.  July  12,  1785.  He  md.  1810,  l\hoda  Richardson  and 
lived  in  Ashby.     He  d.  April  10,  1858;  she  d.  Sept.  U,  1874. 


Jonathan  Hubbard  Piper,  son  of  Philip  and  Rhoda 
(Richardson)  Piper,  was  b.  in  Ashby  Feb.  26,  1816. 
He  came  to  the  South  Village  to  learn  the  trade  of  chair 
maker  in  1834,  and  resided  in  this  town  until  1870  when 
he  removed  to  Fltchbnrg.  For  several  years  he  was  en- 
gaged in  the  manufacture  of  chairs  in  the  firm  of  Flint, 
Piper  &  Blodgett.  He  md.  June  29,  1836,  Caroline  Bur- 
gess, dau.  of  Joshua  B.  Burgess,  q.  v.  She  d.,  leaving 
three  children,  May  23,  1847.  He  md.  (2d)  March  28, 
1848,  S.  Elizabeth  Jones,  b.  in  Lunenburg  Feb.  11,  1828, 
dau.  of  Major  Ephraim  and  Jemima  (Barrett)  Jones. 

I.  Alfred,  b.  Jan.  15,  1838. 
II.  Fannie  E.,  b.  Dec.  27,  1843. 

III.  Hohart  W.,  b.  June  17,  1845;  he  served   two   en- 

listments in  the  War  of  the  Rebellion. 

IV.  Carrie  Lizzie,  b.  June  9,  1852  ;  d.  Aug.  30,  1853. 
V.  Netlie  Lizzie,  b.  July  15,  1855. 


PLATTS. 

Abel  Platts,  the  first  settler  of  Rindge,  and  a  prominent  character  in 
the  annals  of  that  town,  was  a  son  of  Moses  Platts  and  a  grandson  of  Lieut. 
Abel  Platts  of  Rowley,  who  was  an  officer  in  the  Expedition  to  Canada,  1690. 
Abel  Platts  of  Rindge  was  b.  in  Rowley  Feb.  6,  1703.  He  md.  April  21, 
1725,  Mary  Varnum,  and  removed  to  Lunenburg  1738.  At  this  time  he 
began  a  clearing  in  Rindge,  and  for  several  years  he  resided  in  Lunenburg 
and  in  Rindge  until  the  Indian  alarms  were  quieted.  In  1751  he  settled 
permanently  upon  the  clearing  he  had  made  in  the  forest.  He  d.  July  23, 
1777.  Ensign  Joseph  Platts,  his  son,  was  b.  in  Rowley  1726,  and  was  the 
companion  of  his  father  in  his  early  labors  in  Rindge.  He  md.  Nov.  16, 
1752,  Deborah  Page,  b.  April  11,  1733,  dau.  of  Joseph  and  Deborah  (Gould) 
Page.  He  d.  in  Rindge  Aug.  25,  1817.  His  son,  Capt.  Joseph  Platts,  b.  in 
Rindge  1755,  md.  March  24,  1778,  Abigail  Sawtell,  b.  June  27,  1758,  dau. 
of  Jonathan  and  Mary  (Holden)  Sawtell  of  Rindge.     He  d.  March  29,  1799. 


852 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


John  Varnum  Platts,  son  of  Capt.  Joseph  Platts,  b.  April  22,  1786,  also 
resided  in  Rindge.  He  rad.  May  2,  1811,  Maria  Demary,  b.  1791,  dau.  of 
Ezekiel  and  Maria  (Parker)  Demary.  He  d.  May  6,  1839;  she  d.  Feb.  4, 
1834.     These  are  the  parents  of  John  Varnum  Platts  of  Ashburnham. 


John  Varnum  Platts,  son  of  John  Varnum  and  Maria 
(Demary)  Platts,  was  b.  in  Rindge  March  10,  1813. 
He  md.  1840,  Louisa  D.  Bill  of  Gilsum,  N.  H.,  and  re- 
moved to  this  town  1849.  He  was  superintendent  of  the 
almshouse  several  years,  and  is  now  a  farmer.  His  wife 
d.  Jan.  20,  1872;  he  md.  (2d)  June,  1872,  Augusta 
Whitcomb  of  Winchendon. 

I.  3faria   A.,   b.    Nov.   19,    1841  ;    md.    Orange   E. 

Howe,  q.  v. 
11.  Irving  E.,  b.  Feb.  4,  1845;  md.  Aug.  2,  1868, 
Ellen  M.  Lynde,  b.  in  Westminster  July  1, 1849, 
dau.  of  John  and  Lucy  Lynde.  He  is  a  manu- 
facturer of  chairs  at  South  Village. 
III.  Jerome  A.,  b.  Jan.  25,  1851  ;  resides  unmd.  in 
this  town. 


William  Pollard  with  a  family  removed  to  this  town 
in  1770  or  1771.  He  md.  about  1760,  Hannah  Whitcomb 
of  Harvard.  He  was  a  respected  citizen  and  was  fre- 
quently chosen  to  positions  of  trust.  Five  children  were 
born  in  this  town.  It  is  possible  that  of  the  children  born 
previous  to  1771  all  are  not  named  in  this  register.  He 
d.  May  10,  1808  ;  she  d.  Feb.  27,  1828. 

I.  Sarah,  b.  1762;  d.  Oct.  17,  1778. 
II.  Kezia,  b.  ;    md.  Capt.  Daniel  Putnam,  q.  v. 

III.  Hannah,  b.  ;  md.  1794,  Joseph  Howard  of 

Westminster. 

IV.  Achsah,  b.  Aug.  29,  1771  ;  md.  Stephen   Bemis, 

q.  V. 
V.    William,  b.  April  1,  1773. 
VI.  Belief,  b.  June  2,  1775  ;  md.  John  Petts,  q.  v. 
VII.  Molly,  b.  Feb.  17,  1777;  md.  Joshua  Billings,  Jr. 
vin.  Jonas,  b.  March  5,  1779. 


William  Pollard,  not  a  relative  of  William  Pollard 
(No.  1),  md.  April  20,  1819,  Lucy  Davis,  dau.  of  Amos 
Davis,  g.  v.  He  was  a  farmer  in  this  town  until  1848, 
when  he  removed  to  Rindge.  He  d.  July  17,  1872  ;  his 
wife  d.  Feb.  14,  1867. 

11  I.  Almira   Griffin,  b.  Jul}-   17,  1820;    md.    Lemuel 

Whitney,  q.  v. 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER. 


853 


11.  Lxicy  Sjmxdding,  b.  Sept.  25,  1822  ;    md.  Leonard 

Lane,  q.  v. 
m.  Sally  Davis,  b.  March  7,  1828  ;  d.  Nov.  25,  1833. 
IV.  Susan  Abigail,  b.  Dec.  25,  1831, 

V.   William  H.,  h.  Ang.  20,  1837. 
VI.  Ivers  E.,  b.  Oct  10,  1842. 


Jacob  Polley  md.  Desire  Flint,  and  removed  to  the 
southeast  part  of  the  town  about  1785.  He  was  a 
prominent  character  in  the  effort  to  secure  the  incorpora- 
tion of  a  new  town,  including  a  part  of  Ashburnham, 
Westminster,  Fitchburg  and  Ashby.  About  1816,  he 
removed  to  Acworth,  N.  H.  Nine  children  were  b.  in 
this  town. 

I.  Peter,  b.  May  14,  1786  ;  d.  Aug.  23,  1806. 
II.  Amos,  b.  Feb.  6,  1788. 

III.  Dorcas,  b.  Nov.  26,  1789  ;  md.  Reuben  Rice,  Jr., 

q.  V. 

IV.  Jacob,'  b.    Jan.   25,  1792 ;    md.    Lois  Gibson   of 

Ashby. 
V.  Desire,  b.  May  9,  1794. 
VI.   Gertrude,  b.  Dec.  22,  1796  ;  md.  Moses  Gushing, 

q,  V. 
VII.  David.h.  Nov.  22,  1798. 
VIII.  Flint,  b.  Sept  20,  1801. 
IX.  Mary  Graves,  b.  Oct.  7,  1804. 


Hartford  Potter,  son  of  Bennett  Potter,  was  b.  in 
Walpole,  N.  H.,  Dec.  21,  1811.  He  md.  Nov.  14,  1837, 
Thurza  M.  Marvin;  md.  (2d)  May  7,  1865,  Abigail 
(Stone)  Whitney,  widow  of  Stephen  P.  Whitney.  He 
resided  in  Templeton  several  years,  and  removed  to  this 
town  in  1866.  He  owns  and  occupies  the  Perley  Howe 
farm,  near  South  Village. 

I.  Henry  M.,  b.  Aug.  26,  1838  ;   he  is  a  merchant  in 

Newark,  N.  J. 
II.  Hester  A.  R.,  b.  June  17,  1844  ;  md.  William  H. 
White  of  Grafton. 

III.  Frederick  H,  b.  Feb.  20,   1849;  md.    Sept.   28, 

1869,  p:ilen   S.  Winship  (Munroe   15)  ;    he   d. 
Oct.  27,  1869. 

IV.  Florence  M.,  b.  June  24,  1866. 


PRATT. 

Ephraim  Pratt  is  found  in  Shrewsbury  as  early  as  1724.  Concerning 
the  date  of  his  birth  and  consequently  of  his  age  at  his  decease  there  has 
been  a  difference  of  opinion.     It  is  claimed  with  a  reasonable   measure  of 


854 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


assurance  that  he  was  a  son  of  Ephraim  and  Elizabeth  Pratt  of  Sudbury  and 
a  grandson  of  Joshua  Pratt,  b.  in  England  1598,  and  of  Plymouth  1628,  and 
that  he  was  b.  in  Sudbury  Nov.  30,  1704.  In  other  accounts  it  has  been 
asserted  that  he  was  b.  Nov.  13,  1687.  He  d.  in  Shutesbury  in  May,  1804. 
His  age  consequently  was  99  years  and  6  months,  or  116  years  and  6  months. 
He.  md.  July  9,  1724,  Martha  Wheelock,  b.  1698,  dau.  of  Samuel  and  Lydia 
Wheelock  of  Marlboro',  and  later  of  Shrewsbury.  Among  their  eight 
children  was  Ephraim  Pratt,  Jr.,  b.  Feb.  7,  1728.  He  md.  in  Shrewsbury 
Oct.  10,  1752,  Abiah  Leland.  About  1774  he  removed  to  Westminster  and, 
subsequently,  at  the  incorporation  of  Gardner,  his  house  was  included  within 
the  limits  of  that  town,  and  the  farm  was  divided  by  the  town  line.  He  d. 
July  23,  1815;  his  wife  d.  Oct.  25,  1813.  Their  nine  children  were  b.  in 
Shrewsbury.  Of  these  the  youngest  was  Aaron  Pratt,  b.  Feb.  12,  1771.  He 
md.  Betsey  Warren  and  resided  in  Gardner  where  his  eight  children  w^ere 
b.  and  where  he  d.  July  15,  1812;  his  widow  d.  Sept.  3,  1831.  William 
Pratt,  son  of  Aaron  and  Betsey  (Warren)  Pratt,  resided  some  years  in  this 
town.  John  Pratt,  brother  of  William,  b.  in  Gardner  Aug.  2,  1804,  md. 
Feb.  28,  1840,  Eliza  French,  dau.  of  Joel  French,  q.  v.  He  resided  a  short 
time  in  Marlboro',  N.  H.,  where  he  was  an  innholder.  Subsequently  he 
removed  to   Weathersfield,  Vt.,  and   was   there  a  prominent   citizen.     He 

d. ;  his  wife   d.  Feb.  28,   1840.     Capt.   Charles   H.   Pratt,   who  md.  a 

daughter  of  George  G.  Samson,  is  a  son  of  Russell  Pratt  of  Westtiiinster,  a 
younger  son  of  Aaron  and  Betsey  (AVarren)  Pratt. 


10 


William  Pratt,  b.  iu  Gardner  Jan.  2,  1811,  son  of 
Aaron  and  Betsey  (Warren)  Pratt,  md. Sarah  Mat- 
thews and  removed  to  this  town  about  1844.  He  d.  Nov. 
30,  1850  ;  his  wife  d.  Oct.  15,  1850. 

I.  Aaron,  b.  1831  ;  md.  1857,  Mary  W.  Morton,  dau. 
•of  John  D.  Morton,  q.  v.     He  d.  June  19,  1867. 

II.   Otis,  b.  ;  md.  1855,  Marv  E.  Bixby,  dau.  of 

Joel  R.  Bixby,  q.  v.  ;  d.  May  9,  1880. 

III.  Sarah,  b.  March  23,  1836  ;  d.  Sept.  3,  1850. 

IV.  Joel,  b. ;  md.  Abbie  Brooks  of  Westminster  ; 

lives  in  Leominster. 
V.    WilUam^h.  1843  ;  md.  Jan.  3,  1864,  Julia  Newell 

of  Springfield  ;  lives  in  Gardner. 
VI.  Eliza,  b.  Nov.  8,  1845  ;  md.  1867,  Benjamin  Brown 

of  Gardner. 
VII.    Walter,  h.  Feb.  28,  1846  ;  md.  1871,  Anna  Wright 
of  Gardner ;  lives  in  Gardner. 


John  M.  Pratt,  son  of  John  and  Eliza  (French)  Pratt, 
was  b.  in  Weathersfield,  Vt.,  Dec.  1,  1828.  He  md. 
Sept.  15,  1854,  Sarah  F.  Ward,  dau.  of  Silas  Ward,  q.  v., 
and  has  resided  since  his  marriage  in  the  South  Village, 
where  he  has  been  eno;aged  in  the  manufacture  of  baskets. 
He  has  been  a  Selectman  and  Overseer  of  the  Poor  sev- 
eral years. 

I.   Herbert  A.,  b.  March  28,  1867. 


GENEALOGICAL    REGISTER.  855 

Clarence  M.  Puoctor,  son  of  William  and  Betsey 
(Thompson)  Proctor,  was  b.  in  Andover,  N.  H.,  Oct.  23, 
181G.  He  removed  to  this  town  in  1840  and  was  an 
officer  in  the  Ashburnham  Light  Infantry.     He  md.  Nov. 

9,   1842,  Mary  S.   Dexter  who  d. ;  md.    (2d)  June 

6,  1855,  Armina  A.  Proctor  of  Franklin,  N.  H. 

I.  Clarence  D.,  b.  Aug.  27,  1843;  md.  Nov.  25, 
1869,  Hattie  A.  Sylvester,  b.  Dec.  26,  1843; 
d.  Sept.  10,  1875.     He  is  a  farmer  in  this  town. 

II.  Murray  TF.,  b.  Dec.  31,  1845;  d.   Aug.   7,    1847. 

III.  Evelyn  M.,  b.  July  30,  1848  ;  d.  June  12,  1877. 

IV.  Betsey  J.,  b.  Dec.  12,  1851  ;  d.  Aug.  26,  1853. 


Reuben  Puffer,  son  of  Jacob  and  Hannah  (Haynes) 
Puffer,  was  b.  in  Ashb}'  Aug.  14,  1810.  He  has  resided 
in  this  town  with  little  interruption  during  the  past  fifty 
years.  He  is  a  contractor  and  builder  and  is  engaged  in 
the  manufacture  of  sash  and  blinds.  He  md.  Nov.  27, 
1834,  Martha  Piper  who  d.  Nov.  13,  1848  ;  he  md.  (2d) 
June  2,  1849,  Esther  Aldrich ;  she  d.  Dec.  6,  1883. 

I.   Charles  Henry,  b.  Jan.  1,  1836;  md.    1855,  Lois 
I.  Goodwin,  dau.  of  Matthew  E.  Goodwin,  q.  v. 
He  was  a  veteran  of  the  21st  Regiment ;  died  in 
the  service  May  1,  1864;  she  md.  (2d)  Alvaro 
Foster. 
II.   George   F.,    b.  March    24,    1838;    md.    Feb.    22, 
1864,  Lois  M.  Burgess,  dau.  of  Ivers  Burgess, 
q.  V.     He  was  a  veteran  of  the  21st  Regiment; 
he  d.  in  Lynn  Oct   22,  1866. 
in.  Eugene  A.,  b.  Jan.  26,  1840;  md.  May  14,   1868, 
Mary   A.  Dalrymple,   b.  in  Gardner  March  8, 
1844,  dau.  of  John   Dalrymple.     He  served  in 
the    21st    Regiment    and    was    discharged    on 
account  of  wounds  March  27,  1863. 

Hele7i  3L,  b.  May  17,  1842  ;  md.  George  E.  Davis, 
son  of  George  Davis,  q.  v. 

Sarah  E.,  b.  July  25,  1844  ;  md.  Orlando  Vaughn 
of  Fitchburg. 

xibbie  3/.,  b.  April  26,1846;  d.    unmd.    Sept.  3, 
1882. 

Reuben  A.,  b.  Sept.   11,   1S51  ;   md.   Sarah  Shep- 
herd ;  resides  in  Worcester. 

Martha   A.,   b.  April  24,    1854;  md.    J.   Quincy 
Willard,  son  of  Merrick  Willard,  q.  v. 

FranUin  E.,  b.  Sept.  25,  1857;  d.  Sept.  2,  1858. 

Lillie  F.,  b.  June  9,  1861  ;  d.  Sept.  14,  1862. 

Walter  0.,  b.  June  11,  1865. 


5 

IV. 

6 

V. 

7 

VI. 

8 

VII. 

S 

VIII. 

10 

IX. 

11 

X. 

12 

XI. 

856 


HISTORY    OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


PUTNAM. 

The  lineage  of  John,  Nathan  and  Capt.  Daniel  Putnam,  once  residents  of 
this  town,  has  not  been  traced.  They  were  brothers  and  sons  of  John  Put- 
nam of  Danvers  and  Framingham.  Salmon  W.  Putnam,  No.  7  in  the  follow- 
ing register,  was  of  the  seventh  generation  of  his  family  in  America.  The 
emigrant  ancestor  was  John  Putnam  from  Aston  Abbott,  near  Aylesbury,  in 
the  county  of  Bucks,  England.  With  wife  Priscilla  and  sons,  Thomas, 
Nathaniel  and  Jolin,  he  settled  in  Salem  1634.  John,  the  father,  d.  Dec.  30, 
1662.  Thomas,  the  eldest  son,  b.  in  England  probably  in  1610,  resided  a 
few  years  in  Lynn,  but  returned  to  Salem  where  he  d.  May  5,  1686.  He  md. 
Oct.  17,  1643,  Ann  Holyoke,  dau.  of  Edward  Holyoke ;  md.  (2d)  the  widow 
of  Nathaniel  Veren.  Joseph  Putnam,  a  son  of  the  second  marriage,  was  the 
father  of  Gen.  Israel  Putnam.  Dea.  Edward  Putnam,  a  son  of  the  first  wife, 
b.  1654,  md.  June  4,  1681,  Mary  Holten  and  resided  in  a  part  of  Salem  now 
in  Danvers.  He  d.  1747.  Elisha  Putnam,  son  of  Dea.  Edward,  b.  Nov.  3, 
1685,  md.  Susannah  Fuller,  dau.  of  Jonathan  P'uller  of  Danvers  and  removed 
to  Sutton  where  he  d.  1745;.  his  widow  md.  (2d)  Capt.  John  Sadler  of  Upton. 
Of  the  children  of  Elisha  and  Susanna  (Fuller)  Putnam,  were  Col.  Rufus 
Putnam  of  Revolutionary  fame  and  John  Putnam  who  was  b.  in  Sutton. 


John  Putnam  ind.  in  INIarlboro'  1771,  Molly  Baker,  b. 
in  Marlboro'  Aug.  20,  1747,  dau.  of  Robert  Baker.  In 
1775  they  removed  to  Ashburnhain  and  his  name  is  on 
the  roll  of  ('apt.  Davis  company  of  minute-men.  He 
was  here  in  177;i  but  removed  soon  after  that  date  to 
Chester,  \t. 

I.  Jesse,  b.  .July  ol,  1772. 
II.   Robert,  b.  June  2.3,  1774. 
III.  Infant^  b.  177() ;  d.  Oct.  3,  1778. 


Natiiax  Putxaji,  a  brother  of  .John  and  Capt.  Daniel, 
was  here  while  John  remained.  The  name  of  his  wife 
was  Dorothy.     He  removed  to  Stow. 

I.  Daniel,  bap.  July  16,  177.3  ;  d.  Sept.  2o,  1777. 
11.  Dolly i  bap.  May  18,  1777. 


Capt.  Daniel  Putnam,  b.  in  Sudbury  Sept.  25,  1755, 
son  of  John  Putnam,  came  to  Ashburnham  in  1774  or 
1775.  He  served  one  enlistment  in  Capt.  Sawyer's 
company  in  Col.  Dike's  regiment  in  1776,  and  possibly 
rendered  other  service.  After  the  war  he  was  a  cai)tain 
of  the  militia  and  a  prominent  man  in  business  affairs. 
He  bought  and  sold  land  in  this  and  the  surrounding 
towns,  and  his  familiar  name  appears  frequently  in  the 
records  of  his  time.  He  md.  March  1<S,  1777,  Elizabeth 
Locke,  dau.  of  John  Locke  or  Overlack,  q.  v.  ;  she  d. 
Aug.  8,  1776  ;  he  md.  (2d)  Nov.  21),  1787,  Kezia  Pollard, 
dau.  of  William  Pollard,  (j.  v.  In  17!)8  he  removed  to- 
Winchendon,  and  in  IMIO  to  Windham,  Vt.,  where  he  d. 


GENEA  LOGUJAL    REGISTER. 


857 


Oct.  21,  LSI'.).  So  fill"  iis  known  there  were  seventeen 
children  but  no  record  hiis  been  found.  Levi,  the  thii'd  of 
the  five  children  of  the  first  wife,  d.  June  3,  1796,  and 
Elizabeth  d.  in  infancy.  The  names  of  the  children 
were  :  John,  who  resided  in  Williamstowu,  Daniel,  Levi, 
Jacob,  Elizabeth,  William,  Silas,  Jonas,  Abel,  Mary, 
Josephine,  Laura,  Myra,  Pliny,  Elmira,  Resina  and 
Aurilla. 


Salmon  W.  Putnam,  son  of  John  and  Mary  (Hodgs- 
kins)  Putnam,  was  b.  in  Hopkinton  Dec.  10,  1815.  lie 
came  to  Ashburnham  early  in  1837  and  for  a  short  time, 
in  connection  with  his  elder  brother  John  Putnam,  was 
engaged  in  business  at  Factory  Village.  Subsequently 
he  lived  in  Fitchburg.  In  the  establishment  of  the 
Putnam  Machine  Co.,  in  the  conduct  of  an  extensive 
business,  his  life  and  labors  fill  an  eventful  and  an  inter- 
esting page  in  the  annals  of  a  prosperous  city.  He 
occupied  with  credit  many  positions  of  trust,  was  a 
director  in  several  monetary  institutions  and  thoroughly 
identified  with  the  growth  and  prosperity  of  the  tow^n  and 
the  city  of  Fitchburg.  He  md.  March  10,  1840,  Harriet 
J.  Whitney,  dau.  of  Ohio  Whitney,  q.  v.  He  d.  Feb. 
23,  1872.  Nine  children.  The  sons  have  succeeded  to 
the  general  management  of  the  corporation  and  have 
frequently  been  elected  to  positions  in  municipal  affaks. 

I.  Henry  O.,  b.  Jan.  4,   1841  ;  md.   Sept.   2'J,   185!), 

Sarah  A.  Smith. 
II.  Sahnon  W.,  b.  Oct.  15,  1843;  md.  Jan.  22,  1873, 
P^inma  J.  Park. 

III.  Charles  F.,  b.  Aug.  5,  1845;  md.  Oct.  16,  1872, 

Coralie  J.  Lawrence;  she  d.  July  5,  1881. 

IV.  Harriet  E.,  b.  May  5,  1848;  md.  Oct.  18,  1871, 

Loring  Sears. 
V.    WilUarnD.,  b.  Sept.  20,  1851  ;  d.  Aug.  19,  1852. 
VI.   George   E.,   b.    Oct.    14,    1854;  an    attorney  and 

counsellor-at-law  ;  unmd. 
VII.  Laura  J.,  b.  Sept.  4,  1856  ;  md.  March  30,  IcSHO, 
Rev.   S.  J.  Stewart ;  she  resides  in  Fitchburg. 
VIII.  Mary  Adelaide  I.,  \).  Oct.  8,   1858;  md.  Oct.    12, 
1882,  Edward  S.  Crocker. 
IX.  Marion  M.,  b.  Nov.  15,  1861. 


RANDALL. 

Several  families  of  Randall  were  among  the  early  settlers  of  New  England. 
Many  problems  concerning  the  relationship  of  persons  whose  general  history 
is  known,  and  the  line  of  separation  between  distinct  families  remain  to  be 
solved.     It  is,  however,   more  than  probable  that    the    Randalls    of    Stow 


858 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


were  descendants  of  widow  Elizabeth  Randall  who  d.  in  Watertown  Dec.  24, 
1672,  aged  80.  It  is  certain  that  Stephen  Randall  of  Ashburnham  was  of  the 
Stow  family.  One  Stephen  Randall  was  rated  in  Stow.  1688,  and  it  is 
claimed  that  he  had  sons  Stephen,  Samuel,  John  and  Abraham.  It  is  clear 
that  as  yet  the  Stephen  Randall  of  Ashburnham  has  not  been  named.  The 
traditions  of  the  Ashburnham  family  assert  that  Stephen  of  Ashburnham 
was  the  son  of  Stephen  and  grandson  of  the  Stephen  who  was  rated  1688. 
In  support  of  the  tradition  the  record  of  birth  is  not  found,  but  between  1734 
and  1750  seven  children  of  Samuel  and  Priscilla  Randall  were  b.  in  Stow. 
Of  these  the  eldest  was  Stephen  Randall,  b.  Jan.  31,  1734,  and  until  new 
discoveries  present  a  denial,  the  assumption  may  be  regarded  with  con- 
siderable assurance  that  it  is  this  Stephen  Randall  whose  record  is  continued 
in  the  following  register. 


SxErHEN  Randall,  then  a  resident  of  Stow,  md.  1757, 
Lydia  Patch.  The  iuteutious  were  recorded  Aug.  1,  but 
no  record  of  the  marriage  has  been  found.  She  d.  leaving 
one  daughter,  whose  descendants  are  numerous.  He  md. 
(2d)  in  Harvard,  but  himself  a  resident  of  Stow,  May 
13,  17(52,  Sarah  Fairbanks,  b.  in  Harvard  Oct.  27,  1742, 
dan.  of  Dea.  Phinehas  and  Sarah  Fairbanks  and  a  grand- 
dau.  of  Dea.  Joseph  Fairbanks,  q.  v.  She  was  a  sister 
to  the  wife  of  Daniel  Knight,  q.  v.  About  1772  he 
removed  from  Stow  to  Harvard,  and  in  1780  he  removed 
to  this  town.  He  was  a  substantial  citizen  and  by  occu- 
pation a  farmer.  In  1781  he  was  chosen  tithingman 
which  asserts  a  propriety  of  deportment  and  a  dignity  of 
manner.  In  1782  he  was  chosen  sexton,  and  by  annual 
election  was  continued  in  that  solemn  office  until  1799. 
In  1808  he  removed  to  AYilliston,  Vt.,  wliere  he  d.  April, 
1828;  Sarah,  his  wife,  d.  May  1,  182.S.  Five  children 
were  born  in  Stow,  three  in  Harvard  and  three  in 
Ashburnham. 

I.   Eunice^  b.   ,    1759;  md.  March  1,  1781,  Levi 

Fairbanks,  b.  in  Harvard  1755,  son  of  Capt. 
Joseph  and  Abigail  (Hodgman)  Fairbanks,  and 
a  brother  of  Cyrus  Fairbanks  of  Ashbm-nham. 
He  settled  in  Westminster  and  after  1785  lived 
in  Gardner,  where  he  d.  1845.  She  d.  1851. 
Fight  children  and  a  numerous  posterity. 
Phebe  Fairbanks,  who  md.  John  Wilker,  was  a 
granddau. 
II.  Stephen,  b.  June  20,  17G;3.4- 

III.  Phinehas^  1).  April  21,  1765.-}- 

IV.  Ejyhraim,  b.  ,  17(57.-f- 

y.  David,  b.  Jan.  19,  1771  ;  d.  March  18,  1776. 
VI.   Sarah,  b.  March  7,  1773;  d.  May  21,  1776. 
VII.  Lydia,   b.  Oct.  2,    1775;  md.  Nehemiah  Hobart, 

q.  V. 
v^iii.   Sarah,  b.  Dec.  23,  1778. 


(3) 


<4) 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  859 

IX.  David,  b.  April  22,  178l.-f- 

X.  Samuel,  b.  Sept.  29,  1784:. -f- 
XI.  John,  bap.  and  d.  Oct.  4,  1787. 


Stephen  Randall,  eldest  son  of  Stephen,  was  a  farmer 
in  Ashburuliain  until  1806.  In  1795  he  withdrew  from 
the  Congregational  church  and  united  with  the  Methodists. 
He  became  an  influential  member  of  that  young  society 
and  was  enrolled  among  the  early  preachers.  Subse- 
quently he  preached  about  eight  years  in  Vermont  and 
finalh'  located  at  a  place  now  known  as  Kendall,  in 
Orleans  county.  New  York.  He  purchased  a  consider- 
able tract  of  land,  and  here  he  resided  until  his  death 
April  IG,  1828.  In  the  records  of  Ashburnham  there  is 
ample  evidence  that  he  was  held  in  high  esteem,  and  both 
ability  and  character  are  reflected  in  his  subsequent  career. 
He  md.  in  Ashburnham  Feb.  24,  1785,  Mary  Rice,  b.  in 
Lancaster  Jan.  16,  1762,  dau.  of  Zebulon  and  Susanna 
(Allen)  Rice,  q.  v.  ;  she  d.  at  Barre,  N.  Y.,  July  15,  1852. 
Eight  children  b.  in  Ashburnham. 

I.  Stejyhen.h.  April  5,  1786;  d.  at  Hamlin,  N.  Y., 
July  20,  1862. 
II.  Amos,  b.  Jan.  3,  1788  ;  md.  April  7,  1813,  Fanny 
Tabor.  He  was  a  farmer  at  Kendall,  N.  Y., 
where  he  d.  Aug.  22,  1830  ;  his  widow  d.  Dec. 
22,  1877.  Eight  children ;  among  them,  Hon. 
Gideon  Randall ;  Dr.  James  W.  Randall  of 
Albion,  N.  Y.,  d.  Feb.  14,  1884;  Amos  S. 
Randall  of  Chicago,  111. 

III.  Follfj,    b.    Sept.    14,    1789 ;  md.    Cochrane. 

Their  son,  Wesley  Cochrane,   D.  D.,  a  retired 
Methodist  clergyman  and  author. 

IV.  Theophihis,  b.  Sept.  10,  1791  ;  a  successful  physi- 

cian ;  d.  at  Hamlin,  N.  Y.,  Feb.  20, 1854. 
V.  John,  h.  1794;  d.  March  14,  1795. 

VI.  Betsey,  b.  Jan.  18,  1.796  ;  md.  Sanborn. 

VII.  John  Wesley,  b.  Feb.  22,  1798;  md.  June  11, 
1820,  Jane  Daniels.  He  d.  at  Shabbona,  111., 
Jan.  10,  1880;  she  d.  at  Chicago  Feb.  10, 
1868. 
VIII.  Jesse  Lee,  b.  March  21,  1804;  d.  in  Pennsylvania 
March  27,  1832. 


Phineiias  Randall  md.  in  Ashburnham  Oct.  26,  1786, 
Sarah  Crosbj',  b.  in  Billerica  Dec.  25,  1763,  dau.  of  Jesse- 
niah  and  Mary  (Hosley)  Crosby  ;  she  was  a  sister  of  the 
wife  of  Isaac  Stearns.     He    resided   in    this    town    until 


860 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


(5) 


30 
31 
32 
33 
34 
35 
36 
37 


(10) 


38 


(11) 


39 


1808,  and  then  with  his  father  he  removed  to  Williston, 
Vt.,  where  he  d.  in  May,  1843  ;  his  wife  d.  Feb.,  1843. 
Nine  children  were  b.  in  Ashburnham. 

I.  Phinehas,  b.  June  5,  1787.-{- 
II.  Sally,  b.  May  22,  1790;  d.  Jan.  8,  1843. 

III.  Lydia,   b.  June   30,  1792;  deaf  and  dumb;  was 

living  1875. 

IV.  Sardis,  b.  Jan.  22,  1794;  d.  March  6,  1795. 
V.  Infant,  b,  ;  d.  March  12,  1797. 

VI.  Infant,  b.  and  d.  July  9,  1798. 
VII.   Lois,  b.  Jan.  26,  1800  ;  md.  Joseph  Pine. 
VIII.  Infant,  b.  and  d.  March  3,  1804. 
IX.  Mary,  b.  June  17,  1807;  md.  David  Higgins  who 

d.    1848;  md.    (2d)    Bristol;   she    d.    in 

Michioran  1849. 


Ephraim  Randall,  son  of  Stephen,  md.  Dorothy 
Davis,  dau.  of  Capt.  Deliverance  Davis,  q.  v.  They 
resided  in  this  town  until  1805,  when  they  removed  to 
Vermont. 

I.  David,  b.  March  18,  1789. 
II.  Dolly,  b.  . 

III.  Lucy,  b. . 

IV.  Sophia,  b.  . 

V.  Infant,  b.  and  d.  Feb.  21,  1798. 

VI.  Infant,  b. ;  d.  June  29,  1799. 

VII.  Infant,  b.  ;  d.  Nov.  20,  1800. 

VIII.  Infant,  b.  ;  d.  June  2,  1803. 


David  Randall,  son  of  Stephen,  md.  Betsey  Hastings, 
dau.  of  Capt.  Charles  Hastings,  q.  v.  It  is  not  known 
when  or  where  he  d.  She  md.  (2d)  Joseph  Spaulding, 
q.  V. 


I.   Caroline,    b.    March    5, 
Allen,  q.  v. 


1805;  md.    Dea.    Zenas 


Samuel  Randall,  son  of  Stephen,  md.  June  17,  1807, 
Anner  Green,  dan.  of  Oliver  Green,  q.  v.  He  resided 
some  years  in  Rutland,  Vt.  ;  returned  to  Ashburnham 
1828.  He  was  an  intelligent  man  and  by  occupation  a 
carpenter,  wheelwright  and  a  farmer.  He  d.  March  20, 
1876;  she  d.  Sept.   10,  1871. 

I.  Adaline,  b.  April  30,   1808;  md.  Matthias  Mead. 
He  resided  in  this  town,  a  blacksmith,  at  Lane 


40 
41 

(21) 


42 


43 


GENKALOGICAL   REGISTER.  861 

Village  from  about  1830  to  1850;  subsequently 
he  resided  in  Low^ell,  where  he  was  a  dealer  in 
stoves  and  tin  ware.  He  is  now  living  at  Clar- 
endon, Vt.     She  d.  Aug.  8,  1871. 

1.  Sarah   Adaline,  b.  Jan.    18,    1833;  d.   in 
Lowell  1861. 

II.  Anner  Green,  b.  July  21,  1810;  md.  Dea.  William 
P.  Ellis,  q.  V. 


Hon.  Phinehas  Randall,  Middlebury  College  1813. 
Vide  page  497.  He  was  a  member  of  the  New  York 
Legislature  1828-9,  and  in  1839  was  appointed  Presiding 
Judge  of  Common  Pleas,  Montgomery  county.  In  1851 
he  removed  to  Waukesha,  Wis.  He  md.  1817,  Sarah 
Beach.     They  had  ten  children.     He  d.  June  2,  1853. 

I.  Alexander  W.,  b.  Oct.  31,  1819  ;  removed  in  1840 
to  Wisconsin  and  the  same  year  began  the  prac- 
tice of  law ;  member  of  Constitutional  Conven- 
tion 1847 ;  member  of  the  Legislature  1855 ; 
appointed  Circuit  Judge  1856  ;  Governor  of 
Wisconsin  two  terms  1857-61  ;  appointed  U.  S. 
Minister  to  Rome  1862  ;  First  Assistant  Post- 
master Genel-al  1863 ;  Postmaster  General 
1869-72.  He  md.  1842,  Mary  Van  Vechten 
whod.  1858  ;  md.  (2d)  1866,  Helen  M.  Thomas. 
He  d.  July  26,  1872. 
II.  Edwin  M.,  b.  April  5,  1822  ;  a  successful  lawyer, 
admitted  to  the  bar  1843  ;  removed  to  Wiscon- 
sin 1845,  and  to  Jacksonville,  Fla.,  1867; 
appointed  1868  Chief  Justice  of  Florida,  a 
position  he  ably  occupied  until  1885,  when  he 
resigned  and  resumed  the  practice  of  his  pro- 
fession.. He  md.  1847,  Julia  A.  Mills  of  Lewis 
county,  N.  Y. 

m.  Esther  Amelia,  b.  April  30,  1825  ;  md.  1849,  Earl 
Trumbull;  he  d.  1851;  md.  (2d)  1860,  Harvey 
E.  Williams. 

IV.  Harriet  3L,  b.  Sept.  9,  1827;  md.  1849,  Edward 
Orr,    and    d.    in    Detroit,    Mich.,    four    weeks 
afterward. 
V.   Otis  D.,  b.  March  14,  1830  ;  md.  1856,  Hattie  C. 
Stout.     He  is  a  merchant  in  Chicago,  111. 

VI.  Julia  M.,  b.  June  23,  1832;  md.  1853,  John  D. 
Dunn,  Esq.  ;  he  d.  1869. 

VII.  Mary  J.,  b.  July  27,  1835;  md.    1856,   John   K. 


862 


HISTOKY    OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


51 


52 


vni.    William  W.,  b.  Nov.  18,  1837;  unmd. 

IX.  Addison    Crosby^    b.    June    3,    1840 ;    md.    1866, 

Louisa  Butterworth  ;  resides  in  Minnesota. 

X.  Henry  3/.,  b.    Nov.    14,    1842;  resides   unmd.  in 

California, 


53 
54 
55 


Jonas  Randall,  not  immediately  connected  with  the 
above  families,  was  in  Asbburnham  from  1802  to  1807. 
Perhaps  he  was  a  son  of  Abraham  Randall  of  Stow,  for 
Paul  Randall  was  here  a  year  or  two,  and  Jonas,  son  of 
Abraham  Randall,  had  a  brother  Paul.  If  this  conjecture 
is  correct,  he  was  b.  in  Stow  Feb.  27,  1780.  The  only 
additional  record  is  the  mention  of  his  wife  Caty  and 
three  children. 

I.   Cyrus,  b.  Dec.  6,  1802. 
11.   Catherine,  b.  Aug.  7,  1804. 
III.  Elizabeth,  b.  April  23,  1806. 


Daniel  Raymond,  with  wife  Molly,  removed  from 
Worcester  to  Ashby  in  May,  1785.  Their  eight  children 
were  b.  in  Ashby,  and  he  d.  there  Oct.  1,  1835. 


Daniel  Raymond,  son  of  Daniel  and  Molly  Raymond, 
was  b.  May  18,  1788.  He  md.  in  June,  1812,  Sally  Green, 
b.  March  27,  1789,  dau  of  Isaac  Green.  He  resided  in 
Ashby  until  1822,  when  he  removed  to  this  town,  where 
he  d.  Jan.  5,  1846.  He  was  a  carpenter  and  carriage 
maker.  Except  the  3'oungest  daughter  and  son  Charles, 
the  children  were  b.  in  Ashbj'. 

I.  Mary  Green,  b.  May  18, 1813  ;  md.  April  15,  1829, 

James  F.  Barrett. 
II.  Infant,  b.  June  11,  1814;  d.  young. 
III.    William,   b.    Oct.     27,    1815.     A    missionary   to 
Africa,  vide  page  500.     He  md.  Eliza  Ruggles 
ofBrantford,  Canada, 
rv.  Lewis,  b.  Dec.   15,  1816;   md.    Cynthia  Wheeler 
of    Ashby.      Engaged   in   the   manufacture   of 
musical  instruments   at  Norwich,  Conn.,  where 
he  d.  1846. 
v,  Joel,  b.  Dec.   19,   1817  ;  md.  Elizabeth   Fairbank 

of  Boston  ;    d.  1846  at  Norwich,  Conn. 
VI.  Ari,  b.  May  7,  1820  ;  vide  page  514 ;  md.  Eliza 

Secomb  of  Salem. 
VII.  Alvin,  b.  April  5,  1822;  d.  July  31,  1832. 

VIII.  Elvira  Kinsley,  b.  July  29,  1823  ;  d . 

IX.   Charles,  b.  Jan.  6,  1826.+ 


(11) 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  868 

Charles  Raymond  was  a  machinist  apprentice  in 
Lowell  and  subsequently  engaged  in  business  in  Bristol, 
Conn.  He  gave  early  thought  and  attention  to  the  sew- 
ing machines  and  has  protected  several  inventions  under 
letters  patent.  Since  18G2  he  has  been  an  extensive 
manufacturer  of  sewing  machines  at  Guelph,  Canada,  with 
an  annual  sale  of  $200,000.  He  has  been  elected  to 
many  positions  in  municipal  affairs  and  has  ever  been  an 
earnest  advocate  of  public  schools.  He  is  a  deacon  of  the 
Baptist  church  and  is  prominently  connected  with  the 
missionary  societies  of  Canada,  and  an  active  member  of 
the  executive  board  for  Foreign  Missions. 

He  md.  Aug.  9,  1847,  Mary  C.  Marston  of  Sharon,  Vt., 
who  d.  June,  1869;  md.  (2d)  Aug.  17,  1870,  Helen  J. 
Gillof  Brattleboro',  Vt. 

I.  Emma  Ardelia,  b.  April  3,  1849  ;  md.  John  Crowe 

of  Guelph. 
11.  Arthur,  b.  April  25,  1853  ;  d.  May  14,  1854. 
m.  Ada  F.,  b.  Oct.  18,  1855  ;  md.  John  B.  Minor  of 

Brantford,  Canada. 


Isaac  Reed  was  b.  in  Littleton  Oct.  7,  1768.  He  was 
a  son  of  Samuel  and  Hannah  (Raymond)  Reed,  grandson 
of  Major  Benjamin  and  Rebecca  (Stone)  Reed  of  Little- 
ton and  a  great-grandson  of  Capt.  William  and  Sarah 
(Poulter)  Reed  of  Lexington.  He  md.  July  9,  1789, 
Rebecca  Fletcher  of  Westford  and  removed  to  this  town 
in  1794.  He  lived  in  the  east  part  of  the  town.  The 
family  disappeared  about  1813. 

I.  Rebecca,  b.  in  Westford  Oct.  16,  1789  ;  d.  Feb.  2, 

1792. 
II.  Betsey,  b.  in  Tyngsboro'  May  2,  1791. 

III.  Rebecca,  b.  in  We'stford  Feb.  12,  1793. 

IV.  Isaac,  b.  in  Ashburnham  Feb.  17,  1795  ;  d.  March 

2,  1796. 
V.  Joanna,  b.  Jan.  22,  1797. 

VI.  Jonathan,  b.  March   22,  1799;    d.  Feb.  27,  1805. 
VII.   Thomas  Jefferson,  b.  March  18,   1801;    d.  March 

4,  1805.' 
VIII.  Isaac,  b.  June  23,  1803. 
IX.  Sumner,  b.  Sept.  4,  1805, 
X.  Lucy,  b.  Jan.  14,  1808. 
XI.   Thomas  Jefferson,  b.  April  27,  1810. 


Jonas   Reed  was  b.  in  Woburn  April  15,   1758.     He 
was  a  son  of  George  and  Mary  (Wood)   Reed,  grandson 


864 


HISTORY  OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


14 

I 

15 

II 

16 

III 

17 

IV 

18 

V. 

19 

VI 

(16) 


20 
21 
22 

23 

24 


of  Ebenezer  and  Hulrlah  Reecl,  great-grandson  of  Dea. 
George  and  Abigail  (Pierce)  Reed,  great-great-grandson 
of  George  and  Elizabeth  (Jennison)  Reed  and  great-great- 
great-grandson  of  William  and  Mabel  Reed,  the  emigrant 
ancestors.  Jonas  Reed  md.  in  AVoburn  Juh'  2,  i778, 
Rhoda  Johnson  and  removed  to  this  town  previous  to 
1800.  He  was  a  farmer  in  the  east  part  of  the  town  on 
the  farm  known  as  the  Josiah  Eaton  farm.  His  wife  d. 
Jan.,  1830,  aged  70. 

Rhoda,  b.  April  18, 1779  ;  md.  James  "Weston,  q.  v. 
Jonas,  b.  June  17,  1781  ;    resided    in   this   town 

until  about  1812. 
Benjamin,  b.  Feb.  24,  1784.-|- 
Patty,  b.  July  28,  1790. 

Mary,  h.  ;  md.  Josiah  Eaton,  q.  v. 

Nancy,  h.  June  27,   1794;  md.  Ezekiel  Merriam, 

q.  V. 


Benjamin  Reed,  son  of  Jonas,  and  wife  Betsey  came  to 
this  town  1807,  and  disappeared  soon  after  1821.  The 
tax  lists  indicate  that  he  was  elsewhere  two  or  three 
years  about  1815. 

I.  Betsey,  b.  Sept.  3,  1808. 
II.  Sophronia,  b.  Feb.  21,  1810. 

III.  Elislia,  b.  Aug.  3,  1818. 

IV.  Ivers,  b.  June  20,  1820. 


Joshua  Fletcher  Reed,  then  of  Ashburnham,  md. 
1815,  Betsey  Fletcher  of  Westford.  They  buried  two 
children  in  this  town,  one  in  1818  and  one  in  1819.  No 
record  of  his  death;  she  md.  (2d)  1823,  John  Fenno  of 
Rindge. 


RICE. 

Edmuxd  Rice,  b.  about  159i,  came  from  Barkhamstead,  Hertfordshire, 
in  England,  and  settled  in  Sudbury  1639.  He  was  selectman  several  years, 
one  of  the  deacons  of  the  church,  and  the  recipient  of  several  appointments 
from  the  General  Court.  He  was  one  of  the  petitioners  for  the  grant  which 
afterwards  was  known  as  Marlboro'  and  subsequently  removed  to  that  place. 
His  wife,  Tamazine,  d.  in  Sudbury  June  13,  1654 ;  and  he  md.  (2d)  March 
1,  1655,  Mercy  (Hurd)  Brigham,  widow  of  Thomas  Brigham,  the  emigrant. 
He  d.  in  Marlboro'  May  3,  1663,  and  was  buried  in  Sudbury.  His  widow 
md.  (3d)  1664,  William  Hunt,  and  d.  Dec.  28,  1693.  Thomas  Rice  (son  of 
Edmund)  and  wife  Mary  resided  in  Sudbury  until  about  1664,  when  he 
removed  to  Marlboro',  where  he  d.  Nov.  16,  1681.  The  youngest  of  his 
thirteen  children  was  Elisha  Rice,  b.  in  Marlboro'  Dec.  11,  1679.  He  md. 
Feb.  20,  1707-8,  Elizabeth  "Wheeler  of  Concord.  He  resided  a  few  years  in 
Sudbury,  and  in  1719  he  was  one  of  the  proprietors  of  Worcester  and  was 


GENEALOGICAL   KEGISTER. 


866 


residing  there;  but  he  soon  returned  to  Sudbury  where  he  d.  176L  Zebulon 
Rice,  the  youngest  of  the  seven  cliiklren  of  Elisha  Rice,  was  b.  in  Sudbury 
Jan.  5,  1725.  He  md.  Dec.  7,  1749,  Susanna  Allen  of  Sudbury.  He  settled 
in  Lancaster  and  at  the  incorporation  of  Boylston  or  some  other  change  in 
town  lines  his  farm  was  included  within  that  town.  He  d.  in  Boylston  Dec. 
26,  1799;  his  widow  d.  in  Asiiburnham  Dec.  17,  1823.  Of  the  seventeen 
children  of  Zebulon  and  Susanna  (Allen)  Rice,  six  have  resided  in  this  town. 
Three  sons,  Jonas,  Reuben  and  Eliakim,  are  named  in  the  following  register: 
Susanna  became  the  wife  of  Jonathan  Samson,  Mary  the  wife  of  Stephen 
Randall,  jr.,  and  Dolly,  b.  June  5,  1776,  md.  1801,  John  Babcock,  resided 
several  years  in  Fitchburg  and  d.  in  this  town  1837. 


Jonas  Rice,  son  of  Zebulon  and  Susanna  (Allen)  Rice, 
was  b.  in  Lancaster  Feb.  16,  1754.  He  resided  in  Salem 
in  1775  and  in  1776  and  1777  he  was  in  Sterling.  He 
md.  May  10,  177*J,  Zilpah  Townsend,  dau.  of  Joshua 
and  Mary  Townsend,  q.  v.,  and  the  same  year 
removed  to  this  town.  He  was  a  farmer  and  an  indus- 
trious, respectable  citizen.  He  settled  in  the  southwest 
part  of  the  town  but  removed  to  the  Sawin  farm.  Vide 
pages  180  and  201.  He  d.  April  26,  1836  ;  his  widow  d. 
July  22,  1846. 

I.  Pei'sis,  b.  July  1,   1782;  blind;  d.  unmd.  July  4, 

1857. 
n.   Zilpah,  b.  Feb.  25,  1784;  md.  Abel  Wright,  q.  v. 

III.  Levi,  b.  Aug.  19,  1785.-[- 

IV.  Mary,  b.  June  9,  1788  ;  md.  Jan.  28,  1813,  Luther 

Willoughby  of  Hollis,  N.  H. ;    they  resided  at 
Goffstown,  N.  H.,  where  she  d.  April  1,  1843. 
V,  Lucy,    b.    July    24,    1790;    md.    1809,    Ebenezer 
Jaquith  ;  lived  at  Washington,  N.  H.,  and  sub- 
sequently at  Milford,  N.  H. 
VI.  Jonas,  b.  April  1,  1792  ;  blind  ;  d.  unmd.  Nov.  26, 

1854. 
VII.  Ruth,  b.  Dec.  31,  1793;  md.  Samuel  Brooks,  son 

of  Thaddeus  Brooks,  q.  v. 
vm.  Susan,  b.  Jan.  20,  1796  ;  d.  unmd.  June  13,  1863. 
IX.  Silas,  b.  April  13,  1798. -f 
X.  Salmon,  b.  Sept.  30,  1800. + 


Levi  Rice  md.  April  27,  1809,  Anna  Sawyer,  b.  May 
16,  1791,  dau.  of  Eli  and  Anna  (Laws)  Sawyer  of 
Westminster.  They  resided  in  this  town.  He  d.  March 
11,  1837  ;  she  d.  Aug.  29,  1883,  aged  92. 

I.  Levi,  b,  Aug.  14,  1809;  md.  May  2,  1832, 
Deborah  Willard,  dau.  of  John  Willard,  q.  v. 
They  resided  in  Sterling,  where  he  d.  Nov.  24, 
1885  ;  she  d.  Jan.,  1875.     Five  children. 


866 


HISTORY    OF    ASHBURNHAM. 


13 


14 


15 


(10) 

20 

21 
22 


24 


25 


II.  Joseph,  b.  Aug.  5,  1813;  md.  Sept.  13,  1835, 
Eveline  A.  Stoddard,  b.  in  Chesterfield,  N.  H., 
April  2,  1814,  dau.  of  Arad  and  Polly  (Davis) 
Stoddard.  She  d.  Feb.,  1886;  he  resides  at 
South  Village. 

1.  Susan  C,  b.  Dec.  17,  1859  (adopted)  ; 
she  was  postmaster  Ashburnham  depot 
from  1881  to  1886. 

III.  Nancy,  b.  March  10,   1816  ;  d.   March  29,    1819, 

scalded. 

IV.  Sylvia,  b.  May  30,  1818  ;  md.  Eber  Gibson,  q.  v. 
V.  Sawyer,  b.   June   12,   1820;  md.   Jan.   23,   1847, 

Maiy  Catliu  ;  removed  to  Maine  ;    now  resides 

in  Chelsea. 
VI.  Arvilla,  b.  Nov.  20,  1822  ;  md.  John  Nichols,  q.  v. 
VII.  Aaron,   b.    March    24,    1827 ;    md.   Flora  Catlin ; 

resided  in  Fitchburg,  where  he  d.  Feb.  6,  1882. 


Silas  Rice  was  a  farmer  in  Ashbm-nham.  He 
removed  to  Ashby  1852,  where  he  d.  Sept.  30,  1862. 
He  md.  Sept.  12,'  1825,  Almira  Corey,  dau.  of  Stephen 
Corey,  q.  v.  She  d.  Feb.  25,  1843  ;  he  md.  (2d)  May  8, 
1844",  Adaline  (Kendall)  Sawin,  widow  of  Stephen  Sawin, 
q.  V.     She  d.  in  Fitchburg  Aug.  24,  1885. 

I.  Elizabeth  C,  b.  March  21,  1827;  md.  April  4, 
1850,  Jonas  Whitney,  son  of  Prescott  Whitney 
of  Ashby  ;  resided  in  Fitchburg,  where  she  d. 
May  3,  1874.  One  son:  Frank  O.,  a  civil 
engineer  in  Boston. 
II.  Edwin,  b.  Dec.  21,  1834  ;  d.  in  Paxton,  111.,  s.p., 
April  29,  1884. 

m.  Walter,  b.  Dec.  25,  1836 ;  a  Congregational 
clerg^nnan.  Vide  page  505.  He  md.  Aug. 
24,  "i865,  Nellie  F.  King,  dau.  of  Vila  and 
Eleanor  (Kendall)  King.  They  reside  in  Bran- 
don, Vt. 

IV.  Dexter  S.,  b.  Aug.  3,  1840;  md.  1865,  Mercy 
Bangs;  resides  in  Portland,  Me.,  where  he  is 
extensively  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of 
furniture. 
v.  Charles  H.,  b.  Feb.  19,  1843;  a  phj'sician  in 
Fitchburg.  Vide  page  517.  He  md.  June  1, 
1870,  Delia  L.  Estabrook,  dau.  of  Samuel  and 
Lucinda  Estabrook. 

VI.  Almira  M.,  b.  Jan.  28,  1845  ;  d.  Feb.  17,  1856. 


GENEALOGICAL  llEGISTER.  867 

(11)  Salmon  Kick  md.  Nov.  29,  1827,  Catherine  Cummings 
of  New  Ipswich,  and  in  1832  i-emoved  to  New  Boston, 
N.  II.,  where  he  d.  Dec.  12,  1838;  his  widow  d.  in 
Amherst,  N.  H.,  Dec.  31,  1883. 

I.  Sarah  Cummings,  b.  Sept.  3,  1828  ;  md.  May  4, 

1847,    Phineas   P.    Davis   of   Concord,    N.    H. 

H^   d.    March   8,    1864 ;    his  widow  resides  in 

Ashburnham.     Their  only  child,  Susie  Wallace 

Davis,  b.   Feb.    12,    1863,  md.   June   3,    1884, 

Alfred  II.  Whitney. 
II.   Charles,   b.   Aug.    8,    1830;    md.    Oct.    6,    1857, 

Sarah  Cassidy  of  Northboro' ;  resides  at  Felton, 

Delaware. 
III.   Catherine  F.,  b.  March  30,  1833  ;  unmd.  ;  resides 

in  Amherst,  N.  H. 
IV.'  George  E.,  b.  Sept.  28,  1835  ;  md.  Feb.  13,  1862  ; 

d.  Jan.  27,  1877  ;  resided  in  Wilmington,  Del. 
V.   Salmon  W.,  b.   Feb.   14,  1839;  md.   1861,    Anna 

Engle  ;  resides  at  Wilmington,  Del. 


Reuben  Rice,  a  brother  of  Jonas  Rice,  was  b.  in  Lan- 
caster Aug.  10, 1757.  He  resided  a  few  years  in  Lancas- 
ter and  in  Winchendon  and  was  in  the  service  during  the 
Revolution.  Vide  page  181.  He  settled  in  the  southeast 
part  of  this  town  1780.  Although  prominently  identified 
with  the  effort  to  secure  the  incorporation  of  the  town  of 
Belvoir  he  was  ever  a  useful  and  a  loyal  citizen  of  this 
town.  He  md.  June  8,  1784,  Sarah  Metcalf,  dau.  of 
Joseph  Metcalf,  q.  v.  She  d.  Feb.  16,  1814  ;  he  md. 
(2d)  1816,  Charlotte  Johnson,  dau.  of  Simeon  Johnson 
of  Dublin,  N.  H.     He  d.  March  22,  1837. 

I.  Infant,  b.  ;  d.  May  20,  1785. 

II.  Sarah,  b.  March  25,  1786  ;  md.  Benjamin  Gibbs, 
q.  V. 

III.  Reuhen,  b.  Jan.  20,  1789. -(- 

IV.  Infant,  b.  ;  d.  Feb.  24,  1791. 

V.  Joseph,  b.  Oct.  23,  1792.+ 

VI.  Anna,    b.   Sept.  25,   1794  ;  md.   Ephraim   Taylor, 

q.v. 
VII.  Eunice,  b.  June  19,  1797  ;  md.  John  Conn,  q.  v. 
VIII.  Amos,  b.  June  28,  1799.-f- 
IX.  Zehulon,  b.  May  6,  1801. -f- 
X.  Lucy,  b.  Dec.  20,    1803 ;  md.    Benjamin   Gibbs, 

q.  V. 
XI.  Matilda,  b.  July  24,  1806  ;  md.  John  Conn. 
XII.  Emma,  b.  March  6,  1811  ;  md.  Benjamin  Adams 

of  Leominster. 


868 


HISTORY   OF    ASHBURNHAM. 


(34) 


44 
45 

(36) 

46 

47 
48 
49 
50 

51 
52 

(39) 

53 
64 

(40) 


Reuben  Rice,  Jr.,  md.  Jan.  19,  1813,  Dorcas  PoUey, 
dau.  of  Peter  Polley  ;  she  d.  Sept.  17,  1816  ;  he  md.  (2d> 
July  12, 1820,  Charlotte  Stearns,  dau.  of  William  Stearns, 
q.  V.  He  served  in  the  War  of  1812  and  subsequently 
was  commander  of  the  Ashburnhara  Light  Infantry.  In 
1837  he  removed  to  Fitchburg  and  later  to  Lunenburg, 
where  he  d.  ;  his  wife  d.  1849. 

I.   George    Proctor,  b.    April    4,    1816;    md.    1840, 

Clarissa  Angell ;  removed  to  Vermont. 
II.   Charles  Stearns,  b.  Oct.  18,  1824  ;  md.  Catherine 
L.  Brown  of  Westminster ;  removed  to  West- 
minster. 


Joseph  Rice  md.  Feb.  26,  1818,  Susan  Balcom  and  re- 
sided near  Factory  Village.  He  was  an  officer  several 
years  of  the  Ashburnhara  Light  Infantry,  and  was  an 
active,  substantial  citizen.  He  d.  Aug.  6,  1844  ;  she  md. 
(2d)  AViliiam  Wiswell  of  Westminster;  md.  (3d)  Abel 
Bennett ;  she  d.  Dec.  2,  1883. 

I.  Susan  Allen,  b.  Jan.  23,  1818  ;  d.  unmd.  Sept.  1, 

1841. 
II.  Joseph  Parker,  b.  March  10,  1821. + 

III.  Edivin,  b.  Sept.  22,  1825  ;  d.  Dec.  8,  1825. 

IV.  Martin,  b.  July  28,  1828  ;  d.  March  18,  1832. 

V.  Mirick,  b.  Sept.  10,  1831  ;  d.  Aug.  20,  1833. 

VI.  Oran  S.,  b.  Sept.  25,  1833  ;  md.  Nov.  12,   1868, 

Emma  F.  Pratt ;  md.  (2d)   Oct.    9,   1876,   Ella 
J.  Stowell,  dau.  of  Otis  W.  Stowell,  q.  v.      He 
resides  at  Fitchburg.     Four  children. 
VII.   Theodore,   b.    Jan.    5,    1841 ;  d.   in   Westminster 
Dec.  13,  1860. 


Amos  Rice  md.  Sept.  24,  1834,  Eunice  Robbins,  dau. 
of  Jonas  Robbins,  q.  v.  He  resided  in  this  town  until 
1833,  when  he  removed  to  Cambridge  where  he  d.  April 
4,  1841. 

I.  Hervey  Johnson,  b.  June  17,  1826  ;  md.  Susan  A. 

Philton. 
II.  Lucy  Jane,  b.  April  6,   1830 ;  md.    Thaddeus   P. 

Irish  of  Gorham,  Me. 


Zebulon  Rice  md.  June  1,  1826,  Susan  W.  Whiting. 
He  was  a  farmer  in  this  town  where  his  wife  d.  Feb,  19, 
1871.     He  subsequently  removed  to  Maiden. 


GENEALOGICAL   KKGISTKK.  869 

I.  David  Zehulon,  b.  July  10,  1831  ;  d.  July  6,  1832. 
II.  Susan  E.,  b.  Aug.  7,  1833  ;  d.  young. 


Col.  Joseph  P.  Rice,  whose  name  is  embalmed  in  the 
memories  of  Ashburnham,  was  a  useful  aud  influential 
citizen  as  well  as  a  brave  soldier  aud  an  able  commander. 
In  Chap.  XX,  reference  is  made  to  his  military  service. 
He  grew  up  among  the  inhabitants  of  this  town  and  was 
the  recipient  of  an  unusual  measure  of  their  confidence 
and  respect.  lie  was  frank,  manly  aud  self-reliant,  and 
for  these  qualities  he  was  esteemed  and  trusted  by  his 
associates.  He  was  frequently  chosen  to  office  and  was 
the  last  member  of  the  Legislature  from  this  town  while 
Ashburnham  remained  an  independent  representative  dis- 
trict. He  md.  May,  1848,  Laura  J.  Holton  who  d.  Oct. 
8,  1853  ;  md.  (2d)  June,  1857,  Emma  M.  Garnett.  He 
d.  Sept.  1,  1862. 

I.  Emma  Josepliine,   b.  Nov.   7,    1858  ;  d.  Aug.  3, 

1859. 
II.  Frederic  William,  b.  Sept.  27,  1860. 
III.  Joseph  Newburn,  b.  March  14,  1862. 


Eliakim  Rice,  a  brother  of  Jonas  and  Reuben  Rice, 
was  b.  in  Lancaster  1756.  After  serving  in  the  Revolu- 
tionary arm}^  he  removed  to  this  town  about  1780.  Vide 
page  181.  He  md.  Hannah  Kendall  and  resided  in  this 
town  a  few  years,  and  two  of  his  eight  children  were  b. 
and  bap.  here.     About  1785  he  removed  to  Hartland,  Vt. 

I.  John,  bap.  July  23,  1780. 
II.  Sarah,  bap.  May  26,  1782. 


Phinehas  Rice,  lineage  not  traced ;  resided  several 
3'ears  on  the  Winchendon  road.  There  is  no  record  of  his 
family. 


Jonah  Rice,  perhaps  a  brother  of  Phinehas  Rice,  occu- 
pied the  same  farm.  Jonah  Rice  md.  in  Marlboro'  April 
8,  1789,  Molly  Hoit,  and  removed  to  this  town  in  1790. 
In  1819  he  removed  to  Otisco,  N.  Y.  The  oldest  child 
was  b.  in  Marlboro'  and  eight  in  this  town.  He  d.  1833  ; 
his  widow  d.  1858. 

I.  Mary,   b.  Sept.   23,    1789;  md.  Caleb  Ward,  Jr., 

q.  V. 
II.    William,  b.  June  7,  1791. 


870 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


67 

68 
69 

70 
71 

72 
73 


74 


m.    Thomas,  b.  Jan.  28,  1794;  ind.  1817,  Mary  Bow- 
man, dau.  of  John  Bowmtin,  q.  v. 
IV.  L^lcy,  b.  Jan.  8,  1796. 

V.  Levi,  b.  July  27,  1799  ;  md.  Jan.  30,  1822,  Cath- 
erine K.  Reed. 
VI.  John,  b.  July  7,  1801. 

VII.  Stepheii,  b. ;  d.  Oct.  20,  1805,  aged  2  years. 

VIII.  Maria,  bap.  1811. 
IX.  Luther,  bap.  1815. 


Emery  Rice,  b.  Jan.  1,  1803,  md.  Nov.  26,  1827, 
Laura  O.  Fairbanks,  eldest  dau.  of  Jacob  Fairbanks,  q.  v. 
They  resided  in  this  town  until  about  1855,  when  they 
removed  to  Lebanon,  N.  II.,  where  he  d.  Feb.  22,  1873. 
While  a  resident  of  this  town  he  was  a  popular  officer  of 
the  Ashburnham  Light  Infantry. 


Emery  Ezekiel,  b.  Aug.  19,  1828. 
George  Horatio,  b.  Feb.  18,  1830. 
Lucius  Edwin,  b.  May  2,  1832. 
Laura  Ann,  b.  Oct.   14,  1834;  d.  May  28,  1838. 
Waldo,  h.  Oct.  8,  1837  ;   d.  May  14,  1838. 
Marion  Ardelia,  b.  April  13,  1839. 
Laxira  Ann,  b.  March  7,  1842. 


75 

I. 

76 

II. 

77 

III. 

78 

IV. 

79 

V 

80 

VI 

81 

VII. 

John  Rich,  by  tradition  a  German,  was  a  man  of 
influence,  and  while  he  remained  in  this  town  he  was 
prominent  in  public  affairs.  He  was  one  of  the  first 
board  of  selectmen  chosen  in  Ashburnham  and  was  often 
elected  to  other  positions.  He  resided  in  the  northeast 
part  of  the  town,  and  in  1766,  he  was  a  leading  spirit  in 
an  effort  to  secure  the  incorporation  of  Ashby.  The 
general  measure  was  successful,  but  the  boundary  as 
established  left  him  in  this  town.  About  1776  he  removed 
to  Haverhill,  N.  H.  The  name  of  his  wife  was 
Catherine. 

I.  Mary,  b.  Dec.  28,  1754. 

II.  Elizabeth,  b.  Feb.   28,  1756  ;  md.   Samuel  Stone^ 
g.  V. 

III.  John,  b.  Dec.  23,  1760. 

IV.  Henry,  b.  June  27,  1764. 

V.  Daniel,  h.  Dec  19,  1766. 
VI.  Jacob,  b.  March  13,  1770. 

VII.  Abraham,  b.  Dec.  22,  1772. 
VIII.   Catherine,  bap.  April  10,  1774. 
An  infant,  perhaps  Abraham,  d.  May  17,  1773. 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER. 


871 


Jonas  Richardson,  from  Shrewsbury,  in  1781  settled 
in  the  southwest  part  of  the  town.  Four  years  later  he 
was  included  in  the  town  of  Gardner.  He.  md.  Mary 
Bailev;  md.  (2d)  about  1798,  Lydia  Woodbury.  He  d. 
1815,"  aged  72. 

I.  Azubah.h.  Sept.  5,  1772;   md.   Benjamin  Peirce. 
II.  Abel,  b.  Feb.  26,  1774;  md.  Sarah  Lincoln. 

III.  Mary,  b.  July  27,  1775:  md.  Benjamin  Hill. 

IV.  Elizabeth,  b.  July  12,  1777  ;  md.  Jonathan  Currier  ; 

resided  in  Gardner  and  Methuen. 

V.  Persis,  b.  Oct.  31,  1778. 

VI.  Catherine,  b.  Feb.  11,  1780. 

VII.  Jonas,  b.  March  12,  1782  ;    md  Abigail  Currier. 

VIII.  Asa,  b.  Feb.  6,  1784  ;   md.  Elizabeth  Glazier. 

IX.  Nathan,  b.  July  26,  1785;    md.   Sophia  Boutelle. 

X.  Levi,  b.  April  4,  1801  ;  md.  Lovisa  Pratt. 


Jonas  Robbins,  then  of  Westminster,  md.  Nov.  26, 
1801,  Eunice  Metcalf,  dau.  of  Joseph  Metcalf,  q.  v.  In 
1807  he  removed  to  this  town  and  occupied  a  small  farm 
in  the  ninth  school  district.  He  manufactured  and  sold 
wooden  noggins  as  they  were  called,  and  unlike  the 
noggin  of  England,  the  capacity  was  more  than  a  gill. 
In  1834  the  family  removed  to  Townsend.  Three  children 
b.  in  Westminster  and  four  in  this  town. 


I.  Eunice,  b.  - 
II.  Jonas,  b.  — 
III.  Hannah,  b. 


;  md.  Amos  Rice,  q.  v. 


H.,  b.  May  11,  1808. 
V.  Asa,  b.  March  29,  1810  ;  resided  in  Groton. 
VI.  Nathan,  b.  May  25,  1812. 
vii.  Lucy,  b.  Aprir30,  1822. 


Jeremiah  Robbins,  of  Sudbury,  md.  Eunice  (Dudley) 
Baker,  widow  of  Amos  Baker,  and  removed  to  this  town 
about  1820.  She  d.  Sept.  9,  1830;  he  md.  (2d)  Oct.  2, 
1831,  Ruth  (Winter)  Broughton,  widow  of  William 
Broughton,  q.  v.  Subsequently  he  was  insane  and  d.  in 
Sudbury. 

I.   Rebecca,  b.  May  17,  1820. 
II.  Sarah,    h.    March  16,    1822;    resides    unmd.    in 

Manchester,  N.  H. 
III.  Ruth,  b.  July  21,  1824. 


ROCK  WOOD. 

Richard  Rockwood,  probably  from  Weymouth,    Dorsetshire,  England, 
■was   a  planter  in  Dorchester    1C3().      He   md.    Agnes  Bicknell,   widow   of 


872 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


Zachary   Bicknell.     She  d.  in  BraLntree  July  9,   1643.     He  md.   (.'d)  Ann 

,  who  d.  1664.     He  d.  16G0.     There  is  record  of  two  sons.     Of  these, 

Nicholas  first  located  in  Braintree  and  later  was  an  early  inhabitant  and 
proprietor  of  Medfield.  He  was  admitted  freeman  May  23,  166G.  He  md. 
Jane  Adams,  who  d.  Dec.   15,  1654;   he  md.   (2d)  July  16,   1056,   Margaret 

Holbrook,    who  d.   April  23,  1670;  md.   (3d)  Silence   ,  who  d.  Nov.  9, 

1677.     He  d.  Jan.  26,  1680. 

Dea.  Nathaniel  Rockwood,  son  of  Nicholas  and  Margaret  (Holbrook) 
Rockwood,  b.  in  Medfield  Dec.  23,  1665,  lived  in  Wrentham.  He  was 
there  a  deacon  and  a  prominent  citizen.  He  md.  Dec.  7,  1698,  Joanna 
Ellis,  b.  Jan.  17,  1677,  dau.  of  Thomas  and  Mary  (Wight)  Ellis  of  Medfield. 
He  d.  Sept.  24,  1721.  Elisha  Rockwood,  youngest  of  the  ten  children  of 
Dea.  Nathaniel  Rockwood,  was  b.  June  11,  1716.  He  md.  Aug.  18,  1738, 
Elizabeth  Adams,  b.  Sept.  4,  1719,  dau.  of  James  and  Abigail  (Hill)  Adams 
of  Sherborn.  He  was  a  clothier  and  settled  in  Groton,  where  he  d.  Dec.  5, 
17S8;  his  widow  d.  May  16,  1799.  The  fourth  of  their  thirteen  children  was 
Joseph  Rockwood,  b.  in  Groton  June  13,  1744.  He  md.  Jan.  30,  1766,  Sarah 
Richardson.     He  was  a  farmer  in  Groton,  where  he  d.  1816. 

Joseph  Rockwood,  eldest  child  of  Joseph  and  Sarah  (Richardson)  Rock- 
wood, was  b.  in  Groton  Dec.  17, 1766.  He  md.  Oct.  25,  1789,  Lucy  Fletcher, 
b.  Feb.  12,  1771,  dau.  of  Capt.  Pelatiah  and  Dorothy  (Hildreth)  Fletcher  of 
Wcstford,  and  a  sister  of  Pelatiah  Fletcher  of  Ashburnham.  He  d.  Oct.  2, 
1806,  leaving  seven  children.  Among  these  was  George  Rockwood  of 
Ashburnham. 


George  Rockwood,  son  of  Joseph,  Jr.,  and  Sarah 
(Fletcher)  Rockwood,  was  b.  in  Groton  Dec.  13,  1797. 
He  md.  May  1,  1823,  Anna  B.  Stickney.  b.  in  Townsend 
May  7,  1803,  dau.  of  Joseph  and  Abigail  (Jewett)  Stick- 
ney. They  removed  to  Ashbniuhara  1832.  He  was  a 
merchant  and  a  manufacturer  of  tubs  and  pails,  and  for 
many  years  he  occupied  a  prominent  position  among  the 
businessmen  of  Ashburnham.  Mr.  Rockwood  was  a  man 
of  superior  ability,  a  good  citizen  and  an  active  and  tena- 
cious supporter  of  the  reforms  of  his  time.  He  was  a 
liberal  contributor  to  the  First  Parish  and  for  many  3'ears 
one  of  the  most  active  and  loyal  members  of  the  Society. 
In  his  business  he  was  laborious,  exact  and  honest  and  in 
his  daily  life  he  was  kind  to  his  associates  and  responsive 
to  every  demand  of  duty.  He  d.  Dec.  20,  1864 ;  his 
widow  d.  Jan.  1,  1870. 

I.   George  G.,  b.  Nov.  21,  1826. -f 
II.   Charles  F.,  b.  Aug.  10,  1829.4- 

III.  Henry,   b.  March   4,   1832;  md.  Feb.    23,    1856, 

Laura  A.  Clifford,  b.  Jan.  15,  1835,  dau.  of 
Joseph  and  Clarissa  Clifford  of  Gilmanton, 
N.  H.  Resides  at  South  Weymouth.  Three  of 
their  live  children  are  living. 

IV.  S.    Augustus,    b.    Sept.    21,    1837;  md.    Lois   E. 

Stickney,  b.  Feb.  7,  1845,  dau.  of  Alvah  and 
Rebecca  W.  (Spaulding)  Stickney  of  Townsend. 
He  was   orderly    sergeant  Co.  F,   25th  Massa- 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  873 

chusetts  Regiment.  Near  the  close  of  three 
years'  service  he  lost  his  right  arm.  Subse- 
quently he  was  a  teacher  in  Comer's  Commercial 
College  and  a  merchant  at  South  Weymouth. 
He  (1.  in  Ashburnham  Sept.  21,  1873. 

V.  Abbie  J.,  b.  Dec.  20,  1839  ;  md.  May  19,  1864, 
Lieut.  Charles  H.  Parker,  b.  in  Providence, 
R.  I.,  March  22,  1839,  son  of  Ira  and  Maria  D. 
(Haskell)  Parker.  Fide  page  445.  They  reside 
in  Cambridge. 

VI.  .1.  Theresa,  b.  June  21,  1842;  md.  Charles  T. 
Litch,  q.  V. 

II.  Joseph  Albert,  b.  Aug.  15,  1846;  md.  May  1, 
1870,  Lura  M.  Davis,  dau.  of  Joel  Davis  of 
Fitchburg.  He  d.  Oct.  26,  1871 ;  she  d.  Jan. 
12,  1877.     One  child. 


(2) 


<3) 


George  G.  Rockwood  for  many  years  has  been  town 
treasurer  and  has  frequently  been  elected  to  other  posi- 
tions of  trust.  He  is  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  tubs 
and  pails,  and  has  successfully  conducted  the  business  over 
twenty  years.  He  md.  May  11,  1848,  Sarah  J.  Adams, 
dau.  of  Walter  Russell  Adams,  q.  v.  They  reside  on 
Main  street  in  Central  Village. 

I.  Herbert  A.,  b.  June  18,  1850;  d.  Sept.  21,  1851. 
II.  Herbert  F.,  b.  Sept.  5,  1853  ;  md.  Jan.  4,  1883, 
Ellen  Louisa  Converse,  b.  in  Wiuchendon  Aug. 
27,  1862,  dau.  of  George  W.  and  Ellen  (Knapp) 
Converse.  He  is  a  commercial  agent  with  May, 
Nash  &  Win  slow,  Boston. 

III.  Willis  H.,  b.  June  26,  1856  ;  d.  Aug.  11,  1857. 

IV.  Ellen  A.,  b.  Oct.  27,  1858  ;  d.  Nov.  18,  1862. 

V.   George  TF.,  b.  May  30,  1864  ;  he  is  a  book-keeper 
in  the  office  of  his  father. 


14 


Charles  F.  Rockwood  resided  in  this  town  until  1875, 
and  was  a  clerk  and  accountant  with  the  Winchesters. 
He  was  often  chosen  to  office  and  was  selectman,  asses- 
sor and  school  committee  several  yeai's.  He  resides  in 
Fitchburg  and  is  Register  of  Deeds  of  the  Worcester 
Northern  District.  He  md.  April  13,  1854,  Martha  A. 
Baker,  eldest  dau.  of  Jesse  and  Sophia  Baker  of  Lunen- 
burg.    Five  children  were  b.  in  this  town. 

i.  Frank  P.,  b.  June   29,    1856  ;  md.    June,    1886, 
Clara  B.  Townseud  ;  resides  in  Fitchburg. 


874 


HISTORY    OF   ASHBUKNIIAM. 


15 


II.  Emma  B.,  b.   Aug.    20,    1858  ;  md.  Charles   H. 
Whitney,  q.  v. 

III.  Mary  S.,  b.  March  5,   1862;  md.  Sept.  29,   1885, 

Albert  L.  Pratt ;  reside  in  Fitehburg. 

IV.  Fred  C,  b.  Feb.  23,  1866. 

V.   Charles  A.,  b.  July  13,  1870. 


Simon  Rodamel,  with  wife  Elizabeth  and  two  children, 
came  with  the  German  colony  and  settled  on  Lexington 
grant  in  1758.  He  was  admitted  to  the  church  on  letter 
of  recommendation  from  a  church  in  Germany.  He  was 
a  man  of  good  character,  yet  retaining  his  national  char- 
acteristics he  mingled  less  with  the  people  and  was  more 
reserved  in  his  manner  than  his  German  associates.  The 
name  appears  in  the  record  in  several  forms,  but  later  it 
has  generally  been  written  Rodimon  and  sometimes 
Dimon.  He'd.  Oct.  23,  1813,  aged  93  ;  his  wife  d.  July 
10,  1794. 

I.  Mary,  b.  Nov.  5,  1752;  md.  Jan.  3,  1783,  Henry 

Stevens  of  Claremont,  N.  H. 
II.  Adam,  b.  March  19,  1754  ;  a  Revolutionary  soldier. 
Vide  Chapter  V.     He  resided  in  this  town  until 
near  the  close  of  the  centur}'. 

III.  Elizabeth,  b.  Aug.  23,  1758  ;  md.  Nicholas  White- 

man,  q.  V. 

IV.  Jacob,  b.  June  3,  1760;  served  two  enlistments  in 

the  Revolution.     At  the  close  of  the  war  he  re- 
moved to  Claremont,  N.  H. 
V.  Simon,  b.  June  30,  1763;  was   in    Capt.  Edgell's 
company  1778   and  was  a   six    months'  recruit 
1780.     He  lived  in  this  town  several  years  when 
he  removed  to  Piermont,  N.  H.     Ezra  C.  Rodi- 
mon, who  has  resided  in  this  town  several  years, 
is  a  grandson. 
VI.  Peter,  b.  Dec.   17,   1765.     He  was  less  than  five 
feet  in  stature,  but  followed  the  example  of  his 
brothers  and  joined  the  army,  enlisting  in  1781 
for  three  years.     After  the  war  he  was  in  this 
town  several  years  and  removed,  says  tradition, 
"  to  the  lower  towns." 
VII.   Catherine,  bap.  1770. 


RUSSELL. 

If  not  among  the  earlier  settlers  of  Ashburnhara,  the  Russell  families  have 
been  numerous.  They  are  closely  allied  and  are  descendants  of  Joseph 
Russell,  b.  Aug.  25,  1703.  The  emigrant  ancestor  was  William  Russell,  b. 
in  England  1570.  With  wife  Martha  and  son  Joseph  he  came  to  Cambridge 
about   1640.     He   was   a    millwright  and    carpenter.     He.    d.,  leaving   ten 


GENEALOGICAL   KEG.ISTER. 


175 


children,  Feb.  14,  ICGL  Joseph  Russell,  his  son,  b.  in  England  1G36,  md. 
June  23,  16G2,  Mary  Belcher,  dau.  of  Jeremiah  Belcher  of  Ipswich.  He 
was  a  carpenter  and  resided  in  Menotomy,  where  he  d.  1G94 ;  his  wife  d. 
June  24,  IG91.  Of  their  ten  children  Walter  Russell,  b.  April  30,  1G76,  md. 
May  17,  1G99,  Mary  Patten,  b.  July  24,  1679,  dau.  of  Nathaniel  and  Sarah 
(Cooper)  Patten;  she  d.  leaving  a  son  Joseph,  and  he  md.  (2d)  April  3,  1706, 
Elizabeth  Winship,  b.  June  1,  1G8G,  dau.  of  Edward  and  Rebecca  (Barsham) 
Winship  by  whom  he  had  ten  children.  He  d.  in  Menotomy  March  30, 
1748;  his  widow  d.  April  14,  1750. 

Josepli  Russell,  b.  Aug.  25,  1703,  son  of  Walter  and  Mary  (Patten)  Russell, 
md.  Oct.  9,  1724,  Mary  Robbins,  bap.  July  27,  1701,  dau.  of  Nathaniel  and 
Hannah  Robbins.  lie  was  a  school-teacher  and  later  a  farmer,  and  resided 
on  the  main  road  to  Menotomy.  In  173G  he  removed  to  the  west  part  of 
Charlestown,  now  Somerville.  He  d.  Nov.  13,  1776;  his  widow  d.  Dec.  28, 
1781.  On  the  farm  where  he  d.  Gov.  Isaac  Hill  and  also  his  mother  were 
born.  Of  the  children  of  Joseph  and  Hannah  (Robbins)  Russell  the 
descendants  of  Walter  and  Philemon  have  resided  in  Ashburnham. 

Walter  Russell,  b.  Jan.  24,  1737,  md.  Dec.  14,  1758,  Mary  Wyman,  b. 
March  9,  1757,  dau.  of  David  Wyman  of  Woburn ;  she  d.,  s.  p.,  Dec. 
1,  1760;  he  md.  (2d)  Dec.  17,  1761,  Hannah  Adams,  b.  April  13,  1743,  a 
dau.  of  Capt.  Thomas  and  a  sister  of  John  Adams,  the  centenarian.  He  d. 
at  Menotomy,  on  the  Charlestown  side  of  the  river.  May  5,  1782.  His  widow 
md.  (2d)  Enos  Jones,  q.  v.  Of  their  children  Hannah  Russell,  b.  Feb.  8, 
1772,  md.  Isaac  Hill  and  removed  to  Ashburnham.  Thomas,  b.  June  9,  1767, 
removed  to  Ashburnham  and  is  No.  1  in  the  following  register. 

Philemon  Russell,  b.  Aug.  1,  1740,  son  of  Joseph  and  Mary  (Robbins) 
Russell,  md.  June  28,  1764,  Elizabeth  Wyman,  b.  March  6,  1740,  dau.  of 
David  Wyman  of  Woburn.  He  d.  in  Menotomy  May  31,  1797;  his  widow  d. 
Oct.  22,  1825.  This  is  the  first  instance  of  the  name  Philemon  in  the  Ru-sell 
family  ;  the  name  occurred  earlier  in  the  Robbins  family.  Among  the  children 
of  Philemon  Russell  was  David  Russell  who  is  No.  25  in  the  register. 


Thomas  Russell,  b.  June  !J,  1767,  son  of  Walter  and 
Hauuah  (Adams)  Russell,  md.  Nov.  2;>,  1788,  Margaret 
Adams,  b.  Nov.  12,  176!),  dau.  of  William  and  Sarah 
(Hill)  Adams.  He  came  to  Ashburnham  in  1787  and 
settled  on  Russell  hill,  on  the  farm  more  recently  owned  by 
Ward  Russell.  He  d.  Aug.  19,  1823  ;  she  d.  Aug.  12,  18.34. 

I.  Peggy,  b.  April  19,   1789  ;  md.  Ebenezer  Adams, 

q.  V.  ;  md.  (2d)  Asa  Woods,  q.  v. 
11.    Thomas,  b.  Oct.  23,  1791.-f- 

III.  James,   b.   Dec.    30,   1793;    md.    Nov.    6,    182.5, 

Martha  M.  W.  Locke,  b.  Jan.  19,  1803,  dau.  of 
Daniel  and  Mary  Williams  Locke  of  West  Cam- 
bridge. He  lived  in  West  Cambridge,  now 
Arlington,  where  he  d.  Nov.  2.S,    18.59. 

IV.  Walter,  h.  June  29,  1796.+ 

V.  Sarah   A.,    b.    March    lo,    1799;    md.    Epln-aim 

Cutter ;  md.  (2d)  Joseph  Harris,  q.  v. 
VI.  Susan  A.,  b.  Dec.   19,   LSOl  ;  md.  Dec.  3,   1818, 

Peter  Tufts,  b.  Sept.  3,  1798. 
VII.   Charles,  b.  Sept  10,  1804  ;  md.  Nov.  4,  1829,  Sarah 
Phillips,  dau.  of  Samuel  Phillips,  q.  v.  ;  she  d. 
Jan.  31,  1838;  md.  (2d)    1837,  Harriet  Farrar 


876 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


(3) 
10 

11 

12 


<5) 


of  Fitchburg,  who  d.  Jan.  21,  1885.     He  was  a 
carpenter  in  Fitchburg;  d.  June  23,  1865. 
Mary  Adams,  b.  Jan.   21,    1811  ;    md.    Oct.    17, 
1829,  Ward  Russell,  son  of  David  Russell,  q.  v. 


Thomas  Russell  md.  Nov.  28,  1816,  Hepsibah  Adams, 
dan.  of  Ebenezer  Thomas  Adams,  q.  v.  He  was  a  farmer 
on  the  Isaac  Hill  farm  and  also  engaged  in  the  morocco 
business.     He  d.  May  7,  1838. 

I.  Hepsey   Adams,    b.    Oct.     17,     1817 ;    md.  John 

Goodale  ;  reside  in  Cambridge, 
ir.  Emily  Maria,  b.  Sept.  20,   1819  ;  md.  Alonzo  P. 

Davis,  q.  V. 
HI.  Sarah  Eliza,    b.  March  25,  1822  ;  md,    Abel    S. 
Wood,  b.  July  17,  1815,  son  of  Aaron  Wood  of 
Gardner  ;  she  d.  Nov.  8,  1849. 
IV.  Lydia  Loenza,  b.  Sept.  8,  1828  ;  d.  June  27,  1848. 
V.  Mary  Jane,  b.  June  21,  1831  ;  d.  July  20,  1831. 
VI.  Marcus  Thomas,  b.  Sept.  29,  1833  ;  md.  Dec.  29, 
1859,    Clara   Gee,    b.    Dec.    7,    1835,    dau.    of 
Stephen  and  Marinda  Gee.     He  is  a  farmer  on 
the  Ariel  Cummings  farm. 


Walter  Russell  in  youth  was  an  apprentice  to  Gov. 
Isaac  Hill ;  returning  to  Ashburnham  he  was  a  farmer  on 
Russell  hill,  and  was  successfully  engaged  in  the  morocco 
business.  He  md.  July  4,  1820,  Alona  Lawrence,  dau.  of 
Moses  Lawrence,  q.  v.  She  d.  Oct.  15,  1844  ;  he  md. 
(2d)  May  1,  1845,  Rebecca  (Green)  Shattuck,  dau.  of 
Solomon  Green,  q.  v.  ;  he  d.  May  5,  1856  ;  she  md.  (3d) 
Hosea  Green,  q.  v. 

I.  Jane  Alona,  b.  June  10,   1821  ;  md.  Thomas   R. 

Adams,  son  of  El)enezer  Adams,  q.  v. 
II.  Franklin,  b.  Oct.  12,  1822  ;  md.  1845,  Sarah  G. 
Jefts,  she  d.  Oct.  8,  1860  ;  md.  (2d)  Nov.  12, 
1861,  Mary  Brown,  dau.  of  Jacob  Brown  of 
Walpole,  N.  H.  He  is  a  morocco  di-esser  ;  was 
formerly  engaged  in  business  in  this  town, 
where  he  was  a  prominent  citizen.  He  is  now 
engaged  in  business  in  Norwood. 

III.  Sarah  Ann,    h.   July  29,    1824  ;    md.   Samuel  V. 

Whitney,  q.  v. 

IV.  Dexter,  b.  Oct.  22,  1826  ;  md.  Augusta  E.  Sawtell, 

dau.    of   Asa   Sawtell.     He    d'.    July   8,   1861. 
She  resides  in  Minneapolis,  Minn. 
V.   Emma,  b.  Dec.  3,  1829  ;  d.  unmd.  Nov.  27,  1851. 


21 


22 
23 


24 


25 


31 


(26) 


32 
33 

(28) 


GENEALOGICAL    REGISTER.  877 

VI.  Harriet  Lucretia^  b.  April  3,   183.3  ;  md.  Leonard 
W.  Sawtell,  q.  V. 

VII.   Malvina,  b.  . 

VIII.   Charles,  b.  18-1-4;  d.  Aug.  21,  184(1. 


David  Russell,  b.  1767,  son  of  Philemon  and  Eliza- 
beth (Wyman)  Russell,  was  a  first  cousin  of  the  elder 
Thomas  Russell  of  Ashburnhara.  He  md.  Aug.  11,  1793, 
Lydia  Green,  b.  Sept.  16,  1768,  dau.  of  Benjamin  and 
Martha  (Brown)  Green  of  Watertown.  He  resided  in 
Watertown  several  years,  and  removed  to  this  town  in 
1798.  He  lived  where  Edwin  Hay  ward  now  resides  and 
was  a  farmer  and  an  innholder.  Subsequently  he 
removed  to  Russell  hill.  He  d.  Nov.  19,  1847 ;  his 
wife  d.  Jan.  6,  1841. 

I.  Benjamin  Green,  b.  March  11,  1794;  md.  Eliza- 
beth Greenleaf;    md.    (2d)   Eliza    Batchelder, 
lived  in  Boston.     He  d.  in  this  town  April  12, 
1833. 
II.  David  Wyman,  b.  Sept.  13,  1795.-f- 

III.  Lydia,  h.  May  7,  1797  ;  d.  April  24,  1815. 

IV.  Philemon,  b.  Feb.  20,  1799. -f- 
V.    Ward,  b.  May  5,  1801. + 

VI.  Elizabeth,  b.  Nov.  30,  1802  ;  md.  Dec.  29,  1825, 
Richard  W.  Houghton,  b.  in  Ashby  Jan.  19, 
1802,  son  of  Elijah  and  Sarah  Houghton.  They 
resided  in  Lane  Village,  where  he  d.  Sept.  22, 
1846  ;  she  md.  (2d)  Jonas  Lawrence,  q.  v. 
vii.  Henry,  b.  Aug.  6,  1806;  md.  Calista  Kidder ; 
removed  to  Oregon. 


David  W,  Russell  md.  1826,  Mary  Cummings  of 
New  Ipswich;  she  d.  July  4,  1859;  he  md.  (2d)  Nov. 
25,  1860,  Eunice  (Winship)  Robbins  of  Mason,  N.  H. 
He  was  a  farmer  on  the  homestead.  He  d.  July  20, 
1864  ;  she  resides  in  this  town. 

I.  David  Wymaii,  b.    March   17,    1827;    resides   in 

Oregon. 
II.  Mary,  b.  April  9,  1831 ;  resides  in  Oregon. 


Philemon  Russell  was  a  farmer,  owning  the  southern 
half  of  the  homestead.  He  md.  Oct.  20,  1835,  Clarissa 
Smith  of  Mason,  N.  H.,  b.  Oct.  31,  1805  ;  he  d.  May  28, 
1876. 


■878 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


34 
35 


(29) 


36 


37 


39 


I.  Abbie  Smith,  b.  Oct.  10,  1837;  md.  May  1,  1865, 

Rev.  Francis  J.  Fairbanks,  g.  v.     Five  children. 
II.   George   Philemon,  b.  ^an.  20,   1840  ;  md.   March, 

1868,  Carrie  Ladd  of  Rutland,  Vt.,  who  d.  Sept. 

27,  1868  ;  md.  (2d)  Nov.   26,   1873,   Addie  L. 

Hannum  of  Rutland,  Vt. 


Ward  Russell  md.  Nov  11,  1829,  Mary  A.  Russell, 
dau.  of  Thomas  Russell,  Sen.,  g.  v.  In  1834  he  built 
the  house  on  Russell  hill  in  which  he  subsequently  lived  ; 
his  farm  was  the  original  Russell  farm  to  which  he  joined 
by  purchase  the  farm  formerly  owned  by  Ethan  Wether- 
bee  and  Isaac  Hill.     He  d.  Oct.  21,  1878. 

I.  Levi  Ward,  b.  Feb.  15,  1831,  resides  in  Provi- 
dence and  is  principal  of  the  Bridgman  School. 
Vide  page  515.  He  md.  Nov..  26,  1856,  Dollie 
A.  Merriam,  dau.  of  James  Merriam,  g.  v.  ;  she 

d. ;  he  md.  (2d)  Nov.  20,  1859,  Nellie  M. 

Danforth.     Three  children. 
II.  Margaret   A.,  b.  Sept.    20,  1841;  md.   Nov.    24, 
1859,  Levi  S.  Burbank  of  Lancaster,  b.  May  10, 
1828.    Seven  children.    They  reside  in  Waverly. 


MosES  Russell,  lineage  not  traced,  was  in  Ashburn- 
ham  soon  after  1772.  His  name  appears  on  the  roll  of 
Capt.  Gates'  company  1775.  His  name  is  found  in  the 
records  occasionally  in  incidental  mention  until  1781. 
He  moved  away  soon  after  that  date.  The  name  of  his 
wife  was  Hannah. 


I.  Sarah  Phelps,   bap.    July  23,    1775  ;  d.  Feb. 

1776,  "  burned  to  death,  aged  8  months." 
II.  Sarah  Phelps,  bap.  Aug.  24,  1777. 
III.  Lucy^  bap.  Feb.  27,  1780. 


8, 


SALTER. 

The  name  of  Salter  disappeared  from  the  records  many  years  ago.  Among 
the  descendants  of  a  daughter  there  are  representatives  of  the  family  in  this 
town  at  the  present  time.  The  lirst  of  the  name  in  Ashburnham  was  proba- 
bly the  Samuel  Salter  who  was  b.  in  Charlestown  Aug.  22,  1730.  He  was 
the  son  of  Thomas,  b.  1695,  and  Mary  Salter,  grandson  of  John,  b.  1G55-6,  and 
Mary  (Adams)  Salter  and  great-grandson  of  Henry  and  Hannah  Salter,  all  of 
Charlestown.  Samuel  Salter  of  Ashburnham,  if  this  conjecture  is  sustained, 
was  of  the  fourth  generation  of  his  family  in  this  country. 


Samuel  Salter  md.  in  Stow  Oct.  15,  1753,  Sarah 
Knight  and  lived  in  Stow  until  1765,  when  he  removed  to 
this  town  and  settled  where   his   great-grandson,  Warren 


CxENEALOGICAL   UEGISTEll. 


879 


Marble,  now  resides.  This  farm  has  remained  continu- 
ously in  the  possession  of  his  descendants.  He  d.  July 
18,  1800,  "  aged,"  says  Mr.  Gushing,  "  72."  If  he  was 
b.  1730  his  age  would  have  been  70,  His  widow  d.  Sept. 
11,  1807.     Five  children  b.  in  Stow,  four  in  Ashburnham. 

I,  Samuel,  b.  July  4,  1754.  His  name  appears  on 
the  roll  of  Capt.  Gates'  company  and  Capt. 
Wilder's  company.  He  md.  July  14,  1778, 
Catherine  Kiblinger,  dau.  of  John  Kiblinger, 
q.  V. 
II.  Sarah,  b.  Aug.  4,  1757. 

III.  Hannah,  b.  Aug.  5,    1759  ;  md.   Nov.  28,    1785, 

Jonathan  Gates  of  Stow. 

IV.  Mary,  b.  Jan.  1,  1762  ;  md.  Jabez  Marble,  q.  v. 
V.  Mercy,   b.  Feb.   12,   1764;  md.   Jonas    Benjamin, 

son  of  William  Benjamin,  q.  v. 
VI.  Lydia,  b.  April  24,  1766. 

VII.   Thomas,  bap.  June  11,  1769  ;  d.  Oct.  3,  1769. 
VIII.  Lois,  b.  Aug.  6,  1770. 
IX.  Pliehe,  b.   March  6,    1772;    md.    Feb.    13,    1794, 
Deliverance  Wheeler,  Jr. 


SAMSON. 

Abraham  Sampson,  b.  in  England,  came  to  America  in  1629  or  1630. 
He  settled  at  Duxbury  and  in  1G43  his  name  appears  on  a  roll  of  men, 
between  16  and  60  years,  able  to  bear  arms.  In  1645  he  was  one  of  fifty-four 
grantees  of  Bridgewater  and  in  1654  he  was  admitted  freeman.  He  was 
several  times  elected  to  office  in  Duxbury,  but  on  account  of  a  hiatus  in  the 
records  only  an  imperfect  record  of  his  career  has  been  preserved.  He  md. 
a  daughter  of  Lieut.  Samuel  Nash  of  Duxbury  and  had  four  sons  and  perhaps 
other  children.  His  son  Isaac  Sampson,  b.  1660,  md.  Lydia  Standish,  dau. 
of  Alexander  and  granddau.  of  Miles  Standish.  He  lived  in  Plympton, 
where  he  d.  Sept.  3,  1726,  leaving  nine  children.  Peleg  Sampson,  the  fifth 
son,  was  b.  Nov.  17,  1700.  He  md.  Mary  King  and  lived  in  Pembroke, 
Kingston,  Plympton  and  Middleboro'.  He  was  a  member  of  John  Winslow's 
company  in  an  expedition  under  Admiral  Vernon  against  the  West  Indies, 
and  died  of  disease  April  27,  1741.  Among  the  seven  children  of  Peleg 
Sampson  was  Jonathan  of  Ashburnham.  At  this  time  the  name  was  first 
written  Samson  and  this  orthography  has  been  continued  by  the  Ashburnham 
families. 


Jonathan  Samson  was  b.  in  Middleboro'  Oct.  25, 
1733.  He  resided  a  short  time  in  Harvard  where  he  md. 
1758,  Mary  Oakes.  He  removed  to  Ashburnham  1762 
and  settled  on  the  Merrick  Whitney  farm.  He  was  one 
of  the  proprietors  of  Dorchester  Canada  and  for  many 
years  he  was  treasurer  of  the  propriety.  At  the  first  town 
meeting,  1765,  he  was  chosen  a  surveyor  of  the  highways. 
Subsequently  he  was  a  selectman  and  for  many  years  a 
prominent  and  influential  citizen.     In  1776  he  was  one  of 


880 


HISTORY  OF  ASHBURNHAM. 


(2) 


15 


the  committee  of  correspondence,  and  through  the  active 
years  of  his  life  he  was  frequently  chosen  to  positions  in 
town  affairs.  His  wife  d.  Sept.  13,  1794;  he  md.  (2d) 
Aug.  2,  1796,  Sarah  Osborn,  a  widow,  and  about  1802 
removed  to  near  Keene,  N.  H.,  perhaps  Swanzey,  and  d. 
about  1820. 

I.  Jonathan,  b.  May  7,  1759. -|- 

II.  Mary,  b.  May  4,   1761  ;  md.  Moses  Tottingham, 
q.  V. 

III.  Abraham,  b.  May  22,  1763  ;  md.  Sally  Adams. 

IV.  Lydia,  b.  Aug.  1,  1764;   md.  Edward  Whitmore, 

q.  V. 
V.   Oliver,  b.  Sept.  22,  1766.+ 
VI.  Ephraim,  b.  June  9,  1769.-|- 
VII.  Moses,  b.  March  26,  1771  ;  d.  unmd. 
VIII.  Relief,    b.    Feb.    8,    1773;    md.   John    Winch   of 
Princeton. 
IX.  Lucy,  b.  May  12,  1775;    md.  Feb.  25,  1798,  Levi 
Bigelow,  then  of  Mount  Holly,  Vt.  ;  removed  to 
State  of  New  York. 
X.  John,  b.  July  10,  1777;   d.  unmd. 

XI.  Rebecca  Barnard,   b.  May    30,  1780 ;    md.   

Rand. 
XII.  Solomon,  b.  Jan.  26,  1783  ;  lived  in  Vermont. 
XIII.  Betsey,  b.  April  19,  1785;  d.  unmd. 


Jonathan  Samson,  eldest  son  of  Jonathan,  was  b.  in 
Harvard.  While  an  infant  the  famil}'  removed  to  this 
town.  He  md.  Feb.  21,  1782,  Susanna  Rice,  b.  March 
22,  1759,  dau.  of  Zebulon  Rice  of  Boylston,  and  a  sister 
of  Jonas  and  Reuben  Rice  of  Ashburnham.  Soon  after 
his  marriage  he  removed  to  Boylston,  but  returned  to 
this  town  1801,  and  lived  on  the  old  homestead.  He  d. 
Dec.  9,  1846  ;  his  widow  d.  July  30,  1850. 

It  is  this  Jonathan  Samson  whose  prolonged  service  in 
the  Revolution  appears  in  Chapters  V  and  VI.  Vide  page 
186.  He  was  deservedly  a  Revolutionary  pensioner. 
The  children  were  not  b.  in  this  town  and  a  record  is  not 
found  in  Boylston.  It  is  probable  the  order  of  age  is  not 
preserved  in  the  following  record. 

I.  Mary,  b.  July  24,  1783;  md.  Sept.  15,  1805, 
Ebenezer  Clark,  b.  at  Braintree  June  8,  1779. 
They  resided  in  this  town  a  few  years  and  sub- 
sequently lived  in  Brookline  and  Townsend. 
He  d.  Sept.  11,  1850;  she  d.  Sept.  2,  1856. 
Several  children. 


GENKAL()(iICAL    KEGISTEK.  881 

II.  Dolly ^  b.  March  22,  1785  ;  nid.  Henry  Gipson,  q.  v. 

III.  Jonathan,  h.  Dec.  20,  1786.+ 

IV.  Margaret,  b.  Feb.  17,   1789;    md.  John  Trimnall, 

q.  V. 

V.  ,  b. ;  rad.  Priest ;    lived  in  Canada. 

VI.  Sally,  b. ;    md.   April    12,   1821,    Enoch   L. 

Barrett  of   Mason,    N.    H.,    and   removed    to 
Michigan. 
VII.  Abraham,  b.  April  29,  1795.-|- 
VIII.  Isaac,  b.  1800. -f- 


Oliver  Samson  md.  1789,  Abigail  Sawin,  b.  1769, 
dau.  of  Jonathan  and  Mary  (Whitney)  Sawin  of 
Westminster,  and  a  sister  of  Asa  Sawin  of  Ashburnham. 
He  lived  in  Ashburnham  and  was  prominently  connected 
with  the  Methodist  Society.  He  d.  Jan.  15,  1835  ;  his 
wife  d.  Feb.  19,  1843. 

I.  Nancy,  b.  Aug.  22,  1790;  d.  Aug.  24,  1795. 
II.  Abigail,  b.  Aug.    15,  1792  ;    md.   1817,  Iddo  Kil- 

burn  and  lived  in  Hartland,  Vt. 
m.   Oliver,  h.  April  16,  1795;  md.   1822,  Susan  Ben- 
nett ;    lived  in  Westminster.     His  son,  Otis  M. 
Samson,  is  named  in  Buttrick  register. 
IV.  Navcy,    b.  May  2,    1797;    md.    March    23,    1815, 

Luther  Barrell  of  Westminster. 
V.  Amos,  b.  Feb.  16,  1800  ;  md.  1821,  Sarah  Houghton 
of  Wincheudon.     She   d.    Oct.   17,    1825;    he 
removed  to  Cayuga  county,  N.  Y. 

VI.  Infant,  b.  ;   d.  1803. 

VII.  Mary,  b.  Oct.  16,  1804;  d.  Oct.  25,  1805. 
VIII.  Almira,  b.  Oct.  30,  1806  ;  md.  Antipas  Maynard, 
q.  V. 
IX.  Stephen,  b.  Aug.  9,  1809  ;  md.  1834,  Sally  Hale; 
resided  in  Ashburnham  and  in  Winchendon. 


Ephraim  Samson,  son  of  Jonathan,  md.  Olive  Gates 
and  resided  in  the  northeast  part  of  the  town  until  about 

1802. 

I.  Betty,  b.  Dec.  4,  1794. 
11.  Ephraim,  b.  May  29,  1797. 

III.  Jeremiah,  b.  Feb.  21,  1799. 

IV.  Levi,  b.  Oct.  20,  1800. 

Jonathan  Samson,  son  of  Jonathan,  Jr.,  was  b.  in 
Boylston  Dec.  20,  1786.  He  md.  May  15,  1814,  Betsey 
Gibbs,  dau.  of  Joseph  Gibbs,  q.  v.     He  was  an  innholder 

56 


882 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


(21) 


44 


45 


48 


49 
50 

61 


52 


(22) 


in  Rindge  and  at  Factory  Village  a  few  years,  and  in 
1830  he  removed  to  the  Joseph  Gibbs  farm  now  occupied 
by  his  son  George  G.  Samson,  He.  d.  Dec.  2,  1869. 
His  widow  d.  July  18,  1870. 

I.  Leander,  b.  Jan.  25,  1815. -f- 
II.  Jonathan  Horace,  b.  Oct.  23,  1816. -|- 

III.  Elizabeth   Laivs,    b.    Nov.    2,    1818 ;    md.    Jason 

Whitney,  son  of  Ohio  Whitney,    g.  v. 

IV.  George  Gibbs,  b.  Sept.  26,  1820.+ 

V.   Charles,  b.  Nov.  26,  1826  ;  d.  Dec.  1,  1836. 
VI.  Mary  Barrett,  b.    Dec.    5,  1832  ;  md,  Luther   B. 
Adams,  son  of  James  Adams,  q.  v. 


Abraham  Samson,  son  of  Jonathan,  Jr.,  md.  1816, 
Oldice  Thomas,  b.  in  Rindge  Jan,  17,  1800,  dau.  of 
Francis,  Jr,,  and  Elizabeth  (Gragg)  Thomas,  They 
resided  in  Canada  and  in  the  State  of  New  York.  He  d. 
May  16,  1842  ;  she  d.  Jan.   10,  1867,     Eleven  children, 

I,   Oldice,  b,  July,  1817  ;  d,  same  year, 
II.   George    T.,h.  April   9,    1819;    md.   1845,    Olive 

(Edson)  Tweel,  who  d,  Aug  16, 1873  ;  md,  (2d) 

March  31,  1875,  Ellen  R,  (Frost)  Shattuck,  dau, 

of  Ebenezer  Frost,  q.  v.     He  d.  Oct.  21,  1879. 
in,  Jtdia  Ann,  b,  Jan,  27,   1821  ;    md.  John   Johns; 

lived  in  Ohio ;  d.  July  9,  1846. 
IV.  Augustus  A.,  b.  Sept.  28,  1822  ;  md.  1846,  Frances 

M.  Partridge  ;  d.  in  Medway  about  1850. 
V.   Charles  Phillips,  b.  June  20,  1824  ;  d.  young. 
VI.  Henry  K.,  b,  Aug.  7,  1826  ;  served  in  Co.  I,  25th 

Regiment ;  md.  Oct.  9,  1850,  Amanda  Lawrence 

of  Malone,  N.  Y.     He  d.  1874. 
VII.  Adaline  C,  b,  Aug.  23,  1828;  md.   1826,  George 

P.  Bennett,  son  of  Asa   Bennett,  q.  v. ;  she  d. 

1885. 
VIII,   Oldice  Elizabeth,  b.  Sept,  5,  1830, 
IX,  Euphenia,  b,  July  28,   1832  ;    md,   June  4,  1848, 

John  Roby  ;  reside  in  Lvnn, 
X.  Sarah  F.,  b.  May  6,  1838";    md.  March  26,  1857, 

John  A.  Spaulding,  son   of  Alfred  and  Betsey 

(Lawrence)  Spaulding  of  Ashby.     They  resided 

in  this  town  where  he  d.  Jan.  29,  1887. 
XI.  Susan  Augusta,  b.  Feb.  8,  1840  ;  d.  Sept,  1,  1859, 


Isaac  Samson,  brother  of  Abraham,  md,  1823, 
Melinda  Barrett  of  Mason,  N.  H,  He  lived  several  years 
in  Canada,  but  returned  to  this  town  where  he  d,  1855. 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  883 

I.  Susan. 
II.  /Sarah. 

III.  Arathusa. 

IV.  Mart/  J. 

V.  Isaac  A.,  b.  Jan.  29,   1831  ;    md.  1860,  Sarah  L.' 

Brown.  She  d.  Feb.  9,  1862  ;  md.  (2d)  April 
25,  1864,  INIary  A.  Bennett,  dau.  of  Isaac 
Bennett  of  Groton.  In  1886  he  removed  from 
this  town  to  Harvard. 

VI.  Charles  B.,  b.  1837;  md.  Mary  Heywood  of  New 

Ipswich  ;  resides  at  Topeka,  Kansas. 


Leander  Samson  is  a  farmer  and  owns  and  occupies  the 
Jacob  Fairbanks  farm.  He  md.  Oct.  27,  1838,  Roana 
Newton;  md.  (2d)  Oct.  22,  1875,  Anna  Chapman. 

I.  Jane  E.,  b.   Sept.   30,    1839;  md.    John   Milton 

Partridge  of  Winchendon. 
II.   Charles,  b.   Jan.    9,   1844 ;  served    in  the  war  of 
the  Rebellion  in  Co.  D,  30th  Regiment ;  d.  at 
Baton  Rouge,  La.,  Aug.  11,  1862. 

III.  Albert,  b.  July  11,  1847;  was   in   the   service   in 

United  States  Marine  Corps  1861-5.  At  the 
close  of  the  war  removed  to  Albany,  N.  Y.,  and 
is  a  railroad  conductor.  He  md.  July  10,  1873, 
Josie  Carlton,  dau.  of  Joseph  Carlton. 

IV.  Ella  Maria,  h.  Jan.  3,  1851  ;  md.  Hubert  C.  Bart- 

lett ;  they  reside  in  Fitchburg. 


Jonathan  Horace  Samson,  son  of  Jonathan  Samson, 
Jr.,  resides  in  Worcester.  He  was  principal  musician 
and  drum  major  25th  Massachusetts  Regiment.  He  md. 
1842,  Rachel  G.  Adams  who  d.  Feb.  26,  1881. 

I.  Agnes  Elizabeth,  b.  June  23,  1843  ;  md.  Daniel  G. 

Holbrook. 
II.  Infant,  b.  and  d.  Jan.  11,  1845. 

III.  Abbie  Augusta,  b.  Oct.  6,   1846  ;  md.  J.  Brainerd 

Hall.  They  reside  at  Worcester ;  he  is  Court 
Reporter  of  the  Worcester  Gazette.  To  his 
researches  I  am  indebted  for  generous  favors. 

IV.  Flora  Amanda,  b.  March  13,  1848  ;  d.  Sept.  29, 

1850. 
V.  Alfred  Hitchcock,  b.  Aug.  8,  1850  ;  md.  Arabella 
Jones  ;  resides  at  Providence,  R.  I. 


884 


HISTORY    OF    ASHBURNHAM. 


(39) 


71 


72 


73 


74 


George  Gibbs  Samson  is  a  farmer  on  the  farm  formerly 
of  his  grandfather  Joseph  Gibbs,  and  of  his  father  Jona- 
than Samson.     He  md.  1847,  Anjenette  Tavener. 

I.  Mary  Georgfanna,  b.  June  20,  1848  ;  md.  Nov. 
li,  1873,  Capt.  Charles  H.  Pratt,  son  of  Russell 
Pratt  of  Westminster.  He  is  captain  of  Co.  E, 
and  one  of  the  selectmen  of  Ashburnham. 

II.  Elizabeth  A.,  b.  March  20,  1850. 

III.  Flora  A.,  b.  Nov.  11,  1858;  md.  Dec.  13,  1884, 
Leonard  Eisentrant ;  reside  in  Worcester. 


Aaron  Sampson,  lineage  not  traced ;  resided  in  this 
town  from  1765  to  1775.  He  md.  Nov.  9,  1768,  Delanah 
Schoffe,  dau.  of  Jacob  Schoffe,  g.  v. 


I.  Infant,  b. 


d.  Aug.  2,  1771. 


David  Sampson  lived  in  this  town  a  few  years,  com- 
mencing about  1775.  He  served  in  Capt.  Henry's  com- 
pany in  Boston  Harbor  1779. 


BENJAivnN  Sampson  was  here  a  short  time.     He  was  in 
the  service  in  1778,  but  his  name  is  not  met  after  1780. 


SANDERSON. 

Edward  Sanderson  md.  in  Watertown  Oct.  15,  1645,  Mary  Eggleston. 
From  this  marriage  were  descended  numerous  families  of  Sanderson  in 
Watertown,  Waltham  and  Weston.  Dea.  Jonathan  Sanderson,  son  of 
Edward,  was  b.  Sept.  15,  1640,  md.  in  Cambridge  Oct.  24,  1669,  Abia  Bart- 
lett,  b.  May  28,  1651,  dau.  of  Ensign  Thomas  Bartlett.  His  children  were 
b.  in  Cambridge  but  subsequently  he  lived  in  Watertown.  He  d.  Sept.  3, 
1735;  his  wife  d.  Sept.  13,  1723.  Samuel  Sanderson,  son  of  Dea.  Jonathan, 
was  b.  May  28,  1681;  md.  April  13,  1708,  Mercy  Gale,  b.  Sept.  16,  1683, 
dau.  of  Abraham  and  Sarah  (Fiske)  Gale.  He  was  killed  by  lightning  July 
8,  1722;  she  d.  May  8,  1776.  Moses  Sanderson,  youngest  son  of  Samuel 
and  Mercy  (Gale)  Sanderson,  was  b.  Feb.  22,  1721-2;  md.  Jan.  1,  1750-1, 
Mary  Flagg,  b.  Feb.  2,  1728-9,  dau.  of  John  and  Hannah  (Bemis)  Flagg. 
In  1766  they  removed  to  Littleton  where  he  d.  Aug.  10,  1798;  his  wife  d. 
Sept.  18,  1789.     Their  third  child  was  Moses  Sanderson  of  Ashburnham. 


MosES  Sanderson  was  b.  in  Waltham  Aug.  15,  1755, 
and  bap.  there  July  18,  1756.  At  eleven  years  of  age 
the  famil}'  removed  to  Littleton,  where  he  md.  Mary 
Proctor,  h.  in  Littleton  Jan.  10,  1759.  They  resided  in 
Littleton  until  1789  when  they  removed  to  this  town.  He 
d.  Jan.  29,  1831  ;  she  d.  Nov.  3,  1842. 

I.  Asa,  b.  March  5,  1778  ;  d.  May  5,  1778. 


GENE  A  LOGICAL   llEGI  S  TE  li. 


885 


3 

II. 

PoJhj,  b.  Feb.  23,  1781  ;  d.  unmd.  ia  this  town 
Sept.  17,  1805. 

4 

III. 

Sally,  b.  Sept.  15,   1782;  md.  Philip  R.  Merriam, 

5 

IV. 

Moses,  b.  Sept.  23,  1784;  md.  1819,  Mary  Whit- 
comb  ;  he  d.  Oct.  23,  1841  ;  she  d.  1839.  He 
was  a  farmer  in  this  town. 

' 

V. 

Asa,  b.  April  29,  1787;  d.  uumd.  in  Salem  Jan. 
25,  1836. 

7 

VI. 

Rebecca,  b.  April  18,  1789  ;  md.  Elijah  Brooks,  q.  v. 

8 

VII. 

Simeon,  b.  Sept.  24,  1790;  md.  Sally  Bigelow. 
Vide  page  510.  Resided  in  Westminster  where 
he  d.  Dec.  3,  1841. 

9 

VIII. 

Lydia,  b.  Sept.  30,  1793  ;  md.  Caleb  Winchester, 

10 

IX. 

q.  V. 
Eli,    b.  Sept.    17,    1795;  md.    Miranda    Thwing. 
He  d.  in  Brighton  Sept.  28,  1839. 

11 

X. 

Sophia,  b.  Oct.  8,  1800;  md.  John  Peirce  of 
Brookline,  Mass. 

SAWIN. 

The  name  of  Sawin  first  mingles  in  the  annals  of  Ashburnham  in  1796, 
when  Asa  Sawin  removed  to  tins  town  and  settled  at  the  southern  base  of 
Mount  Hunger.  He  was  a  descendant  in  the  sixth  generation  of  John  , 
Sawin,  the  emigrant  ancestor,  who  was  born  in  Boxford,  county  of  Suffolk, 
England.  He  came  to  America  between  1G48  and  1650  and  settled  in  Water- 
town,  where  he  was  admitted  freeman  May  26,  1G52.  He  md.  Abigail 
Muiming,  b.  1627,  dau.  of  George  Munning,  who  was  the  mother  of  liis  three 
sons  Joim,  Munning  and  Thomas.  Munning  Sawin,  b.  April  -1,  1655,  became 
a  prominent  character  in  Watertown.  He  was  an  assessor,  selectman, 
treasurer  and  town  clerk,  and  for  thirty  years  he  was  conspicuous  in  town 
affairs.  He  md.  Dec.  18,  1681,  Sarah  Stone,  dau.  of  Dea.  John  and  Sarah 
Stone  of  Watertown.  He  d.  Nov.  28,  1722.  The  third  of  the  eleven 
children  of  Munning  Sawin  was  John  Sawin,  b.  Aug.  13,  1689;  md.  Dec.  11, 
1711,  Elizabeth  Coolidge,  dau.  of  Obadiah  and  Elizabeth  (Rouse)  Coolidge 
of  Sudbury  and  Watertown.  She  was  the  mother  of  his  children  and  there 
is  a  tradition  that  after  her  death  he  md.  a  second  wife  and  resided  in 
Mendon,  and  d.  there  1767.  He  was  a  constable  in  Watertown  1734,  and  a 
selectman  1736.  The  eldest  of  his  eight  children  was  Stephen  Sawin,  b. 
Sept.  17,  1712;  md.  Jan.  5,  173;?-4,  Abigail  Fiske,  b.  Nov.  11,  1714, 
dau.  of  John  and  Mary  (Whitney)  Fiske  of  Waltham  and  Worcester.  He 
was  a  farmer  and  shoemaker  in  Watertown  until  1745,  when  he  removed  to 
Worcester,  and  in  1761  to  Westminster,  where  lie  d  1795.  She  d.  1803. 
The  extensive  tract  of  land  owned  by  Stephen  Sawin  was  north  of  Wachusett 
mountain  and  southerly  from  Westminster  pond.  Jonathan  Sawin,  eldest 
son  of  Stephen  Sawin,  was  h.  in  Watertown  Jan.  2,  1734-5.  He  removed 
to  Worcester,  served  in  the  French  and  Indian  War,  and  with  his  father 
removed  to  Westminster  in  1761.     He  md.  Mary  Whitney. 


Asa  Sawin,  the  first  of  the  name  in  Ashburnham,  a  son 
of  Jonathan  and  Mary  (Whitne}')  Sawin,  was  b.  in 
Westminster,  July  15,  1771.  He  was  of  the  sixth  genera- 
tion of  his  family  in  America.     He  md.  March  6,  1796, 


886 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


Susannah  Grimes,  b.  in  Hubbarclston  May  23,  1772, 
eldest  dau.  of  Joseph  and  Huldah  (Wheelock)  Grimes  ; 
the  same  year  he  removed  to  this  town,  and  settled  at 
the  southern  base  of  Mount  Hunger.  In  character  he 
was  blameless,  and  in  his  daily  life  he  was  industrious 
and  frugal.     He  d.  1828  ;  his  widow  d.  May  31,   1843. 

I.  Susan,  b.  Dec.  18,  1796  ;  md.  Joel  Marble,  q.  v. 
II.  Asenath,  b.  Jan.  9,  1799  ;  md.  Hosea  Green,  q.  v.. 

III.  Asa,  b.  Oct.  4,  1801. -f 

IV.  Sally,  b.  Oct.  29,  1804  ;  md.  Ebenezer  Frost,  q.  v. 
V.  Ste2)hen,  b.  Dec.  19,  1807  ;  md.  Dec.  8,  1830,  Eliza 

Newton  of  Westminster. 
.    VI.  Huldah,  b.  Oct.  8,  1810  ;   d.  unmd.  Feb.   2,  1834. 
VII.  Abram,  b.  Sept.  28,  1813. + 
VIII.  Mary,  b.  Aug.  15,  1819  ;  unmd.  ;  resides  in  Ash- 

burnham. 


(4) 


(8) 


Asa  Sawin,  Jr.,  md.  Dec.  1,  1827,  Charlotte  Phillips,  b. 

in  Fitchburg,  ,  dau.  of  Joshua   and  Phillips. 

For  many  years  he  was  a  farmer  on  the  homestead. 
During  the  past  ten  years  the  aged  parents  have  found  a 
home  with  their  children  in  Gardner. 

I.  JoJin,   b.    Nov.    13,    1828;    md.    June    20,    18.50, 

Susan  Kidder. 
II.  Lyman,  b.  Sept  20,  1830. 

III.  Abhie,  b.  Nov.  13,  1831  ;  d.  March  26,  1846. 

IV.  Levi  C,  b.  Aug.  11,  1838. 
V.  Stephen,  b.  June  4,  1842. 

VI.  Mary  E.,    b.    July   24,    1847;    md.    May,    1868,. 

Henry  C.  Gushing. 
VII.  Melpha   JR.,    b.  July    17,    1849;    md.    James    C. 
Nichols,  son  of  John  Nichols,  q.  v. 


Abram  Sawin  was  a  farmer  in  this  town.  In  -1866  he 
sold  the  farm,  now  of  Alden  B.  Marble,  to  his  son-in-law 
Laban  W.  Wright,  and  removed  to  Gardner.  He  md. 
March  27,  1834,  Loenza  Pierce,  b.  in  Westminster  Nov. 
18,  1816,  dau  of  Jonas  and  Adaliue  (Haynes)  Pierce. 
She  d.  in  Gardner  May  19,  1882  ;  he  md.  (2d)  Sept.  2,. 
1885,  Mary  R.  Bigelow'of  Bolton. 

I.  Susan  Aclaline,  b.  June  11,  1835  ;  md.  Laban  W. 

Wright,  q.  v. 
II.  Jonas  P.,  b.  July   23,    1842;    md.   Nov.,    1865, 

Sarah  S.  Metcalf,  dau.  of  Joel  F.  Metcalf,  g.  /;.  ; 

resides  in  Gardner.     He   is   a  foreman  in    the 

employ  of  Hey  wood  Bros. 


GENEALOOICAL   KEGISTER.  887 

HI.  Alfred  S.,  b.  May  11,  1849;  rad.  Celia  A.  Bige- 
low  ;  md.  (2d)  Alice  M.  Baker. 

Asa  Sawtell,  whose  lineage  is  traced  in  History  of 
Rindge,  a  son  of  Hezekiah  and  Sarah  (Russell)  Sawtell, 
was  b.  in  Rindge  March  18,  1789.  He  md.  Nov.  8, 
1812,  Anna  B.  Hastings,  dau.  of  Capt.  Charles  Hastings, 
q.  V.  They  resided  in  Rindge  six  years,  in  Mason,  N. 
H.,  a  few  years,  and  about  1825  removed  to  this  town. 
He  d.  March  25,  1856  ;  she  d.  Oct.  29,  1879. 

I.  Ezra  Hastings,  b.  Dec.  11,  1813;  md.  Feb.  29, 
1836,  Betsey  Scripture,  dau.  of  James  and  Lucy 
(Dakin)  Scripture  of  Mason,  N.  H.  She  d.  in 
Warwick,  R.  I.,  July  29,  1853  ;  md.  (2d)  March 
26,  1856,  Sultyna  (Jones)  Woods,  widow  of  Asa 
Elbridge  Woods,  and  dau.  of  Dea.  Daniel  Jones, 
q.  V.  They  reside  in  Ayer,  Mass.  He  has  one 
child  by  his  first  wife. 

1.  Mary  E.,  b.  Feb.  23,  1837. 

II.  Seth  P.,  b.  April  1,  1816  ;  d.  July  30,  1818. 

III.  3Iarv  A.  B.,  b.  Sept.  18,  1818  ;  md.  Jonas  Morse. 

Siie  d.  Oct.  18,  1873. 

IV.  SaraJi  J.,  b.  Oct.  3,  1820  ;  d.  May  24,  1821. 

V.  Eliza  J.,  b.  May  11,   1822;    md.  Henry  Stevens. 

They  resided  in  Caledonia,  Wis.,  where  he  d. 

1874.     She  resides  in  Racine,  Wis. 

VI.  Lucy  E.,h.  March  11,  1824;  md.  John  BemiSjg.'U. 

VII.  Sarah    L.,    b.    July   30,    1826;  md.   Lorenzo  A. 

Fisher,  and  removed  to  New  York  city. 
VIII.  Leonard  IF.,  b.  June  30,  1829  ;  md.  1853,  Harriet 
L.  Russell,  dau.  of  Walter  Russell ;  she  d.  Aug. 
30,    1860;    md.    (2d)    Maria    Sawyer    of  New 
York  city,  where  they  reside. 
IX.  Augusta  E.,  b.  Oct.  3,  1832  ;  md.  Dexter  Russell, 

son  of  Walter  Russell,  q.  v. 
X.  JosiahP.,  b.  Aug.  22,   1835;  md.  Feb.  9,  1858, 
Mary   C.  Foster,   dau.   of  Jerome  W.  Foster. 
Reside  in  New  York  city. 


Caleb  Sawtell,  b.  in  Springfield,  Vt.,  1793,  md. 
1818,  Lucy  Stimson,  dau.  of  Phinehas  Stimson,  q.  v. 
They  resided  in  Lansingburg,  N.  Y.,  until  about  1824  and 
subsequently  in  this  town.     He  d.  Aug.  8,  1838. 

I.  Mary   E.,    b.  Feb.   19,  1820;   md.  July  6,  1843, 
Aris  Marc}^ ;  reside  in  Brookfield. 


888  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

15  I         II.  Sarah  L.,  b.  June  15,  1822  ;  md.  William  Lovejoy  ; 

reside  in  Brighton. 

16  I       III,   George  E.,  b.  Aug.  17,  1825  ;   md.  Nov.  27,  1852, 
j  Mary  M.  Kendall,  dau.  of  Alvin  Kendall,  q.  v.  ; 

resides  in  Milford,  N.  H. 

17  IV.  Lucy  E.,  b.  1824;  d.  Aug.  10,  1832. 

18  V.  Martha  A.,  b.  May  1,  1829  ;  md.  William  Hall  of 
Milford,  N.  H.  ;  resides  at  Gold  Hill,  Nevada. 

19  VI.  Harriet  A.,  b.  March  2,  1833  ;  md.  April  6,  1853, 
David  Pearson  of  Milford,  N.  H.  ;  she  d.  in 
Boston  May  26,  1877. 

20  VII.  Franklin,  b.  May  12,  1835  ;  md.  Lucy  A.  Farvrell ; 
resides  in  Brookfield. 

21  VIII.   Charles  II.,  h.  ;  d.  in  Milford,  N.  H. 


Edward  Sawyer,  b.  in  Fitchburg  March  7,  1804,  son 
of  Jabez  and  Hannah  (Brooks)  Sawyer,  md.  Oct.  25, 
1827,  Mary  Lincoln,  b.  in  Leominster  March  16,  1802, 
dau.  of  Thomas  and  Abigail  (Gibbs)  Lincoln.  He  came 
to  this  town  previous  to  his  marriage  and  remained  until 
his  death.  He  was  honest,  sincere  and  pure  in  heart. 
He  d.  March  7,  1884  ;  his  wife  d.  Aug.  20,  1872. 

I.  Abbie  31.,  b.  June  8,  1830 ;  d.  March  2,  1838. 
II.   Charles    E.,    b.    Dec.     15,     1832;     md.     1856, 
Maria  J.  Petts,  dau.  of  Dr.  John  Petts  ;    reside 
in  Springfield,  Ohio. 

III.  Henry    L.,    b.    Feb.    23,    1840;    md.   Lucy  Ann 

Fuller,  b.  in  West  Acton  Feb.  26, 1838  ;  resides 
in  South  Framinghara. 

IV.  Mary  Nichols,   h.  Aug.    26,   1842  ;    graduate  Mt. 

Holyoke  Seminary,  1863  ;    instructor  Mt.  Her- 
mou  School,  Gill. 
V.  Laura  M.,  b.  Feb.  8,  1845. 


Abel  Sawyer,  b.  in  Westminster  Aug.  4,  1798,  son 
of  Eli  and  Anna  (Laws)  Sawyer,  md.  July,  1821,  Lucy 
Holt  and  removed  to  this  town  1831.  His  wife  d.  Dec. 
29,  1842,  aged  39  ;  he  md.  (2d)  May  27,  1845,  Rhoda 
Weston,  dau.  of  James  AVeston,  q.  v.  She  d.  Dec.  23, 
1855  ;  ind.  (3d)  May  13,  1856,  Ann  Kenney  of  Fitch- 
burg ;  she  d.  May  23, .     He  d.  April  9,  1883. 

I.  ittc?/ ^.,  b.  July  28,  1822;  md.  Dec.  12,  1843, 
Solomon  E.  Jaquith  of  Ashby ;  shed.  May  5, 
1870. 

II.  Abigail  D.,  b.  June  13,  1828;  md.  Jerome  S. 
Gibson,  q.  v. 


GKNEALOGICAL   REGISTEU.  889 

III.  Adaline   J/.,  b.    Aug.    15,    1830;    md.  Ezra    M. 

Merritt,  q.  v. 

IV.  Sarah  J.,  b.  March  2,  1833  ;    md.  1852,   Andrew 

J.  Adams,  sou  of  James  Adams,  q.  v. 

V.  Ivfant,  b. ;   d.  Oct.  3,  1834. 

VI.  Harriet  A.,  b.  March  28,  1837;   resides  unmd.  in 

this  town. 
VII.  James  W.,  b.  Aug.   11,  1841  ;    d.  Aug.  29,  1851. 


Jacob  Schoffe  was  the  possessor  of  a  name  that  was  a 
stumbling  block  to  the  recorders  of  his  time.  Mr. 
Cushing  usual]}'  wrote  the  name  as  above.  He  came 
with  his  German  associates  in  1758,  settled  where  Nathan 
and  Oliver  Taylor  reside,  and  remained  about  twenty 
years,  when  he  removed  to  Haverhill,  N.  H.  Four 
youngest  children  were  b.  in  this  town.  We  have  assigned 
to  him  daughters  Elizabeth  and  Delanah,  if  they  should 
prove  to  be  otherwise  connected  with  the  family  it  would 
not  contradict  the  record  of  their  marriage.  The  name 
of  the  wife  of  Jacob  Schoffe  was  Elizabeth. 

I.  Delanah,    b.    ;    md.    Nov.    9,    1760,    Aaron 

Samson. 

II.  Elizabeth,  b.    ;    md.   July    30,  1767,    Philip 

Christian  Ger. 

III.  Catherine,  b.  July  6,  1759. 

IV.  John,  b.  Aug.  15,  1761. 
V.  Daniel,  b.  Aug.  26,  1764. 

VI.  Henry,  b.  Aug.  9,  1766. 


Grover  Scollay,  son  of  John  Scollay  of  Stoneham, 
was  b.  Oct.  10,  1729.  In  early  life  he  removed  to 
Harvard,  where  he  md.  Feb.  19,  1752,  Lois  Atherton, 
dan.  of  John  and  Phebe  (Wright)  Atherton.  She  d.  in 
Harvard  Sept.  7,  1778;  he  md.  (2d)  Nov.  4,  1779, 
Rebecca  Harris,  b.  March  25,  1748,  a  sister  of  Dea. 
Jacob  Harris,  q.  v.  They  removed  to  Ashburnham  1784. 
In  their  old  age  they  lived  with  their  son  Ezra  Scollay  in 
Rindge,  where  he  d.  Jan.  12,  1816;  she  d.  March  21, 
1819.  Nine  children  by  the  first  and  five  by  the  second 
marriage. 

I.  John,  b.  Aug.  19,  1753  ;  d.  voung. 
II.  Ann,  bap.  April  18,  1756  ;  probably  d.  young. 

III.  Sarah,  b.  Feb.  22,  1759. 

IV.  John,  bap.  April  17,  1763.-f- 
V.  Lois,  b.  Jan.  27,  1766. 


890 


HISTORY    OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


14 


15 


16 


Dr.    Samuel   Scollay 


VI,  Lydia,  bap.  Feb.  26,  1769. 
VII.  Betsey,  bap.  Sept.  1,  1771. 
VIII.  Lucy,  bap.  Oct.  9,  1774. 

IX.   Grover,  b.  .-[- 

X.  Samuel,  b.  Jan.   21,   1781. 

was  a  man  of  marked  ability.  Vide  page  495. 
He  md.  Jan.  21,  1822,  Harriot  Lowndes,  b.  in 
Georgetown,  D.  C,  Nov.  23,  1794,  dau.  of 
Charles  and  Eleanor  (Lloyd)  Lowndes;  she  d. 
Aug.  5,  1835;  he  md.  (2d)  Jan.  21,  1841, 
Sally  Page  Nelson,  b.  in  Hanover  county,  Va., 
Dec.  10,  1801.  He  d.  in  Smithfleld,  West 
Virginia,  Jan.  11,  1857.     Eight  children. 

XI.  James,  b.  March  24,  1783.+ 

XII.  Ezra,  b.  March  8,  1786,  resided  in  Rindge.  He 
was  an  honorable  man,  pure  in  heart  and 
refined  in  speech.  He  md.  Dec.  31,  1807, 
Mersylvia  Jewett,  b.  Nov.  4,  1786,  dau.  of  Dea. 
Edward  and  Dorcas  (Gates)  Jewett  of  Rindge, 
and  a  niece  of  Col,  Joseph  Jewett  of  Ashburn- 
ham.  She  d.  June  2,  1855,  beloved  and  honored 
by  all  who  knew  her.  He  md.  (2d)  Oct.  14, 
1856,  Polly  Hale,  b.  Feb.  8,  1788,  dau.  of 
David  and  Bathseba  (Barker)  Hale  of  Rindge; 
she  d.  Dec.  17,  186G  ;  he  md.  (3d)  Sept.  19, 
1867,  Mrs.  Mary  P.  Moore  of  New  Ipswich ; 
he  d.  Nov.  10,  1874.  No  issue. 
xm.  Lucy,  b.  March  31,  1788;  md.  March  24,  1823, 
Asa  Farnsworth  of  Leominster  ;  he  d,  June  18, 
1831  ;  she  d.  1842. 

1.  Dorothy,  b.   March  17,   1826;    md.  April 

26,  1848,  Abel  C.  Chase,  b,  Feb.  1,  1824, 
son  of  George  Chase  of  Leominster. 

2.  Ezra  Scollay,  b,  March  28,  1830,  a  captain 

and  brevet  major  in  the  Civil  War,  and 
was  wounded  severely  while  in  the 
service  ;  has  been  manager  of  St.  Louis 
Despatch;  subsequently  a  real  estate 
agent  at  Newton,  He  md.  May  22, 
1854,  Mary  Frances  Brown,  b.  Oct.  11, 
1832,  dau.  of  William  Brown  of  Boston. 
He  d.  April  2,  1886, 

XIV,  Abel,  b.  June  16,  1790;  removed  to  Canada, 


(5) 


Capt.  John  Scollat  was  a  second  and  first  lieutenant 
of  the  Ashburnham  Light  Infantry  from  1792  to  1797  and 
captain  a  year  or  more  commencing  1797.     Subsequently 


18 
19 
20 

(10) 


21 


28 


29 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.   •  891 

he  removed  to  Newton  and  returned  to  this  town  for  a 
short  time  about  1811.  He  again  removed  to  Newton 
where  he  d.  July,  1826.  lie  md.  Feb.  22,  1789,  Lucy 
Hemenway,  dau.  of  Ebenezer  Hemenway,  q.  v.  She  d. 
Dec.  6,  1804.  He  md.  (2d)  Esther  Thwing,  and  by  this 
marriage  there  were  three  children. 

I.  Lucy  Hemenway,    b.  Sept.   2,    1808  ;  d.  in    Cam- 
bridge 1866. 
II.  Sarah  Chamberlain,  h.  Sept.  29,  1810;  md.  Elijah 

Clark  ;  she  resides  in  Newton. 
III.  John  George,  b.  1812. 


Capt.  Gkover  Scollay  was  an  officer  of  the  Ashburn- 
ham  Light  Infanti-y  several  years.  He  was  a  man  of 
good  ability  and  of  genial  manners.  For  many  years  he 
was  a  manufacturer  of  kid  and  morocco  shoes  and  at 
times  employed  from  ten  to  twenty  men.  He  was  twice 
married  and  in  the  progress  of  years  his  earthly  treasures 
were  more  conspicuous  in  his  household  than  in  his  land 
and  gold.  By  industry  he  supported  a  numerous  family 
and  maintained  friendly  relations  with  his  fellow-men. 
He  md.  Jan.  26,  1802,  Sally  Dickinson,  dau.  of  Amos 
Dickinson,  g.  v.;  she  d.  Nov.  19,  1805;  md.  (2d)  May 
22,  1817,  Sally  Stowell,  dau.  of  John  and  Susanna  Stowell 
of  Temple.  He  d.  Nov.  1,  1852  ;  his  widow  d.  in  Tem- 
pleton  Jan.  15,  1887. 

I.  Amos  D.,  b.  Feb.  7,  1803;  md.  1825,  Cinderilla 
Adams,  dau.  of  John  Adams,  q.  v.  ;  she  d.  Jan. 
24,  1831.  He  removed  to  Saxton's  River,  Vt., 
where  he  d.  and  where  his  widow,  a  second  wife, 

Sally,  b.  Nov.  10,  1805. 

Infant,  d.  Oct.  3,  1808. 

Leonard,  b.  Sept.  29,  1809  ;  lived  in  St.  Louis, 
Mo.,  and  was  proprietor  at  one  time  of  Planter's 
Hotel. 

Nancy,  b.  1811  ;  d.  Nov.  1,  1825. 

Infant,  b.  and  d,  Nov.  16,  1815. 

Susan  W.,  b.  Sept.  3,  1817;  md.  April  10,  1839, 
Dr.  Edwin  Leigh  of  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  and  subse- 
quently of  St.  Louis,  Mo. 

George  W.,  b.  April  13,  1819  ;  a  physician  in  New 
York.  Vide  page  514.  He  md.  Nov.  20,  1843, 
Elizabeth  Stearns  Wyman,  dau.  of  Col.  N. 
Wyman  of  Hillsboro',  111. 

Mary,  b.  Feb.  8,  1821  ;  md.  Russell  Whipple,  q.  v. 


22 

II 

23 

III 

24 

IV. 

25 

v. 

26 

VI. 

27 

VII. 

892 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


30 


31 
32 


34 
35 

36 


38 


39 


40 

41 
42 
43 

(12) 


44 


45 


X.  Milton  J.,  b.  Feb.  18,  1822;  md.  Sept.  2,  1847, 
Mary  W.  Hastings,  dau.  of  Joseph  B.  Hastings, 
q.  V.  ;  she  d.  in  Brookline  Jan.  11,  1862;  md. 
(2d)  Nov.  24,  1864,  Sarah  A.  (Brewer)  Stone, 
b.  in  Oakham  Sept.  17,  1838.  He  has  resided 
in  Townsend.  Westboro',  Peabody,  Harvard, 
Ayer,  and  is  now  a  resident  of  Templeton. 

1.  George  Grover,  d.  young. 

2.  Charles  Augustus,  b.  Aug.  13,  1850. 

3.  Clara  Lizzie,  b.  Oct.  20,  1853  ;  md.  March 

29,  1883,  Edward  Willoughby. 

4.  Mary  Addie,  b.  March  5,  1860. 

xr.   Clarissa,    b.   Sept.    12,    1824 ;    md.     Samuel    B. 

Wright ;  resides  in  Georgia. 
XII.    CJiarles  N.,  b.  Feb.  23,  1826;  md.  Jan.  7,  1850, 
Nancy  C.  Barrett,  dau.  of  Townsend   Barrett, 
q.  V. 

XIII.  Infant,  d.  1828. 

XIV.  Albert,    b.    Sept.    13,    1829;   md.    1852,    Augusta 

Stratton,  b.  in   Rindge  April  27,  1831,  dau.  of 
Samuel  and  Lovisa  (Gibson)   Stratton;  she  d. 
Oct.  6,  1873.     Three  children. 
XV.  Edwin,  b.  July  5, 1831  ;  md.  Nov.  27,  1862,  Hattie 
M.  Wilson  who  d.    June  22,    1865  ;  md.   (2d) 
March    16,    1867,    Louisa   J.  Hadley,    dau.   ol 
David  Hadley,  q.  v.     He  resides  in  this  town. 
XVI.  Joseph,  b.  Aug.    13,  1833  ;  resides  unmd.  in  New- 
ton, Ga.     He  is  a  planter  and  a  merchant. 
XVII.  Infayit,  d.  1835. 

XVIII.  Elmira,  b.  ;  d.  young. 

XIX.  Lucinda,  b.  ;  d.  young. 


James  Scollay  md.  April  2,  1807,  Dolly  Corey,  dau. 
of  Hezekiah  Corey,  and  removed  to  Gardner  where  he  was 
a  farmer.  He  was  an  influential  citizen  and  was  much 
employed  in   town   affairs.     He  d.  Dec.  1,  1852;  she  d. 

I.  Dolly,  b.  Nov.  8,  1808;  md.  April  16,  1829, 
Amasa  Whitney,  b.  in  Gardner  June  19,  1805, 
son  of  William  and  Anna  (Hey  wood)  Whitney; 
resided  in  Gardner;  he  d.  Jan.  21,  1871;  she 
d.  Oct.  25,  1843. 
II.  Sarah,  b.  Sept.  10,  1810  ;  md.  Nov.  21,  1840,  Dr. 
David  Parker  of  Gardner,  b.  March  18,  1802, 
son  of  David  and  Martha  (Carver)  Parker  of 
Westford ;    for    many   years    Dr.    Parker   was 


46 
47 

48 

49 


GENEALOGICAL  REGISTER.  893 

among   the   leading    physicians    of    Worcester 

county;  he  d.  1886  ;  she  d.  Jan.  26,  1870. 
in.  James,  b.  March  26,  1812;  md.   June  26,    1836, 

Lucy  jM.  Young  and  removed  to  St.  Louis,  Mo., 

where  he  d.  Jan.  14,  1874. 
IV,   Charles,  b.  Jan.  8,  1814  ;  resides  in   Gardner ;  he 

md.  Oct.  10,  1843,  Elizabeth  A.  Garfield,  b.  in 

Troy,  N.  H.,  Dec.  27,  1816,  dau.  of  Enoch  and 

Lucy  (Hodgkins)  Garfield. 
V.  Lucy,    b.   Aug.    26,    1816;  md.    Nov.    24,    1836, 

Alfred  H.  Brick,  b.  Jan.  26,  1815,  son  of  Elijah 

and  Sally  (Comee)  Brick;   she  d.  in  Fitchburar 

Nov.  19,  1846. 
VI.  Ezra,  b.  April  9,  1821  ;  d.  Nov.  26,  1841. 


Jacob  Sellham  was  one  of  the  German  emigrants  who 
settled  on  the  Dutch  farms.  Probably  he  had  a  home 
with  his  son,  Henry,  as  no  mention  of  a  wife  or  other 
children  is  found  in  the  records.  He  d.  in  Ashby  Aug. 
27,  1769,  aged  about  60  years. 


Hekrt  Sellham,  with  wife,  Catherine,  settled  on  the 
Dutch  farms  in  the  northeast  part  of  the  town  1758.  He 
was  elected  to  a  minor  office  at  the  first  town  meeting 
1765.  At  the  incorporation  of  Ashby  in  1767,  his  farm 
was  included  in  that  town.  So  long  as  he  remained  in 
Ashburnham  his  name  was  written  Sellham  or  Selham, 
but  as  soon  as  he  became  a  citizen  of  Ashby  he  was 
known  as  Sellenhani .  It  is  probable  that  he  removed  to 
northern  New  Hampshire  about  1775.  Three  children 
were  born  in  Ashburnham  and  one  in  Ashby. 

I.  Jacob,  b.  22,  1761. 

11.  Ayina,  b.  Feb.  24,  1763. 
m.  Elizabeth,  b.  Sept.  15,  1765. 
IV.   Catherine,  b.  Dec.  25,  1767. 


Joseph  Small,  b,  in  Canterbury,  N.  H.,  son  of  John 
and  Kezia  (Jackson)  Small,  removed  to  this  town  1855. 
He  is  a  blacksmith  ;  lives  at  North  Village.  He  md.  Nov. 
19,  1846,  Polly  Tottingham,  dau,  of  Moses  Tottingham, 
Jr.,  q.  V.  There  were  children  by  a  former  marriage  of 
Mr.  Small ;  among  them,  Arvilla  A.  Small  who  md.  Levi 
B.  Tottin'gham,  q.  v. 

J.  Joseph  i/.,b.  Jan.  9,  1853;  md.  April  11,   1878, 
Mary  M.  Elliot  of  Norton  Creek,  Canada.     He 


894 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


is  a  farmer  and  manufacturer  of  wood  ware  at 

North  Village.     Four  children. 

3 

II.  Lyman  P.,  b.  Oct.  2,  1858. 

4 

in.  Hattie  0.,  b.  March  4, 1861. 

SMITH. 

Dr.  Joshua  Smith,  a  physician  and  prominent  citizen  of  Shrewsbury, 
md.  Sarah  Prentice,  dau.  of  Rev.  John  Prentice  of  Lancaster.  He  d.  Jan. 
20,  1756.  Among  their  children  were  Joshua  Smith,  Esq.,  and  John  Prentice 
Smith  of  Ashburnham,  who  were  first  cousins  of  Rev.  John  Gushing.  Sarah 
(Prentice)  Smith  md.  (2d)  April  12,  1759,  Col.  Timothy  Brigham  of  Marl- 
boro' and  Southboro'.  After  his  deatli  she  came  to  Ashburnham  where  she 
d.  March  16,  1803,  aged  88. 


John  Prentice  Smith,  son  of   Dr.  Joshua  and   Sarah 
(Prentice)  Smith,  was  b.  in  Shrewsbury  Oct.    3,    1748. 

He  md.  Hepsibah and  came  to  this  town  in  1771  or 

1772.     He  was  an  innholder.     He  d.   July  18,  1774;  his 
widow  removed  to  Southboro'. 


I.  John,  b.  Aug.  11,  1773. 


Joshua  Smith,  Esq.,  a  brother  of  John  Prentice  Smith, 
was  b.  in  Shrewsbury  March  21,  1745.  He  removed  to 
Ashburnham  in  1785  and  occupied  a  prominent  position 
in  social  and  in  town  affairs.  He  formerly  resided  in 
Southboro'  and  had  been  a  town  clerk  and  a  Justice  of 
the  Peace,  but  his  commission  was  not  renewed  after  his 
removal  to  this  town,  yet  he  was  invariably  styled  Esquire 

Smith.     He  md.  Abigail who  d.  in  Southboro'  Oct. 

5,  1778  ;  md.  (2d)  Joanna  Stone,  b.  April  22,  1747,  dau. 
of  Rev.  Nathan  Stone,  first  minister  of  Southboro' ;  she 
d.  Nov.  26,  1808  ;  he  d.  March  2,  1826. 

I.   Timothy,  h.  Jan.  13,  1772. 
II.  Sarah,  b.  Sept.  10,  1773;  d.  Sept.  12,  1775. 

III.  Sally,  b.  Sept.  19,  1775;  md.   Jan.  11,  1796,  Dr. 

Melzer    D welly   of     Hanover ;    two     or    more 
children. 

1.  George  Wilder,  bap.  Aug.  14,  1796. 

2.  Sally,  b.  ;  md.  Asia  Phillips,  q.  v. 

IV.  Nabby,  b.  Oct.  5,  1777;  md.  April  22,  1807,  Dea. 

Josiah  Willard  of  Petersham. 
V.  Joanna,  b.  March  8,  1783. 

VI.  Molly,  b.  March  7,  1784;  d.  unmd.  June  1,  1823. 

VII.  Joshua,  b.  Dec.  16,  1785;  md.   April   18,    1809, 

Eunice  Townsend,  dau.  of  Reuben  Townsend, 

q.  V.     He  resided  on  the  home  farm  with  his 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  895 

father  aud  subsequently  lived  in  Winchendon, 
where  his  five  children  were  born,  and  in  Town- 
send  and  in  Bernardston.  Late  in  life  he 
removed  to  Westminster  where  he  d. 

1.  Lucy,  md.  Leonard  Mossman,  son  of  John, 

q.  V. 

2.  Eunice,  md.  Moses  Richardson  of  Leom- 

inster. 

3.  Joshua,  removed  to  Worcester. 

4.  Reuben  Townsend,    md.   Allen   and 

resided  in  Fitchburg. 

5.  Melzer,  md.  Rhoda  Sanders    and  lived  in 

Waltham. 

vm.  Sophia,  b.    Oct.  24,  1787;    md.    April   8,    1817, 
Jacob  Harris,  Jr.,  g.  v. 
IX.  Flavel,  b.  Oct.  3  ;  d.  Oct.  15,  1789. 


Jonathan  Warren  Smith,  son  of  Jacob  and  Kezia 
(Warren)  Smith,  was  b.  in  Shrewsbury  Feb.  26,  1748. 
With  wife  Catherine  he  came  to  Ashburnham  in  1774  or 
1775.  His  name  appears  on  the  roll  of  Capt.  Gates' 
company  of  minute-men  in  1775.  He  removed  in  1780 
to  Hubbardston. 

I.  xilice.  bap.  Aug.  27,  1775. 
II.  Joel,  bap.  May  4,  1777. 
III.  Sophia,  bap.  Feb.  21,  1779. 


Joseph  Smith,  b.  in  Westminster  Oct.,  1813,  son  of 
Jonas  and  Eunice  (Hartwell)  Smith,  md.  May,  1836, 
Abigail  Cutter,  dau.  of  Nathaniel  Cutter,  q.  v.  They 
resided  in  this  town  where  she  d.  July  25,  1850.  He  d. 
in  Lunenburg  Sept.  9,  1858. 

I.   Charles  Edwin,  b.  Jan.'  25,   1838  ;    md.  Nov.   16, 

1866,  Lizzie  Woodward  ;  reside  in  Athol. 
II.  Ellen  Arvilla,  b.  June  30,  1840  ;  d.  Jan.  6,  1843. 

III.  Franklin  Augustus,  b.  Oct.  3,  1843  ;    d.  April  16, 

1856. 

IV.  Alfred  Herbert,  b.  Sept.   15,  1845  ;  md.  May  27, 

1868,  Emma  J.  Dudley  ;    reside  in  Orange. 
V.  Abbie  Maria,  b.  July  6,  1850  ;   d.  1853. 


Samuel  Dexter  Smith,  a  brother  of  Joseph,  b.  in 
Westminster  Aug.,  1815,  md.  1838,  Mary  Barrett,  dau. 
of  Benjamin  Barrett,  q.  v.     She  d.  Dec.  31,  1839;  md. 


896 


HISTORY    OF    ASHBURNHAM. 


31 


33 
34 

35 

36 
37 

38 
39 


(2d)  1840,  Celia  F.  Arnold  of  Lunenburg.  He  d.  in 
Fitehburg  Dec.  29,  1879.  One  child  was  b.  in  this  town. 
No  additional  record  has  been  received. 

I.  Mary  Elizabeth,  b.  Oct.  31,  1842. 

Andrew  J.  Smith,  a  brother  of  Joseph  and  Samuel  D., 
was  b.  in  Westminster  Sept.  19,  1819;  md.  Aug.  16, 
1848,  Maria  Savage  of  Fitehburg.     He  d.  Aug.  17,  1880. 

I.  Arabel  M.,  b.  Nov.  1,  1849;    md.  Nov.  1,  1875, 
Edward  G.  Newell  of  Ashby. 

II.  Walter  J.,  b.  Sept.  21,  1851;    md.  Jan.    1,  1879, 

Emma  A.  Coggshall ;    he  is  a  blacksmith   and 
machinist  in  this  town. 

III.  Clinton  J.,  b.  Nov.  27,  1854;  md.  Nov.  25,  1875, 

Sarah  Louise  Stowell ;   resides  in  Winchendon. 

IV.  Harlow  J.,  b.  Oct.  8,  1853  ;  d.  Oct.  1,  1854. 

V.  Harloio  B.,  b.  Oct.  27,  1856  ;  md.  Aug.  27,  1879, 

Lorilla  A.  Holt,  a  farmer  in  Ashb}-. 
VI.  Milton    TF.,  b.  Aug.  14,  1862;   d.  Feb.  2,  1865. 
VII.  Abbie  TF.,  b.  May  1,  1866  ;  d.  March  13,  1868. 


SPALDING. 

This  name  was  generally  written  Spaulding  in  the  early  records,  but  is 
rarely  met  in  any  form  in  this  town  during  the  past  sixty  years.  Benjamin 
and  James  Spalding  were  early  residents  of  this  town;  they  were  brothers 
and  descendants  in  the  fifth  generation  of  Edward  Spalding  of  Braintree  and 
Chelmsford.  The  lineage  is  clearly  traced  in  the  Spalding  Memorial.  The 
second  wife  of  James,  the  father  of  Benjamin  and  James  Spalding,  d.  in  this 
town  March  21,  1812,  aged,  says  Mr.  Gushing,  between  80  and  90. 


Benjamin  Spalding  was  b.  in  Westford  March  15, 
1737-8.  He  was  a  son  of  James  and  grandson  of  Andrew 
Spalding.  About  1760  he  settled  in  the  northeast  part  of 
Dorchester  Canada,  and  his  name  appears  in  the  minutes 
of  the  properietors'  meetings  and  in  the  list  of  town 
officers  chosen  in  March,  1767.  In  1769  he  was  a  peti- 
tioner to  be  annexed  to  Ashby,  but  his  request  was  denied 
by  the  General  Court.  His  name  appears  from  time  to 
time  in  the  records,  until  he  removed,  probably  before  the 
Revolution,  to  Jaflfrey,  N.  H.  He  md.  1759,  Sarah 
Chandler,  b.  Feb.  3,  1738-9,  dau.  of  William  and  Susanna 
(Burge)  Chandler  of  Westford;  she  d.  in  Jaflfrey  Oct.  3, 
1796.  He  md.  (2d)  April  29,  1797,  Betsey  Whitcomb 
Flood,  widow  of  Dea.  James  Flood  of  Marlboro',  N.  H., 
and  removed  to  her  home,  where  he  d.  1810.  Of  his 
eleven  children  it  is  probable  that  six  were  b.  in  this 
town. 


GKNEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  897 

James  Spalding,  a  brother  of  Benjamin,  was  b.  in 
Westford  Aug.  31,  1748.  He  md.  in  Westford  Sept.  26, 
17fi9,  Hannah  Barron,  b.  July  17,  1747,  dau.  of  Timothy 
Barron  of  Westford.  He  removed  to  Lyme,  N.  H.,  but 
settled  in  this  town  near  Great  Watatie,  about  1773.  It 
is  probable  he  came  at  the  time  or  soon  after  the  removal 
of  his  brother.  Living  in  the  extreme  part  of  the  town 
he  was  closely  allied  in  all  social  relations  with  the  people 
of  New  Ipswich  and  attended  church  in  that  place.  At 
the  Lexington  alarm  it  is  claimed  that  he  was  a  volunteer, 
and  the  absence  of  his  name  on  the  rolls  of  the  two  com- 
panies from  Ashburnham  would  not  be  evidence  that  he 
was  not  a  member  of  the  New  Ipswich  company.  In 
three  volumes  of  local  history,  deservedly  holding  an 
enviable  position  in  that  field  of  literature,  will  be  found 
reference  to  this  military  service  in  these  words  :  "When 
the  alarm  of  Concord  fight  was  given  he  started  immedi- 
ately for  the  scene  of  action,  while  his  wife  and  eldest  son 
spent  the  afternoon  of  that  day  on  the  summit  of  Watatie, 
where  they  saw  the  smoke  of  the  burning  buildings,  and 
distinctly  heard  the  report  of  the  British  cannon."  It  is 
fifty  miles  from  Watatie  to  Concord,  but  the  question  of 
the  distance  is  unimportant  in  this  connection.  The 
intelligence  of  the  affray  at  Lexington  and  Concord  did 
not  reach  Ashburnham  and  New  Ipswich  until  the 
hostilities  had  ceased  and  the  soldiers  did  not  leave  either 
Ashburnham  or  New  Ipswich  until  evening.  Even  if  the 
smoke  could  be  seen  in  the  distance  to  what  burning 
buildings  is  reference  made? 

James  Spalding  continued  a  residence  in  this  town, 
enjoying  the  respect  and  confidence  of  his  townsmen. 
His  wife  d.  Sept.  3,  1814  ;  he  md.  (2d)  Elizabeth  Wilkins, 
widow  of  John  Wilkins  of  New  Ipswich,  and  subsequently 
resided  in  New  Ipswich,  where  he  d.  June  8,  1832  ;  his 
widow  d.  March  3,  1841. 

I.  Jonathan^  b.  Aug.  23,  1770.-}- 
II.  James,  b.  Jan.  17,  1772  ;  md.  in  Dedham  Jan.  6, 
1796,  Sally  Fairbanks  and  settled  in  Lempster, 
N.  H.,  near  his  brother  Jonathan  and  sister 
Betsey,  the  wife  of  Nathan  Jones.  He  d.  in 
Acworth,  N.  H.,  Dec.  10,  1847  ;  his  widow  d. 
March  11,  1848.     Fourteen  children. 

III.  Hannah,   b.  Sept.  26,    1774;  md.    Oct.  7,   1794, 

Abel  Prescott  of  Groton,  and  d.  Aug.  17,  1854  ; 
he  d.  Sept.  18,  1841. 

IV.  Amy,  b.  July  29,  1776  ;  d.  Sept.  10,  1780. 

V.  Betsey,  b.  Aug.  10,  1778  ;  md.  Nathan  Jones,  son 
of  Enos  Jones,  q.  v. 
57 


898 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


9 

VII 

10 

VIII. 

11 

IX 

12 

X 

13 

XI 

14 
15 

(3) 


16 


Nathan  Barron^  b.  April  30,  1780.  He  was  a 
physician  ;  practised  Ms  profession  in  Randolph 
and  Montpelier,  Vt.  ;  d.  in  Manchester,  N.  H., 
May  17,  1861.  He  md.  Dec.  8,  1807,  Sophia 
Fish  who  d.  Feb.  24,  1844 ;  md.  (2d)  Sophia 
Haseltine.     Eight  childi-en. 

Mary,  b.  Nov.  25,  1781  ;  md.  Jonas  Nutting,  q.  v. 

Isaac,  b.  July  8,  1783.+ 

Phinehas,  b.  Jan.  16,  1785  ;  d.  Oct.  8,  1800. 

Sally,  b.  July  15,  1787  ;  d.  Feb.  6,  1808. 

Joseph,  b.  July  5,  1791  ;  md.  1808,  Betsey  (Hast- 
ings) Randall,  dau.  of  Capt.  Charles  Hastings, 
q.  V.  He  resided  a  few  years  in  this  town  and 
d.  in  the  State  of  New  York  1815. 

1.  Sylvia,  b.  Feb.   21,  1809;  md.   May  29, 

1827,  Atherton  Munroe. 

2.  Charles. 


Jonathan  Spalding  md.  Nov.  29,  1792,  Milly  Bennett, 
dau.  of  Capt.  James  Bennett,  q.  v.  He  settled  in  Lemp- 
ster,  N.  H.,  where  he  was  a  farmer  and  in  the  winter 
season  a  school-teacher.  He  was  frequently  chosen  to 
positions  of  trust.  In  1809  he  returned  to  Ashburnham 
and  lived  on  the  homestead  with  his  father.  In  1814  he 
was  stricken  with  paralysis  ;  his  father  removed  to  New 
Ipswich  and  soon  after  he  went  to  Jericho,  Vt.,  where  he 
d.  Jan.  23,  1823  ;  his  widow  d.  Nov.  2,  1853. 

I.  Sewell,  b.  April  18,  1792.  Enlisting  at  New- 
Ipswich  and  serving  in  the  New  Hampshire 
forces  he  was  at  Portsmouth  in  the  War  of 
1812.  He  md.  1820,  Abigail  Gilman  and 
settled  in  Underbill,  Vt.,  where  he  d.  April  5, 
1843. 
II.  Hosea,  b.  Dec.  27, 1794  ;  md.  Jan.  20,  1820,  Lucy 
Kidder,  dau.  of  John  Kidder  of  Ashby  ;  removed 
to  Jericho,  Vt. 
III.  James,  b.  Sept.  11,  1796  ;  he  was  in  the  service  at 
Portsmouth  with  his  brother  Sewell.  He  was 
stricken  with  fever  and  ever  after  was  deaf. 
He  was  a  great  reader,  a  thoughtful,  intelligent 
man.  He.md.  Oct.  14,  1819,  Sophia  Kidder, 
b.  Aug.  21,  1800,  dau.  of  John  Kidder;  she  d. 
Feb.  20,  1854  ;  md.  (2d)  Jan.  6,  1859,  Caroline 
Wetherbee.  He  resided  in  New  Ipswich.  Six 
children. 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTEK 


899 


Id 

20 
21 
22 
23 
24 

(10) 

25 
26 

27 


IV.  ^^va,  b.  June  11,  1798  ;  rad.  Jan.  28,  1818,  Lydia 

Taylor;  d.   at   Glen's    Falls,   N.  Y.,    April   9, 
1856. 

V.  Nathan  P.,  b.  March  27,  1800;  d.  Jan.  23,   1850; 

md.  Mabel  Bentley.     No  children. 

VI.  Emih/,    h.  June    14,    1802;  md.   Feb.    18,    1822, 

Eber  Bartlett  of  Jericho,  Vt. 
VII.  Amasa  A.,  b.  May  15,  1806;  md.  Jan.   10,  1833, 

Isabel  L.  Hyde  ;  d.  July  23,  1839, 
VIII.  3fary,h.  March  1,  1809  ;  md.  1828,  L.  Woodward 

of  Jericho,  Vt. 
IX.  Sophia,  b.  Sept.   17,   1814;  md.   Harvey  Hatch; 

removed  to  Hadley,  N.  Y. 


Isaac  Spalding  md.  April  28,  1808,  Lydia  Brown  who 
d.  Feb.  6, 1836  ;  md.  (2d)  April  27,  1837,  Martha  Leigh- 
ton  Parker,  b.  1794,  dau.  of  Reuben  and  Hannah 
(Hildreth)  Leighton  and  widow  of  Addison  Parker  of 
Westford. 

I.  William  Safford,  b.  May  4,  1809  ;  vide  page  500  ; 
md.  Dec.  22,  1841,  Harriet  B.  Nettleton.  He 
d.  June  10,  1884. 
11.  Josiah  Worcester,}). 'Nov.  14,  1810;  md.  Nov.  29, 
1832,  Emeline  Wright;  resided  in  Pepperell 
and  in  New  Jersey. 
III.  Phineas  Broicn,  b.  Oct.  14,  1815 ;  md.  Lydia 
Fish  ;  removed  to  Beloit,  Wis. 


John  F.  Stagey,  b.  in  Burlington,  Vt.,  Sept.  8,  1844, 
son  of  John  Stacey,  md.  Sept.  8,  1869,  Nellie  L.  Dal- 
rymple,  b.  Oct.  5,  1850,  dau.  of  John  Dalrymple.  He 
removed  to  this  town  in  1872,  and  is  a  chair  maker  at 
South  Village. 

I.   Carl  Leone,  b.  July  15,  1877. 


STEARNS. 

Isaac  Stearns,  probably  from  Nayland,  Suffolk,  England,  came  to  New 
England  in  1630,  in  the  ship  with  Gov.  Winthrop,  and  settled  in  Watertown, 
Mass.,  near  Mt.  Auburn.  He  was  admitted  freeman  May  18,  1631,  which  is 
the  earliest  date  of  such  admissions.  He  was  selectman  several  years,  and 
in  1647,  with  Mr.  Biscoe,  he  was  appointed  by  the  selectmen  •'  to  consider 
how  the  bridge  over  the  river  shall  be  built,  and  to  agree  with  the  workmen 
for  doing  it  according  to  their  best  discretion."  He  d.  June  19,  1671,  leaving 
a  widow,  Mary,  who  d.  April  2,  1677.  The  signature  to  his  will  is  written 
Sternes,  and  in  England  the  name  has  generally  been  written  Sterne.  The 
Anglo-Saxon  of  the  name  of  the  bird,  the  starling,  which  appears  upon  the 
coat-of-arms  of  this  family,  is  steam,  and  in  other  dialects  it  is  stern,  and 
and  also. s^arw,  which  is  probably  associated  with  the  origin  of  the  name. 
The  present  orthography  has  been  more  recently  adopted. 


900  HISTORY    OF    ASHBURNHAM. 

John  Stearns,  son  of  Isaac  Stearns,  the  emigrant  ancestor,  probahly  was 
b.  after  the  settlement  in  Watertown  and  about  1631.  He  was  one  of  the  first 
settlers  of  Billerica,  where  his  descendants  have  been  numerous  and  have 
been  conspicuous  in  the  annals  of  that  town.  He  nid.  Sarah  Mixer,  only 
dau.  of  Isaac  Mixer  of  Watertown.  She  d.  June  18,  1656;  he  md.  (2d) 
Not.  26,  1656,  Mary  Lothrop,  b.  Oct.  4,  1640,  dau.  of  Thomas  Lothrop  of 
Barnstable.  He  d.  March  5,  1668-9;  his  widow  md.  May  6,  1669,  William 
French  of  Billerica,  and  md.  (3d)  1687,  Isaac  Mixer  of  Watertown.  Among 
the  six  children  of  John  Stearns  were  John  and  Isaac  whose  descendants 
have  been  permanent  residents  of  Ashburnham. 

John  Stearns,  the  eldest  son,  was  b.  in  Billerica  May,  1654;  md.  Elizabeth 
Bigelow,  b.  June  15,  1G57,  dau.  of  John  and  Mary  (Warren)  Bigelow  of 
Watertown.  She  d.  April  18,  1694;  he  md.  (2d)  Joanna  (Call)  Parker, 
widow  of  Jacob  Parker  and  dau.  of  Thomas  and  Joanna  (Shepardson)  Call 
of  Maiden.  He  was  a  captain  ;  "  was  much  respected  and  had  much  influ- 
ence." John  Stearns,  son  of  John  and  Elizabeth  (Bigelow)  Stearns,  b.  in 
Billerica  Nov.  25,  1686,  md.  Esther  Johnson,  b.  1691,  dau.  of  Edward 
Johnson  of  Woburn.  He  d.  Aug.  2,  1776;  his  widow  d.  April  18,  1786. 
Hon.  Isaac  Stearns,  son  of  John  and  Esther  (Johnson)  Stearns,  wash,  in 
Billerica  June  16,  1722.  He  md.  Feb.  11,  1747-8,  Sarah  Abbott,  b.  April 
22,  1728,  dau.  of  Obed  Abbott  of  Bedford.  He  was  a  soldier  in  the  French 
War,  a  representative,  senator  and  a  magistrate,  and  prominent  in  town  and 
colonial  affairs.  He  was  one  of  the  proprietors  of  Dorchester  Canada  and 
owned  at  diflerent  times  many  acres  of  land  in  the  township.  He  frequently 
attended  the  meetings  of  the  proprietors  and  was  a  controlling  spirit  in  the 
organization.  After  the  settlement  of  his  sons  in  this  town  he  was  accus- 
tomed to  visit  them.  In  Sept.,  1806,  at  that  time  84  years  of  age  and  his 
wife  78,  the  aged  parents  rode  from  Billerica  in  one  day  and  returned  home 
a  few  days  later.  He  d.  March  23,  1808;  she  d.  Jan.  9,  1815.  Among  their 
children  were  Isaac  and  William  Stearns  of  Ashburnham.  Another  son, 
John,  who  resided  in  Billerica,  was  the  father  of  Gov.  Onslow  Stearns  of 
New  Hampshire  and  of  Franklin  Stearns  who  md.  Sally  Lane,  dau.  of  Ben- 
jamin, q.  V. 

Isaac  Stearns,  son  of  John  and  Mary  (Lothrop)  Stearns  and  a  half  brother 
of  John  who  was  b.  1654,  was  b.  in  Billerica  Dec.  23,  1661,  and  after  the 
death  of  his  father  was  apprenticed  to  his  step-father,  William  French. 
He  md.  Mary  Merriam  and  resided  in  Billerica,  where  he  d.  1739.  His 
eldest  son,  Isaac  Stearns,  b.  Aug.  21,  1701,  md.  Alice  Wilson,  b.  Nov.  12, 
1703,  dau.  of  John  and  Elizabeth  (Foster)  Wilson.  He  d.,  leaving  a  good 
estate,  Sept.  20,  1739;  his  widow  md.  Sept.  14,  1741,  John  Pollard;  she  d. 
Nov.  4,  1756.  Elijah  Stearns,  son  of  Isaac,  b.  June  15,  1735,  leaving  the 
home  of  his  ancestors,  settled  in  Rutland.  He  md.  Feb.  20,  1760,  Lucy  Lane, 
b.  May  3,  1732,  dau.  of  Job  Lane  and  an  aunt  of  Col.  Francis  Lane  of  this 
town.  He  d.  Oct.  3,  1801 ;  his  wife  d.  Aug.  4,  1793.  Capt.  Josiah  Stearns, 
son  of  Capt.  Elijah,  was  b.  in  Rutland  June  18,  1769;  md.  Jan.  28,  1795, 
Ruth  Hunt  of  Milton  and  settled  in  Leominster. 


Isaac  Stearns,  b.  in  Billerica  June  13,  1770,  son  of 
Hon.  Isaac  Stearns,  md.  Dec.  18,  1777,  Mary  Crosby,  b. 
May  16,  1754,  dau.  of  Jessaniah  and  Mary  (Hosley) 
Crosby  of  Billerica.  He  removed  to  this  town  in  1778 
and  settled  in  the  northeast  part  of  the  town.  He  lived 
on  intimate  terms  with  his  pastor,  and,  while  living  in 
the  extreme  part  of  the  town,  he  was  constant  in 
attendance  on  the  Sabbath  and  week-day  meetings.  He 
d.  April  30,  1807  ;  his  widow  d. . 


12 

(4) 


13 
14 
15 
16 

.(6) 


GENEALOGICAL    REGISTER.  901 

I.  Betsey,  b.  Aug.  30,  1778;  d.  uniud.  Nov.  (i,  1854. 
ir.  Isaac,  b.  March  12,  1780;  d.  June  16,  1781. 

III.  Isaac,  b.  Oct.  28,  1781.+ 

IV.  Mary,  b.  Feb.  19,  1783  ;  md.  April  29,  1806,  Job 

Davis. 

V.  Jesse,  h.  Aug.  29,  1784.-{- 

VI.  Sarah,  b.  Feb.  4,  1786  ;  rad.  Job  Davis. 
VII.  Martha,  b.  Oct.   19,   1787;    md.   April    8,    1818, 
Capt.  Sewell  Fiske  of  Weston,  son  of  Jonathan 
and  Abigail  (Fiske)  Fiske.     Eight  children. 
VIII.   Orpah,  b.  May  19,  1789  ;    rad.  Joel  Davis,  q.  v. 

IX.  John,  b.   March  11,    1791  ;    d.   unmd.    Sept.    10, 

1824.  Vide  page  497. 
X.  Abigail,  b.  Jan.  31,  1793;  md.  June  5,  1818, 
Chauncey  Perry,  b.  Feb.  8,  1788,  son  of  John 
and  Abigail  (Bigelow)  Perry  of  Rindge  ;  resided 
in  New  Ipswich.  Their  sons  :  John  Philander, 
Albert  and  Isaac  Stearns  were  clergyman. 
Chauncey,  Jr.,  and  Timothy  were  lawyers  in 
Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

XI.  Alice,  b.  July  11,  1796  ;  d.  May  28,  1812. 


Isaac  Stearns  md.  Nov.  7,  1822,  Belinda  Bedlow,  b. 

j  in  Hingham  Nov.  18,  1791,  dau.    of  Stephen  and   Sarah 

Bedlow  of  Hingham  and  Ashby.     This  name  was  formerly 

wiitten  Badlam.     From    the  date   of  his  marriage  until 

1840  he  lived  in  Rindge. 

I.  Sarah,  b.  Sept.  27,  1823;  d.  Feb.  12,  1824. 
II.  Isaac,  b.  Sept.  24,  1825. 

III.  Sarah  Whitney,  b.  Dec.  24,  1827. 

IV.  Albert,  b.  Dec.  20,  1833. 


17 


Jesse  Stkarns  was  a  popular  school-teacher  over 
twenty  years  and  was  known  as  Master  Jesse  Stearns. 
In  1820  he  removed  to  New  Ipswich  and  since  that  date 
the  Isaac  Stearns  family  has  not  been  represented  in  this 
town.  Master  Jesse  Stearns  was  a  man  of  quick  intuitions, 
active  and  alert  in  his  movements,  and  kind,  honest  and 
honorable  in  his  intercourse  with  his  fellow-men.  He 
was  a  farmer  and  supplemented  his  other  employments 
with  that  of  surveyor  and  conveyancer.  He  md.  June  6, 
1811,  Lucinda  Davis,  dau.  of  Josiah  and  Abigail  (Hub- 
bard) Davis  of  New  Ipswich.  He  d.  Nov.  18,  1866  ;  his 
widow  d.  Oct.  9,  1868. 

I.  Jesse  George  Davis,  h.  Feb.  24,  1812.      Vide  page 
499.     In  the  notice  of  Rev.  Stearns  the  date  of 


902 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


18 


21 


24 


removal  of  the  family  to  New  Ipswich  is  incor- 
rectly stated  1829  He  md.  June  27,  1843, 
Lucy  Murdock  of  Rutland. 
II.  Eveline  Lucinda^  b.  Feb.  16,  1814;  md.  Nov.  4, 
1835,  Rev.  Samuel  S.  Tappan  ;  she  d.  in  Con- 
way, N.  H.,  March  27,  1850. 

III.  Josiah  31.,  b.  June  17,  1818.      Vide  page  503. 

IV.  Isaac  C.,h,  Feb.  28,  1820;    md.  Wheeler; 

resides  in  Minnesota. 
V.  Abigail  M.,  b.  July  24,  1822  ;   md.  Oct.  28,  1847, 

Rev.  Senaca  Cummings,  b.  in  Antrim,  N.  H., 

May    16,    1847,   son   of   Samuel    and    Joanna 

(Wyman)   Cummings  ;  a  missionary  in  China. 

He  d.  in  New  Ipswich  1856. 
VI.  Lucj/  E.,  b.  April  13,    1824;    md.  Sept.  6,   1852, 

Rev.  Charles  Hartwell  of  Lincoln  ;  a  missionary 

in  China;  she  d.  in  China. 
vn.  John  Newton,  b.  May  24,  1829  ;    secretary  of  the 

National   Temperance   Society    in  New  York ; 

resides  in  Brooklyn. 


25 

26 

27 

28 

29 
30 
31 


William  Stkakns,  brother  of  Isaac,  b.  in  Billerica 
Aug.  4,  1752,  md.  Sept.  25,  1777,  Lydia  Davis,  and 
settled  in  this  town  1778.  For  two  or  three  years  the 
brothers  had  been  clearing  land  owned  by  their  father 
and  had  been  in  this  town  a  part  of  the  summer  season. 
Their  houses  were  about  one-eighth  of  a  mile  apart  and  the 
farm  of  William  remains  in  possession  of  his  descendants. 
He  was  a  man  of  good  ability  and  commanded  in  an 
eminent  degree  the  respect  and  confidence  of  his  neigh- 
bors.    He  d.  July  12,  1826  ;  his  widow  d.  July  31,  1835. 

I.  William,  h.  June  19,  1778;  md.  Feb.  12,  1801, 
Betsey  Davis,  dan.  of  Dea.  Thaddeus  Davis  of 
Bedford.  He  lived  in  Bedford,  wliere  he  d. 
Sept.  29,  1823 ;  she  d.  July  27,  1844.  Six 
children. 

II.  Lydia,  b.  March  28,  1780;  md.  Samuel  Foster, 
Jr.,  q.  V. 

III.  Solomon,  b.  June  18,  1782;    a  merchant  in    New 

Orleans;  d.  unmd.  Feb.  9,  1815. 

IV.  ^Isa,  b.  Oct.  14,  1784;    vide  page  494  ;    d.  unmd. 

Dec.  19,  1809. 
V.   Timothy,  b.  Sept.  1,  1786.-f- 

VI.   Calle,  b.  March  24,  1789  ;   nid.  John  Farrar,  q.  v. 

VII.   Charles,  b.  March  21,    1791  ;  md.  Oct     19,  1821, 

Rebecca   Converse,  b.    Feb.    18,  1794,  dau.  of 

Zebulon    and    Sarah    (Merriam)    Converse    of 


32 


33 


(29) 


34 


35 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  903 

Rindge.  He  was  an  ensign  of  the  militia  in 
1814,  but  soon  removed  to  New  Ipswich,  where 
he  d.  March  6,  1838  ;  she  d.  in  Lowell  Sept.  3, 
1870.     Four  children. 

Roxanna,  b.  May  7,  1793;  md.  Feb.  15,  1821, 
Rev.  Amasa  Jones,  b.  April  18,  1796,  son  of  Asa 
Jones  of  Rindge.  He  was  a  missionar)'^  among 
the  Indians.  He  d.  in  Missouri  April  17,  1870  ; 
she  d.  Oct.  17,  1875. 

Charlotte,  b.  Sept.  8,  1795;  md.  Reuben  Rice, 
Jr.,  q.  V. 


Capt.  Timothy  Stearns  lived  on  the  homestead  of  his 
father,  now  of  his  son  Edwin  J.  Stearns.  He  was  a 
captain  of  the  militia,  a  town  officer  many  years  and  an 
able,  influential  citizen.  In  1843,  without  disposing  of 
the  farm,  he  set  out  wilh  his  family  for  Missouri.  He  d. 
during  the  journey  and  his  family,  after  a  brief  residence 
at  Little  Osage,  Mo.,  returned  to  this  town.  He  md. 
Jan.  26,  1820,  Eliza  Adams,  dau.  of  Capt.  Ebenezer 
Thomas  Adams,  q.  v.  He  d.  Oct.  25,  1843  ;  she  d.  July 
18,  1883. 

I.  Eliza  Eoxanna,  b.  Jan.  2,  1821  ;  md.  Oct.  1, 
1842,  Cecil  D.  Ball  of  Little  Osage,  Mo.  He  d. 
Nov.  24,  1860;  she  md.  (2d)  June  2,  1863, 
Col.  Robert  W.  McNeil.  They  reside  at 
Nevada,  Mo. 

II.  Mary  Adams,  b.  July  21,  1822;  md.  June,  1844, 
Isaac  D.  Stearns,  b.  July  21,  1821,  son  of 
William  and  Betsey  (Davis)  Stearns,  q.  v. 
They  resided  several  years  in  Missouri.  She  d. 
in  this  town  July  11,  1854. 

III.  Timothy    Wray,  b.    Sept.   30,    1824;  d.   Oct.    16, 

1825. 

IV.  Timothy   Wray,    b.   March    16,    1826 ;  resided    at 

Little  Osage,  Mo.  ;  d.  uumd.  Oct.,  1885. 
V.    William  Dike,  b.  Feb.  17,    1828;  d.  uumd.  Nov. 

17,  1861. 
VI.  Echoin  Jeivett,  b.  Jan.  17,  1831  ;  a  farmer  in  Ash- 
burnham  ;  md.  Nov.  27,   1862,   Mary  Elizabeth 
"Weston,  dau.  of  James  A.  Weston,  q.  v. 

1.  Edwin  Weston,  b.  Aug.  20,  1863. 

2.  Nellie  Lizzie,  b.  Dec.  9,  1871. 

VII.  Emma  Lincoln,  b.  Jan.  30,  1833  ;  md.  April  26, 
1862,  Charles  E.  Burnap  of  Fitchburg  ;  he  d. 
;  she  md.  (2d)  Oct.  14,  1875,  Jonas  Wood,, 


904 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


43 


44 


45 


b.  Oct.  15,  1819,  son  of  David  and  Mary  (Earl) 

Wood.     They  reside  in  Rindge. 
Urania  Anderson,  b.  Oct.  23,   1835  ;  md.  Jan.  1, 

1857,  John  P.  Whitney,  son   of  William   and 

Fanny  (Lincoln)  Whitney  of  Ashby ;  reside  in 

Ashby. 
Joseph  Henry,    b.    Feb.    12,     1838;    md.    1868, 

Martha   C.  Bradshaw ;  md.   (2d)   1879,    Addie 

Modrel,  both  of  Little  Osage,  Mo.,  where   he 

resides. 


46 


47 

48 


49 


50 
51 


52 


Charles  Stearns  was  b.  in  Leominster  Aug.  23,  1796, 
I  son  of  Capt.  Josiah  and  Ruth  (Hunt)  Stearns.  He  came 
to  Ashburnham  1820  and  for  ten  years  owned  and  con- 
ducted the  post  route  from  Ashburnham  to  Worcester. 
He  md.  Jan.  1,  1824,  Rebecca  Greene  Robbins,  b.  Feb. 
9,  1802,  dau.  of  Baruch  and  Polly  (Bailey)  Robbins  of 
Sterling.  He  removed  at  the  time  of  his  marriage  to  the 
house  in  which  he  lived  until  his  death,  and  which  is  still 
occupied  by  his  venerable  widow  and  their  eldest  daughter. 
About  1830  he  sold  the  post  route  to  Ivers  White  and  was 
subsequenth'  employed  as  a  shoemaker.  Mr.  Stearns 
was  a  man  of  good  ability,  affable  in  manner  and  unfail- 
ing in  kindness  to  his  fellow-men.  He  was  much  em- 
ployed in  town  affairs.  He  was  a  deputy-sheriff  ten  years. 
He  served  his  townsmen  as  selectman  and  on  many  impor- 
tant committees  and  was  town  clerk  twenty-four  years. 
The  records  by  him  transcribed  are  in  a  plain  hand  and  in 
lucid  and  concise  terms.     He  d.  suddenly,  July  11,  1874. 

I.  Emma  Hobart,  b.  Dec.  18,  1824;  md.  1851, 
Charles  Wright  of  Northfleld,  son  of  Phinehas 
and  Betsey  (Hunt)  Wright.  They  resided  in 
Worcester,  Springfield,  Ohio,  and  in  Ashburn- 
ham, where  he  d.  Jan.  1,  1880. 
II.   Charles  Lorenzo,  b.  Aug.  31,  1826;  d.  1839. 

III.  Rebecca  Hill,  b.  Sept.  3,  1828  ;  md.  Capt.  Addison 

A.  Walker,  q.  v. 

IV.  Josephine  Pierce,  b.  Sept.  3,  1830  ;  md.  Hartwell 

Tenney,  q.  v. 
V.  Francis  Barnet,  b.  July  20,  1833  ;  d.  1833. 
VI.   George  Henry,  b.  Sept.  28,  1834  ;  in  the  Civil  War 
was  a  musician  in  the  Brigade  Baud,  Twentieth 
Army  Corps  ;  md.  Jan.,  1873,  Martha  J.  Greene 
of  Coleraine  ;  resides  in  Ashburnham. 
VII.   Cassius    Clement,  h.    Aug.   23,    1838 ;  md.    1873, 
Gertrude    Bottomly.       His   musical   taste    and 
ability  were  manifested  at  an  early  age,  and  his 


-53 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  905 

proficient  execution  in  boyhood  is  pleasantly 
remembered  by  the  residents  of  his  native  town. 
He  played  the  bass  viol  in  the  Congregational 
choir  before  his  stature  would  permit  him  to 
reach  the  strings,  and  Mr.  Miller,  who  was 
chorister  at  the  time,  made  a  cricket  for  him  to 
stand  upon.  After  a  thorough  study  of  the 
piano  and  organ  witli  B.  F.  Leavens  and  of  the 
violoncello  with  Wulf  Fries,  he  removed  to 
Worcester  in  1859,  where  he  has  been  organist 
and  director  of  music  in  several  church  choirs. 
But  he  is  best  known  as  a  teacher  and  composer 
of  music.  His  compositions  include  masses, 
church  music,  piano  studies  and  &ongs.  Mr. 
Stearns  has  given  an  apt  expression  of  his  love 
of  his  native  town  and  a  sensitive  appreciation 
of  its  scenic  attractions  in  several  musical  com- 
positions suggested  by  and  dedicated  to  the 
mountains  and  lakes  of  the  landscape. 


Leonard  Stearns,  from  New  Ipswich,  removed  to  this 
town  in  1823.  He  resided  on  the  old  common  and  was 
engaged  in  trade  a  short  time  in  the  store  formerly  of  the 
Gushing  family  and  later  of  Charles  Hastings  and  the 
Stimsons.  In  1825  he  returned  to  New  Ipswich  and  in 
1833  he  removed  to  Lincoln,  where  he  d.  in  1834,  aged 
46  years.  He  md.  Sarah  Colburn  of  Lincoln.  Among 
their  children  Richard  H.  Stearns  of  the  well-known  dry 
goods  firm  of  Boston  was  b.  in  this  town  Dec.  25,  1824. 


David  Stedman  lived  in  Ashburnham  from  about  1774 
to  1786.  He  was  a  soldier  in  tlie  Revolution,  an  assessor 
1781  and  1782  and  is  frequently  named  in  the  records, 
but  his  early  and  later  record  is  unknown.  There  is  no 
record  in  this  town  of  his  marriage  but  Jesse  and  Betty 
ai  e  witnesses  of  the  fact. 

I.  Jesse^  b.  Dec.  11,  1781. 
II.  Betty,  b.  Jan.  8,  1784. 


Joseph  Steele  lived  many  years  in  the  north  part  of 
the  town.  The  cellar  hole  at  the  "Steele  place"  is  the 
only  visible  witness  of  his  home.  He  is  a  sprightly 
character  in  tradition  and  of  no  former  resident  of  this 
town  can  one  hear  as  much  and  learn  as  little.  That  he 
was  a  German  is  swiftly  disputed  by  the  assertion  of 
others   that  he   was   an   Irishman,    qualified  by  a  small 


906 


HISTORY    OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


minority  who  tliink  he  might  have  been  a  Yankee  or  an 
Engjlishman.  Leaving  a  fruitful  field  of  conjecture  we 
find  his  name  in  the  certainties  of  life  —  the  tax  list  and 
record  of  death.  He  came  to  Ashburnham  about  1790 
and  d.  Oct.  22,  1821,  and  an  habitual  doubt  attended  his 
decease  as  Mr.  Gushing  was  uncertain  of  his  age  and 
records  85  or  86  years.     His  widow  d.  July  10,  1836. 


STEVENS. 

Samuel  Small  Stevens  of  Ashburnham  was  a  descendant  of  the  Chelms- 
ford family  of  Stevens,  where  his  ancestors  through  several  generations 
have  resided.  Samuel  Stevens,  a  son  of  Richard  Stevens,  was  b.  in  the 
Block  House  at  Chelmsford  1708.  He  md.  March  4,  1731,  Ruth  Wright  of 
Westford  and  lived  in  Chelmsford,  where  he  d.  Dec.  21,  1792.  Simeon 
Stevens,  his  son,  b.  1735,  md.  July  19,  1764,  Elizabeth  Wright  of  Westford. 
He.  d.  in  Chelmsford  July  22,  1815.  His  widow  d.  1821.  Abel  Stevens, 
son  of  Simeon,  b.  in  Chelmsford  in  April,  1775,  lived  in  Westford.  He  md. 
Oct.  12,  1802,  Betsey  Putnam,  dau.  of  John  Putnam  of  Fitchburg.  Among 
their  children  was  Samuel  Small  Stevens  of  Ashburnham. 


Samuel  Small  Stevens  was  b.  in  Westford  March  30, 
1807.  He  removed  to  this  town  in  1830  and  for  a  short 
time  he  was  in  trade  in  the  firm  of  Woods,  Stevens  &  Co. 
He  early  began  the  manufacture  of  flag-seat  chairs  in 
this  town.  With  succeeding  years  the  business  was 
enlarged  and  he  built  a  new  mill  for  its  accommodation 
on  the  site  of  tlie  present  cotton  factory,  at  the  head  of 
Water  street.  In  this  mill  for  a  number  of  years  a  variety 
of  chairs  was  manufactured  and  the  business  assumed  a 
considerable  importance  among  the  early  industries  of  the 
town.  While  a  resident  of  this  town  he  was  a  public- 
spirited  citizen  and  a  consistent  advocate  of  the  reforms 
and  public  enterprises  of  the  time.  In  18-14  he  removed 
to  Baltimore,  Md.,  and  for  many  years  was  largely  en- 
gaged in  the  manufacture  of  chairs  and  furniture.  In 
this  business  his  sons  participated  and  the  firm  of  S.  S. 
Stevens  and  Sons  was  widely  and  favorabl}^  known  in  the 
South  and  the  West.  Mr.  Stevens  was  a  prominent 
citizen  of  Baltimore  and  was  highly  esteemed  by  all  who 
knew  him.  Through  life  he  was  sincere  and  responsive 
to  the  voice  of  his  convictions.  In  1848  he  was  a  nominee 
of  the  Freesoil  party  for  presidential  elector  and  through 
the  war  he  was  firm  and  uncompromising  in  his  ready 
support  of  the  Union.  He  d.  Dee.  2.  1875,  leaving 
bequests  to  charitable  and  educational  institutions  amount- 
ing to  over  fifty  thousand  dollars.  He  md.  Nov.  16, 
1830,  Patty  Osgood,  b.  in  Westford  1809,  dau.  of  Jacob 
and  Patty  (Fletcher)  Osgood  and  granddau.  of  Pelatiah 
Fletcher,  q.  v. 


GENEALOGICAL    REGISTER. 


907 


Martha  Augusta,  b.  April  3,  1833  ;  d.  May  25, 
1834. 

Samuel  Augustus,  b.  May  11,  1836.  For  the  past 
twenty  or  more  years  he  has  resided  in  Norfolk, 
Va.,  and  is  the  founder  of  the  carpet  and 
furniture  house  of  S.  A.  Stevens  «&  Co.  In 
this  business  he  was  successful.  He  has 
retired  from  active  business  and  has  been  suc- 
ceeded by  his  son.  He  has  frequently  been 
elected  to  positions  in  municipal  affairs  and  has 
served  many  years  in  City  Council  and  was 
recorder  three  years.  His  loyalty  to  his  native 
town  is  fully  attested  by  frequent  visits  to  the 
familiar  scenes  of  his  childhood.  He  md.  June 
15,  1857,  Frances  Swan  Ames,  dau.  of  Samuel 
S.  Swan  of  Westminster.  Her  mother  md. 
(2d)  Jacob  Ames  and  the  name  was  legally 
assumed. 

Charles  P.,  b.  April  11,  1840.  fie  was  associated 
with  and  succeeded  his  father  in  the  furniture 
business  in  Baltimore.  In  1880  he  removed  to 
Minneapolis,  Minn.,  and  is  there  an  active 
merchant.  He  md.  April  25,  1861,  Mary  E. 
Neilson,  dau.  of  Robert  Neilson  of  Baltimore, 
Maryland. 

Francis  Putnam,  b.  Oct.  4,  1842.  He  resides  in 
Baltimore  and  is  successfully  engaged  in  the 
practice  of  law.  He  has  occupied  many 
positions  of  trust  and  at  the  age  of  twenty-four 
was  elected  to  the  Maryland  Senate,  and  has 
frequently  been  a  member  of  the  City  Council. 
He  md.  Sept.  27,  1864,  Alexina  Bouldier,  dau. 
of  Alexander  Bouldier  of  Baltimore,  Md. 


STEVENS. 

The  lineage  of  George  F.  Stevens  is  traced  to  the  early  settlement  of 
Andover.  He  is  of  the  eighth  generation  from  John  Stevens  whose  name  is 
preceded  by  only  four  in  an  ancient  list  of  the  first  inhabitants  of  Andover. 
It  is  known  that  he  settled  there  previous  to  164:4.  He  d.  1G62,  leaving  sons  : 
John;  Nathan,  b.  1644,  the  first  male  child  b.  in  Andover;  Ephraim,  b.  1649; 
Joseph  and  Benjamin,  b.  1657.  Of  these  none  left  sons  to  continue  the 
name  except  Jolin  and  Joseph.  John,  the  eldest  son,  was  b.  before  the 
removal  of  the  family  to  Andover;  he  md.  June  13,  1662,  Hannah  Barnard, 
dau.  of  Robert  Barnard;  she  d.  March  13,,  1675;  he  md.  (2d)  Aug.  10,  1676, 
Esther  Barker,  dau.  of  Richard  Barker.  John  Stevens,  son  of  John  and 
Hannah  (Barnard)  Stevens,  b.  Aug.  30,  1663,  md.  Dec  20,  1689,  Ruth  Poor. 
Their  son  John,  b.  Sept.  20,  1690,  md.  April  23,  1717,  Elizabeth  Chandler 
and  had  sons  :  John,  Isaac,  Thomas,  Jonathan,  Daniel,  Bemsley  and  Simon. 
Of  these  Daniel  Stevens,  b.  Jan.  27,  1728-9,  not  being  tlie  eldest  son  as  had 
been  the  fortune  of  his  ancestors  through  four  generations,  removed  from 
the  ancestral  hive  and  became  one  of  the  early  settlers   of  Souhegan    West, 


908 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


now  Amherst,  N.  H.  He  md.  in  Andover  Sept.  25,  1750,  Hannah  Barker  of 
Methuen.  He  d.  in  Amherst,  N.  H.,  May  30,  1806;  she  d.  May  23,  1815. 
Daniel  Stevens,  Jr.,  b.  April  8,  1751,  md.  1771,  Susannah  Abbott,  b.  Dec. 
20,1753.  He.  d.  in  Amherst,  N.  H.,  March 2,  1825;  shed.  May,  1830.  Daniel 
F.  Stevens,  son  of  Daniel  Stevens,  Jr.,  b.  Oct.  3,  1794,  was  a  prominent 
citizen  and  for  many  years  a  merchant  of  Amherst,  N.  H.,  where  he  d.  Jan.  21, 
1852.  He  md.  May  17,  1832,  Sophronia  (Holt)  Winchester,  widow  of 
William  Winchester,  q.  v.  ;  shed.  May  13,  1866. 


George  F.  Stevens,  son  of  Daniel  F.  and  Sophrunia 
Stevens,  was  b.  in  Amherst,  N.  H.,  Nov.  28,  1838.  He 
was  a  merchant  several  3'ears  and  town  clerk  of  Amherst, 
N.  II.  After  a  brief  residence  in  Minneapolis,  Minn., 
he  removed  to  Ashburnham  in  1873.  During  his 
residence  in  this  town  he  has  been  connected  with  the 
First  National  Bank,  of  which  he  has  been  cashier  nearly 
eight  3'ears  and  a  director  since  1881.  He  is  one  of  the 
trustees  of  Gushing  Academy  and  since  1879  he  has  been 
the  treasurer  of  the  corporation.  In  connection  with 
these  employments  he  is  conducting  a  general  insurance 
business  and  is  dealing  extensively  in  mortgage  bonds  and 
approved  securities.  During  the  past  ten  years  Mr. 
Stevens  has  been  elected  town  clerk  and  in  this  and  other 
public  affairs  he  has  rendered  the  willing  sei'vice  of  a  good 
citizen.  As  a  member  of  the  committee  of  publication  of 
the  History  of  Ashburnham  his  counsel  has  been  sought 
and  his  timely  suggestions  have  rendered  more  com- 
plete many  features  of  the  work.  He  md.  June  6, 
1866,  Mary  Elizabeth  Fletcher,  dau.  of  Robert  and  Mary 
(Cochrane)  Fletcher  of  Amherst,  N.  H. 


STICKNEY. 

The  families  of  Stickney  are  numerous  in  this  country  but  do  not  appear 
in  the  records  of  this  town  until  1871.  The  lineage  of  the  general  family  is 
presented  in  "  The  Stickney  Family"  published  in  1869.  The  American 
generations  from  Rowley  to  Ashburnham  are  William  and  Elizabeth  Stick- 
ney, English  ancestors  who  settled  in  Rowley  in  1637 ;  Samuel  and  Julian 
(Swan)  Stickney  of  Rowley  and  Bradford;  Samuel  and  Mary  (Haseltine) 
Stickney  of  Bradford;  Abraham  and  Abigail  (Hall)  Stickney  of  Billerica 
and  Tewksbury ;  Abraham  and  Sarah  (Kittredge)  Stickney  of  Tewksbury; 
Joseph  and  Abigail  (Jewett)  Stickney  of  Townsend  and  Alvah  and  Rebecca 
W.  (Spaulding)  Stickney  of  Townsend. 


Dr.  Alonzo  Lawrence  Stickney,  b.  in  Townsend  May 
26,  1835,  son  of  Alvah  and  Rebecca  W.  (Spaulding) 
Stickney,  removed  to  this  town  in  1871.  Vide  page  473. 
He  md.  Nov.  6,  1867,  Elizabeth  A.  Hill  of  Sutton. 


GENKALOOKWI.    IM-X'tISTEK. 


909 


RESIDENCE    OF    ALONZO    L.     STICKNEV,    JI .   D. 

STIMSON. 

JoxATHAN  Stimson  of  Watcrtown  Farms,  now  Weston,  was  admitted  free- 
man April  18,  ir>;)0.  He  was  a  witness  in  court  Sept.  8,  1674,  and  gave  his 
age  as  thirty  years.  He  md.  Elizabeth  Stubbs,  dau.  of  Joshua  and  Abigail 
(Benjamin)  Stubbs.  He  d.  Dec.  22,  1692.  His  eldest  son  was  James  Stim- 
son, b.  1674.  He  md.  Jan.  1,  1698-9,  Bethia  Mansfield  and  d.  in  Weston 
Feb.  18,  1744-5;  his  widow  d.  May  2,  1753.  Among  their  eight  children  was 
Nathaniel  Stimson.  b.  Aug.  10,  1709.  He  md.  April  6,  1737,  Elizabeth 
Myrick,  b.  Dec.  16,  1720,  dau.  of  John  and  Abigail  (Harrington)  Myrick  of 
Weston.  He  d.  in  Weston  May  24,  1761 ;  his  widow  md.  (2d)  April  8,  1779, 
Samuel  Child,  b.  Feb.  5,  1718-19,  son  of  Daniel  and  Beriah  (Bemis)  Child, 
his  third  marriage.  Of  the  ten  children  of  Nathaniel  and  Elizabeth  (Myrick) 
Stimson,  the  two  youngest  were  Lemuel  and  Phineas  of  Ashburnhaip. 


Lemuel  Stimson,  sou  of  Nathaniel,  was  b.  in  Weston 
July  11,  1758.  lie  was  a  soldier  in  the  Revolution, 
participating  in  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill  and  in  a  campaign 
at  Ticonderoga.  He  md.  June  1.  1780.  Phebe  Felton  of 
Petersham,  and  the  same  year  removed  to  Ashburnham, 
buying  land,  and  soon  after  building  a  house  which  he 
occupied  many  years.  He  was  one  of  the  original 
Methodists  in  this  town  and  was  connected  with  them 
until  his  death.  His  wife  d.  Sept.  17,  1830  ;  he  md.  (2d) 
May  9,  1833,  Catherine  Goodale  ;  he  d.  Sept.  22,  1840. 
I.  Polly ^  b.  Nov.  5,  1780;  md.  Artemas  Jackson  of 
Newton.     She  d.  March  18,  1806. 


910 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


<6) 


II.  Lydia,  b.  July  26,  1782;  d.  Sept.  16,  1782. 

III.  Phebe^  b.  Sept.   18,  1783  ;  md.  James  Whitmore, 

q.  V. 

IV.  Amos,  b.  Dec.  6,  1785  ;  d.  March  14,  1795. 
V.  Eoyal,  b.  March  6,  1788.-}- 

VI.  Lemuel,  b.  Aug.  7,  1790;  d.  Dec.  25,  1791. 
VII.  Edward,  b.  Oct.  3,  1792. + 
VIII.  Charles,  b.  May  9,  1795.-|- 
IX.  Abigail,    b.  May  24,   1797  ;  md.  Isaac  Keyes  of 

Cambridge  ;  she  d.  June  24, 1861. 
X.  Lucy,  b.  Aug.  20,  1799  ;  md.  Dea.  John  C.  Davis, 

q.  V. 
XI.  Elmira,    b.    Dec.    4,    1802;  md.   Oct.    10,    1826, 
Benjamin  Whitnej^,   b.  May  25,  1802,   son  of 
Benjamin  and  Nancy  (Fuller)  Whitney.     They 
resided  in  Marltoro',  N.  H.,  where  she  d.  May 
12,  1862.     Three  children. 
XII.  Elbridge,  b.  April  6,  1806.-[- 
XIII.  Mirick,  b.  Aug.  15,  1808.-f- 


15 


20 
21 


Royal  Stimson  removed  in  early  life  to  Cambridge, 
where  he  was  engaged  in  the  livery  business  and  in  the 
sale  of  wood.  In  business  he  was  methodical,  exact  and 
successful.  In  his  daily  life  he  was  above  reproach  and 
was  respected  by  his  neighbors  and  business  associates. 
To  the  deserving  charities  that  appealed  to  his  generosity 
and  philanthropy  he  was  responsive,  and  his  benefactions 
were  many  and  liberal.  To  his  memory  shall  be  in- 
scribed, "Blessed  is  he  that  considereth  the  poor."  He 
md.  Sept.  2,  1813,  Relief  Walker,  b.  in  Merrimack,  N. 
H.,  July  22,  1787,  dan.  of  Capt.  Zaccheus  Walker,  q.  v. 
He  d.  in  Cambridge  Nov.  4,  1860 ;  she  d. . 

I.  Fordyce,  b.  March  19,  1814;  md.  Sarah  Hersey ; 
md.  (2d)  Mary  Lord.  He  resides  in  Cambridge 
where  he  has  honorably  filled  many  positions  of 
trust. 

n.  Royal  W.,  d.  young. 

m.  Amelia  B.,  b.  April  5,  1818;  md.  May  4,  1843, 
Andi-ew  N.  Wyeth,  b.  April  29,  1817,  son  of 
Job  and  Lydia  (Converse)  Wyeth ;  reside  in 
Cambridge. 

IV.  Royal  W.,  b.  March  10,  1820;  d.  young. 

V.  Ann  M.,  b.  Oct.  20,  1822  ;  md.  David  N.  Cham- 
berlain. He  is  a  merchant  and  a  respected 
citizen  in  Cambridge. 

VI.  Charles  E.,  b.  Feb.  27,  1825  ;  d.  March  26,  1828. 
VII.  Rebecca  F.,  b.  Oct.  22,  1827;  d.  March  7,  1836. 


<8) 

22 

23 

24 
25 

26 
27 
28 
29 
30 

(9) 

31 
32 

(13) 


35 
<14) 


GENEALOGICAL  REGISTER.  911 

Edward  Stimson  md.  May  24,  1818,  Sarah  Foster,  b. 
April  6,  1794.  In  1822  they  removed  to  Winchester,  N. 
H.,  where  he  d.  Aug.  8,  1843  ;  his  widow  d.  in  Medford 
Feb.  14,  1866. 

I.  Edward  F.,   h.  June   17,    1819;  resides  in  Win- 
chester, N.  H. 
II.  Emeline,  b.  Feb.   7,  1821  ;  md.  Joshua  Fletcher, 
q.  V. 

III.  Warre7i  J.,  b.  Feb.  13,  1823  ;  d.  Sept.  21,  1825. 

IV.  Alden  M.,  b.  Oct.  24,  1825  ;  d.   in  Medford  Nov. 

16,  1878. 
V.  Emory  G.,  b.  Dec.  8,  1828. 

VI.  James  F.,  b.  Aug.  29,  1831  ;  d.  March  28,  1832. 
VII.  Arvilla  W.,  b.  Nov.  4,  1833. 
VIII.   Charles  M.,  b.  July  19,   1836. 
IX.  Boyal  I).,  b.  Oct.  15,  1837. 


Charles  Stimson  md.  May  30,  1820,  Beulah  Whitmore, 
dau.  of  Isaac  Whitmore,  q.  v.  He  was  engaged  in  wool 
carding  on  the  North  Turnpilve  several  years.  He  d.  Feb. 
26,  1830  ;  she  d.  Feb.  5,  1869. 

I.  Almira  W.,  b.  May  29,  1826;  md.  Alfred  Whit- 

more, q.  V. 

II.  Aurelia    Felton,  b.  Oct.  15,  1828  ;    md.  July  3, 

1855,    Varamus   P.    Parkhurst    of    Templeton. 
She  d.  in  Templeton  May  12,  1862. 


Elbridge  Stimson  md.  June  5,  1833,  Elizabeth  Cald- 
well, dau.  of  John  Caldwell,  q.  v.  ;  she  d.  Nov.  15,  1878. 
In  early  life  he  was  a  merchant  a  few  years  on  the  old 
common,  and  subsequently  has  been  actively  engaged  in 
manufacturing  and  tanning.  In  his  business  he  has  been 
exact  and  methodical  and  has  been  successful.  He  has 
been  an  assessor  and  town  treasurer. 

I.  Frederic,  b.  May  27  ;  d.  May  28,  1835. 
II.   C/iaHesi.,  b.  Aug  15,  1836.     Vide  page  462 .    He 

is  a  machinst  and  iron  founder  at  Rutland,  Vt. 

He  md.  Frances  H.  Mansfield. 
III.  Albert  E.,  b.  March  5,  1840  ;  d.  Feb.  6,  1845. 


MiRiCK  Stimson  began  as  a  merchant  on  the  old 
common  and  was  in  trade  several  years  in  Gardner.  For 
the  past  twent}^  years  he  has  conducted  a  store  at  Lane 
Village.  He  was  formerly  a  member  of  the  Ashburuham 
Light  Infantry,  and  has  been  an  overseer  of  the  poor  and 


912  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

a  selectman.  He  md.  Sept.  14,  1834,  Sarah  J.  Barrett, 
dau.  of  Col.  Charles  Barrett,  q.  v.  She  d.  Oct.  22,  1843  ; 
md.  (2d)  April  17,  1844,  Charlotte  E.  D.  Salisbury,  b.  in 
Lee,  Vt.,  Jan.  31,  1821. 


41 


42 


47 
48 
49 
50 


I.  Sarah  Elizabeth,  b.  May  22,   1835  ;  d.  Aug.   19, 

1835. 
II.   Charles,  b.  Sept  4,  1837  ;  d.  Nov.  19,  1846. 

III.  Sarah  Delia,   b.   May  13,    1845;    md.   Nov.    19, 

1868,  Arthur  Wells  Field,  b.  Oct.  2,  1846,  son 
of  Dexter  and  Celinda  (Spooner)  Field ;  reside 
in  Chelsea. 

IV.  Charles  Mirick,  b.  Sept.  29,  1847  ;  md.  Sept.  13, 

1876,  Flora  M.  Tuekerman,  dau.  of  Henry 
Tuckerman,  q.  v.  ;  resides  in  Worcester. 
V.  Frederic  Salisbury,  b.  June  3,  1853  ;  md.  Nov. 
25,  1874,  Ellen  L.  Davis  ;  md.  (2d)  Nov.  10, 
1881,  Laura  Agnes  Dodwell.  He  is  a  com- 
mision  merchant  in  Boston. 


Phineas  Stimson,  a  brother  of  Lemuel,  was  b.  in 
Weston  March  6,  1761,  and  came  to  Ashburnham  about 
1785,  where  he  resided  until  his  death.  He  md.  Dec.  1, 
1785,  Lucy  Lawrence.     He  d.  Oct.  21,  1828. 

I.  Sally,  b.  June  13,  1786;  md.  Dec.  12,  1822,. 
Jacob  Stickney,  b.  in  Lunenburg  Feb.  8,  1770, 
son  of  Oliver  and  Hannah  (Stiles)  Stickney. 
They  lived  in  Fitchburg,  where  he  d.  April  18, 
1857;  she  d.  1832.  One  child. 
II.  Betsey,  b.  Nov.  8,  1787. 

III.  Dolly,   b.    Feb.    26,    1789;   md.   Dec.    26,    1816, 

Elijah  Carter  of  Fitchburg. 

IV.  Reuben,  b.  Sept.  25,  1791  ;  resided  in  Boston  and 

in  Walpole,  N.  H.,  where  he  d.     No  record  of 

his  family  has  been  secured, 
v.  Phineas,  b.  April  26,    1794;  md.  Jan.  30,    1817, 

Rhoda   Metcalf;   resided   in    Milford,    N.    H., 

where  both  died. 
VI.  John,  b.  Nov.  1,  1797  ;  d.  Sept.  30,  1800. 
VII.  Lucy,  b.  Jan.  31,  1801  ;  md.  Caleb  Sawtell,  q.  v. 

VIII.  Beulah,  b.  Aug.  31,  1804;  md.  . 

IX.  Lawrence   Pitt,   b.  June  16,    1806;  d.    Dec.    24, 

1821. 


Solomon  H.  Stoddard,  b.  in  Chesterfield,  N.  H.,  Nov. 
27,  1819,  son  of  Charles  and  Lovisa  (Brigham)  Stoddard. 
He   md.    Feb.    10,    1858,    Ellen  Willard,   dau.  of   Silas. 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  913 

Willard,  q.  v.  He  is  a  carpenter.  With  exception  of  a 
brief  residence  in  Brattleborough,  Vt.,  and  in  Fitchburg, 
he  has  resided  in  this  town  over  thirty  years. 

I.  Cora  H.,  b.  Dec.  6,  1858;  md.  March  20,  1879, 
Merrit  H.  Holtou  of  Fitchburg.  He  d.  May  30, 
1884. 

II.   C.  Mahel,  b.  Feb.  27,  1861 ;  d.  Sept.  25,  1861. 

III.  Leslie  Willard,  b.  May  24,  1862. 

IV.  Bertlm  Belle,  b.  Sept.  25,  1868. 


2 
3 

(2) 


Ephraim  Stone,  with  wife  and  sons  Oliver  and  Joseph, 
came  to  this  town  from  Harvard  in  1767.  He  was  at  this 
time  about  sixty  3'ears  of  age.  A  record  of  his  marriage 
has  not  been  secured  and  I  am  unable  to  trace  his  lineage. 
Many  letters  have  been  written  and  only  a  few  have  been 
answered.  He  was  a  selectman  1770  and  for  several 
3'ears  he  is  frequentl3'  named  in  the  records.  He  d.  Nov. 
9,  1789,  aged  83  years  ;  his  wife  d.  Nov.  6,  1789.  It  is 
probable  there  were  other  children  but  I  have  found 
record  of  only  two. 

I.   Oliver,  b.  Aug.  22,  1739. -f 
II.  Joseph. -\- 


Oliver  Stone,  son  of  Ephraim,  removed  from  Harvard 
1767.  In  1775  he  was  a  sergeant  in  Capt.  Davis'  com- 
pany of  minute-men.  At  this  time  he  was  one  of  the 
board  of  selectmen.  In  subsequent  years  he  was  fre- 
quently elected  to  office  and  was  an  influential  citizen. 
He  md.  Dec.  30,  1762,  Lucy  Willard,  b.  Aug.  26,  1743, 
dau.  of  Tarbell  and  Rachel  (Haskel)  Willard.  He  d. 
June  17,  1813  ;  his  wife  d.  Oct.  11,  1806. 

I.   Oliver,  b.  Jan.  28,  1764.+ 
II.  Lucy,  b.  Feb.  8,  1766  ;  md.  Willard  Lane,  q.  v. 

III.  Rachel,  b.  Dec.  5,  1768;  deaf  and  dumb;  she  d. 

unmd.  May  27,  1837. 

IV.  Ephraim,  b.  Dec.  30,   1770;  he  was  an  eminent 

phj^sician  of  Harvard. 
V.  Dolly,  b.  March  24,  1773  ;  md.  1806,  Henry  Bacon 

of  Boston  ;  he  d.  Feb.  21,  1838  ;  she  d.  Oct.  13, 

1856. 
VI.  Hosea,  b.  Sept.  3,  1776. -|- 
VII.  Joseph,  b.  Sept.  22,    1783  ;  resided   in    Harvard. 

No  record   of    his   family   has   been   received. 

Among    his    children    is  Joseph    Lyman    Stone 

of  the  firm  Stone  and  Downer,  Custom  House 

brokers  of  Boston. 

58 


914 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


11 


(3) 


16 


17 


(4) 

20 
21 

(9) 


VIII.  Emma,  b.  May  22,  1787  ;  md.  Moses  Watson  of 
Rochester,  N.  H.  ;  she  d.  Oct.  26,  1838,  leaving 
six  children. 


Joseph  Stone,  sou  of  Ephraim,  was  a  drummer  in  Capt. 
Gates'  company  1775  and  was  in  the  service  in  New  Jer- 
sey in  1778.  He  md.  Feb.  2,  1773,  Susanna  Gates.  He 
was  a  farmer  and  lived  on  the  farm  now  owned  by  the 
town.  He  was  styled  Capt.  Stone  but  no  record  of  his 
commission  has  been  found.  He  was  the  principal  advo- 
cate in  this  town  of  the  county  road  leading  from  Win- 
chendon  to  Leominster  and  passing  by  his  farm.  His 
wife  d.  Sept.  11,  1814,  aged  61  years. 

I.  Milly,  b  June  2,  1773  ;  md.  John  Corey,  q.  v. 
II.  Joseph,  b.  June  20,   1775;  md.   March    5,   1799, 
Dorothy  Wilder,  dau.  of  Samuel  Wilder,  Esq., 
q.  v..  and  removed  from  town  two  or  three  years 
after  marriage. 

1.  Horace  Wilder,  bap.  May  25,  1800. 

III.  Ez7-a,  b.  Feb.  1,   1778;  succeeded  his  father   on 

the  homestead  which  he  sold  to  Joseph  Davis, 
who  sold  it  to  the  town.  He  md.  1S06,  Char- 
lotte Cooper  of  Westminster,  b.  1780,  dau.  of 
Jedediah  and  Mary  (Hall)  Co'oper.  They  had 
children :  Mary,  Chauncy  and  Alanson,  and 
about  1840  removed  to  Milwaukee,  Wis. 

IV.  Matilda,  b.    Nov.    28,    1781  ;  md.   Josiah  White, 

q.  V. 
V.  Amos   D.,  b.  Feb.  8,   1788;  md.   Feb.   23,   1809, 

Nancy  Hayden. 
VI.  Ephraim,  b.  Oct.  1,  1791 ;  d.  Oct.  7,  1794. 
VII.  L%icy,  b.  Dec.  6,  1793  ;  md.  Jonas  Corey,  q.  v. 


Oliver  Stoxe,  son  of  Oliver,  md.  Nov.  2,  1784,  Nancy 
Clark.  He  lived  at  the  centre  of  the  town,  where  he  d. 
Sept.  11,  1794.     His  widow  d.  Jan.  19,  1837. 

I.  Nancy,  b.  Feb.   13,  1786  ;  md.  Benjamin  Barrett, 

q.  V. 
II.  Betsey,  b.  May  14,  1792  ;  md.  Oliver  Barrett,  q.  v. 


CoL.  HosEA  Stoxe,  son  of  Oliver,  was  a  hatter  in 
Central  Village.  His  name  frequently  appears  in  the 
chapters  of  this  volume  and  is  honorably  em-olled  in  the 
annals  of  Aslibnrnham.  He  was  town  clerk,  selectman^ 
representative  and  often  chosen  on  important  committees. 


22 

(22) 

23 

24 
25 

26 

27 

28 
29 
30 
31 

32 


GENEALOCK^VL    REGISTER.  915 

111  inilitary  affairs  lie  manifested  au  equal  interest  and 
was  a  popular  and  etlicient  otlicer.  He  was  a  captain  of 
the  I.igUt  Infantry  ]<S18-20,  and  subsequently  a  niajor 
and  lieutenant-eolonel  of  the  regiment.  He  was  not 
merely  a  prominent  citizen  in  a  quiet  era  of  the  town's 
history,  but  he  was  a  strong  man  among  able  associates, 
successfully  competing  for  honors  with  the  Jewetts, 
George  H.  Crushing,  Esq.,  Silas  Willard,  P>sq.,  Col. 
Charles  liarrett,  Keuben  Towusend,  Esq.,  Col.  P>uoch 
Whitmore  and  other  worthies  of  his  time.  lie  md.  Nov. 
27,  1806,  Betsey  Gibson,  b.  Dec.  24,  1779,  dau.  of  Dea. 
Samuel  and  Dolly  Gibson  of  Eitchburg  and  a  sister  of  the 
wife  of  Ensign  John  Adams.  He  d.  Sept.  22,  1850  ;  his 
wife  d.  April  18,  1846. 

I.  Hosea  Gibson,  b.  Aug.  14,  180'J.-[- 


HosEA  G.  Stone  md.  July  2,  1846,  Esther  P.  Adams, 
dau.  of  Milton  Adams,  q.  v.  He  was  a  kind  neighbor 
and  a  worthy  citizen.  He  d.  Jan.  21,  1885.  The  home- 
stead opposite  the  school-house  in  the  llrst  district  is 
retained  and  occupied  by  the  famil}'. 

I.  Betsey,  b.  Dec.  7,  1749  ;   md!   Sept.  19,  1878,  Eli 

H.  Derby. 
II.  Esther,  b.  Sept.  3,  1850,-  d.  April  22,  1855. 

III.  Hosea,  b.  Oct.  20,  1853. 

IV.  Joseph,  b.  Oct.  8,  1855  ;  d.  May  23,  1862. 

V.  Ephraivi,  b.  June  23,  1858  ;  md.  Dec.   16,   1885, 

Mary  L.  Howe,  dau.  of  Orange  E.  Howe,  q.  v. 
VI.  Esther,  b.  Aug.  27,   1859. 
VII.   Oliver,  b.  Aug.  14,  1861. 
VIII.  Ewvia  TF.,  b.  Sept.  19,  1864. 
IX.  Joseph,  b.  Feb.  10,  1870. 


Samuel  Stone  lived  in  this  town  a  few  years  immedi- 
ately preceding  the  Revolution.  It  is  possible  that  he 
was  a  son  of  Ephraim  and  a  brother  of  Oliver  and  Joseph 
Stone,  and  if  so  he  probably  came  to  this  town  in  1767. 
He  md.  Dec.  28,  1773,  Elizabeth  Rich,  dau.  of  John 
Rich,  q.  V.  He  d.  Jan.  3,  1775,  aged  24  years.  In 
regai'd  to  the  circumstances  of  his  death,  Mr.  Gushing 
says  :  "He  perished  in  consequence  of  getting  lost.  He 
left  his  house  Wednesday  morning  and  having  lost  the 
points  of  compass  he  wandered  that  day  and  night  and 
was  not  found  and  brought  home  until  Saturday  night. 
He  was  a  pitiful  object ;  his  feet  were  frozen  as  hard  as 
flesh  could  be.     He  died  Sabbath  night  in  great  anguish." 


916  HISTORY    OF    ASHBURNHAM. 

33  I.  Samuel,  h.  April  20,  1775;    posthumous. 


34 


De A.  Peter  Stone  was  b.  Nov.  28,  1757;  he  was  a 
son  of  Rev.  Nathan  Stone,  the  first  minister  of  Southboro'. 
Hemd.  May  26,  1782,  Elizabeth  Estabrook  and  removed 
to  this  town  in  1786  or  1787.  He  was  chosen  deacon 
1788  and  removed  to  Townsend  1799. 

I.    Windsor,  b.  Jan.  25,  1786. 
II.  Peter,  b.  May  13,  1788. 

III.  Betsey,  b.  July  17,  1791. 

IV.  Abigail,  b.  April  14,  1794. 
v.  Nathan,  bap.  Feb.  5,  1797. 


John  C.  Stone  removed  to  this  town  1879.  He  is  a 
son  of  Ai  and  Harriet  (Hadley)  Stone  (vide  Hadley  reg- 
ister), a  grandson  of  Benjamin  and  Lucy  (Wheeler) 
Stone  and  great-grandson  of  Samuel  and  Martha  (Wilder) 
Stone.  Samuel  Stone  was  from  Groton  and  settled  at  an 
early  date  in  Winchendon.  In  1785  his  farm  was 
included  in  Gardner  and  is  now  owned  by  the  town,  and 
known  as  the  Gardner  Poor  Farm. 

John  C.  Stone  md.  April  23,  1870,  Harriet  Ella  Bemis, 
dau.  of  Reuben  and  Harriet  (Perkins)  Bemis  of  Winchen- 
don. He  owns  the  Central  House  and  other  real  estate 
and  was  manager  of  the  hotel  from  1879  to  1886,  when  he 
leased  the  property  to  Ezra  H.  Lovell. 


STOWE. 

Only  one  family  bearing  this  name  lias  been  resident  of  Ashburnham.  In 
1634  John  Stowe  from  England,  with  his  wife  Elizabeth  and  six  children,  settled 
in  Roxbury,  Mass.  He  M-as  made  freeman  the  same  year,  and  in  1638  was  a 
member  of  the  Ancient  and  Honorable  Artillery  Company,  and  a  representa- 
tive in  1639.  Thomas  Stowe,  his  son,  b.  in  England,  was  a  resident  of 
Concord  in  1640,  and  previous  to  1660  he  removed  to  Middletown,  Conn. 
His  son,  Samuel,  b.  1645,  returned  from  Connecticut  and  settled  in  Marlboro' 
previous  to  1677.  In  this  settlement  he  was  prominent,  and  much  employed 
in  public  affairs,  and  also  served  in  the  Indian  wars.  He  d.  Feb.  9,  1721; 
his  wife  Elizabeth  d.  June  17,  1737.  Thomas  Stowe,  their  son,  b.  Dec.  27, 
1682,  md.  Jan.  20,  1713,  Hannah  Johnson,  b.  July  20,  1691,  dau.  of  Williani 
and  Hannah  Johnson  of  Marlboro'.  He  d.  in  Marlboro'  Aug.  28,  1765;  she 
d.  June  15,  1789.  They  had  sixteen  children,  and  among  them  Benjamin 
Stowe,  b.  Aug.  25,  1718.  He  md.  Dorcas  Stone,  b.  April  11,  1725,  dau.  of 
Joseph  and  Mary  Stone  of  Lexington.  They  settled  in  Harvard,  where  their 
five  children  were  b.  Of  these,  Manassah  Stowe  md.  Mary  Whitcorab  of 
Littleton,  Mass.,  and  settled  in  Hillsboro',  N.  H.,  where  he  was  killed  in  1790 
while  felling  trees,  leaving  one  son  and  two  daughters.  Benjamin  Stowe,  son 
of  Manassah  Stowe,  b.  in  Hillsboro',  N.  H.,  March  21.  1784,  md.  Feb.  18, 
1813,  Betsey  Ager,  sister  of  Ebenezer  Ager.g-.  v.,  and  d.  in  Rindge  Aug.  21, 
1869;  his  wife  d.  Dec.  11,  1861.  David  Stowe,  b.Feb.  24,  1815,  md.  Nov.  8, 
1842,  Mary  Converse,  dau.  of  Joshua  Converse,  Esq.,  of  Rindge.  They 
resided  a  short  time  in  North  Ashburnham  and  at  the  organization   of  the 


GENEA LOGICA L    REGISTER. 


917 


Union  church  he  served  on  several  committees  and  a  part  of  the  original 
papers  were  drafted  by  liim.  He  was  an  educated  gentleman,  of  unblemished 
character.  He  d.  July  7,  1877.  His  son  Mortimer  M.  Stowe  is  a  resident 
of  this  town  and  a  daughter  is  the  wife  of  Charles  H.  White,  q.  v. 


Mortimer  M.  Stowe,  b.  Jan.  22,  1844,  enlisted  Jan. 
8,  1862  ;  re-enlisted  1864  ;  corporal  in  Light  Battery  C, 
Third  Rhode  Island  Artillery  ;  participating  in  siege  of 
Charleston,  1863,  and  in  the  engagements  near  Petersburg 
and  Richmond,  1864-5.  He  md.  July  8,  1862,  Sarah  Jane 
Oliver.  Since  1873  he  has  resided  in  this  town.  He  is  a 
deacon  of  the  Congregational  church  and  has  been  over- 
seer of  the  poor  several  years. 

I.   Clifton  Ellsivorth,  b.  March  28,  1866  ;  d.  Dec.  5, 

1885. 
II.  Harold  Clair,  b.  Nov.  5,  1867. 


Jeremiah  Stowell,  son  of  John  and  Susannah  (Todd) 
Stowell,  was  b.  in  Temple  June  5,  1791.  He  came  to  this 
town  1814,  and  was  associated  in  business  a  few  years 
with  his  brothers  Joshua  and  Moses.  He  removed  to 
New  York. 


Joshua  Stowell,  a  brother  of  Jeremiah,  was  b.  in 
Temple  May  12,  1789,  and  removed  to  this  town  in  1814. 
He  md.  July  2,  1815,  Lydia  Hastings,  dau.  of  Capt. 
Charles  Hastings,  q.  v.  ;  she  d.  March  19,  1829  ;  he  md. 
(2d)  April  22,  1834,  Sally  Davis,  dau.  of  Amos  Davis, 
q.  V.  He  was  engaged  several  years  in  wool  carding  and 
cloth  dressing  on  the  North  Turnpike  and  subsequently 
was  a  farmer.     He  d.  July  8,  1880. 

I.  Harriet  A.,  b.  March  7,  1816  ;  d.  unmd. 
II.  3foses  A.,  b.  July  31,  1817;  d.  in  Cuba  Sept.  19, 
1847. 

III.  Otis  Whiting,    b.    Nov.    13,  1819  ;  md.  June    10, 

1848,  Mrs.  Mary  Ann  Garnett.  He  resides  in 
New  York  city.  Three  children  were  b.  in 
Ashburnham. 

1.  Ada  L.,  b.  July  22,  1849. 

2.  John   M.,  b.    Sept.   2,    1850;  md.   Helen 

Rector ;  resides  in  New  York  city. 

3.  Ella   J.,    b.    Jan.    30,    1852;    md.     Oren 

Rice,  son  of  Joseph  Rice.  g.  v. 

IV.  John  C,  b.  Oct.  1,  1823  ;  was  a  printer  and  editor 

in  Lowell.  He  was  a  soldier  in  the  brigade 
commanded  by  Gen.  Franklin  Pierce  of  New 


918 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


Hampshire  in  the  Mexican  War  and  was  mor- 
tally wounded  in  the  assault  upon  Churubusco 
in  August,  1847. 


10 


19 


Moses  Stowell,  twin  brother  of  Joshua,  was  b.  in 
Temple  Ma^^  12,  1789.  He  was  engaged  with  his 
brothers  in  wool  carding  and  cloth  dressing  and  subse- 
quently removed  to  Leominster  in  1836.  He  returned  to 
this  town  after  an  absence  of  about  four  years.  He  md. 
Dec.  20,  1829,  Mary  Chesmore  of  Henniker,  N.  H.  He 
d.  Jan.  19,  1870  ;  she  d.  March  26,  1872. 

I.  Elvira,  b.  March  7,   1826  (adopted)  ;  md.  Town- 
send  Barrett,  q.  v. 
II.   Charles   JSfeivman,  b.  June  29,    1830;  resided   in 
Burlington,  N.  J.  ;  d.  unmd.  April  26,  1884. 

III.  Jeremiah  Thomas,  b.  Sept.  5,  1831  ;  md.  Oct.  26, 

1853,  Sarah  E.  Wilson,  dau.  of  John  Wilson, 
q.  V.  ;  resided  in  this  town  until  1879,  when  he 
removed  to  Wilmot,  Dakota  Territory. 

IV.  Susan  Todd,  b.  March  28,  1833  ;  unmd.  ;  a  milli- 

ner in  New  York  city. 
V.  Emily  Newton,  b.  Jan.  29,  1835  ;  md.  Stephen  C. 
Hastings,  q.  v. 

VI.  Joshua  Todd,  b.  May  10,  1837;  md.  1860,  Eunice 
L.  Whipple  ;  he  md.  (2d)  Dec.  29,  1874,  Elvira 
L.  Green,  dau.  of  Lewis  and  Asenath  (Butter- 
field)  Green  of  Antrim,  N.  H.  He  resides  near 
the  school- house  in  the  ninth  district.  He 
served  one  year  in  the  25th  Regiment. 
VII.  George  S.,  b.  March  23,  1839  ;  d.  Jan.  20,  1847. 
VIII.  Ransom  Gibson,  b.  July  12,  1841  ;  53d  Regiment; 
removed  to  Burlington,  N.  J.  ;  md.  1865, 
Martha  M.  Fox  ;  resides  in  Burlington,  N.  J. 

IX.  Sarah  Lucinda,  b.  Oct.  8,  1843  ;  md.  Jan.  10, 
1867,  Lyman  T.  Lovewell,  son  of  Isaac  and 
Eliza  (Moulton)  Lovewell  of  Gardner;  resides 
in  Antrim,  N.  H. 


Jonathan  Taylor,  a  son  of  David  and  Hannah  Taylor, 
was  b.  in  Bedford  Feb.  27,  1729.  He  md.  in  Concord 
Aug.  29,  1754,  Mary  Jones,  and  resided  in  Bedford  until 
he  removed  to  this  town  in  the  spring  of  1768.  He  settled 
on  the  farm  now  owned  and  occupied  by  his  great-grand- 
son, Daniel  Wheeler.  In  1773  he  was  an  assessor  and 
the  following  year  a  selectman.  Subsequently  he  was 
often  elected  to  positions  in  town  affairs  and  during  the 
Revolution  his  public  service  was  conspicuous.     He  was 


(9) 


10 

11 

12 

13 
14 

15 


GENEALOGICAL   KEGISTEK.  919 

a  member  of  the  provincial  congress  which  assembled  at 
Concord  in  the  autmnli  of  1774,  and  in  1774,  '75  and  '76 
he  was  a  member  of  the  committee  of  correspondence. 
When  the  Lexington  ahu-m  was  sounded  in  this  town  he 
bore  a  musket  to  the  scene  of  hostilities.  His  name  and 
that  of  his  eldest  son,  Jonathan  Taj^Ior,  Jr.,  are  found  on 
the  roll  of  Capt.  Davis'  company.  During  the  active 
3'ears  of  his  life  no  resident  of  this  town  exerted  a  more 
salutary  influence,  and  in  integrity,  candor,  patriotism 
and  all  the  elements  of  manhood  and  good  citizenship  he 
had  no  superiors.  He  d.  Oct.  21,  1813,  aged  84  years. 
His  wife  d.  Dec.  21,  1811.  Six  children  b.  in  Bedford 
and  two  in  Ashburnham. 

I.  Jonathan,   b.  May  29,   1755  ;  md.    1784,   Hannah 

Taylor. 
II.  David,  b.  April  23,  1757;  md.  Martha  Bennett. 

III.  Marf/,  b.  Oct.  3,  1759  ;  d.  unmd. 

IV.  Lucy,  b.  June  15,  1762  ;  d.  unmd.  Dec.  16,  1813. 
V.  Sarah,  h.Veh.    19,    1764;  md.    March  10,    1795, 

William  Wheeler,  son  of  John  Wheeler;  they 
resided  in  New  Ipswich. 
VI.  Lydia,  b.  July  24,  1766  :  d.  unmd. 
vii.  Elizabeth,  b.  Dec.  27,  1768;  md.  Samuel  Wheeler, 

Sun  of  John  Wheeler,  q.  v. 
VIII.  Nathan,  b.  March  14,  1771. -|- 


Nathan  Taylor,  b.  March  14,  1771,  md.  Sept.  15, 
1803,  Rhoda  Marble,  dau.  of  Oliver  Marble,  q.  v.  He 
was  a  thrift}'  farmer  and  occupied  tiie  farm  now  of  his 
sons,  near  the  homestead  of  his  father.  He  was  a  good 
citizen  and  a  man  of  irreproachable  character.  He  d. 
Oct.  25,  1851,  aged  80  years. 

I.  Nathan  M.,  b.  May  11,   1804;  unmd.  ;  a  farmer 

on  the  homestead. 
II.  Rhoda,  b.   July  17,   1805  ;  md.    Daniel  Wheeler, 
son  of  Samuel  Wheeler,  q.  v. 

III.  Oliver,  b.  Jan.  13,  1807  ;  unmd.  ;  a  farmer  on  the 
homestead. 

IV.  William,  b.  Jan.  17,  1809  ;  d.  unmd.  Feb.  9,  1836. 
V.  Deborah  B.,  b.  Nov.  29,  1812  ;  unmd.  ;  resides  on 

the  homestead  with  her  brothers. 


Phinehas  Taylor,  lineage  not  traced,  with  wife  Sarah, 
removed  to  Ashburnham  about  1778.  He  resided  in  the 
south   part   of   the    town.     He   d.  in   June,   1833.     His 


920 


lUSTOKY    OF    ASHEUllNIIAM. 


16 


30 


widow  d.  July  29,  1842,  aged  8 
states  her  death  July  29,  1843. 
correct. 


years.     Another  record 
The  former  is  probably 


I.  Sarah,   b.  April    11,    1779;  md.  Sept.    3,    1805, 
Simon  Gates,  son  of  Simon  and  Susan  (Reed) 
Gates  of  Gardner.     Six  children  b.  in  Gardner. 
II.  Molly,  b.  Oct.  16,  1780;  d.  June  3,  1781. 

III.  Phinehas,  b.  June  2,  1782  ;  d.  May  6,  1794. 

IV.  Polly,  b.  Oct.  16,  1785  ;  d.  Nov.  10,  1789. 
V.  Lois,  b.  Jan.  17,  1788  ;  d.  Feb.  20,  1799. 

VI.  Lucy,  b.  Oct.  29,  1790  ;  resided  many  years  in  this 

town  ;  d.  in  Gardner  unmd. 
VII.  Ephraim,  b.    July  25,  1793  ;  md.   Nov.   2,    1815, 

Anna  Rice,  dau.  of  Reuben    Rice,  q.  v.,  and 

resided  in  this  town  several  years.    Two  of  their 

five  children  d.  young. 

1.  Martha    Ann,    b.    Dec.     24,    1819;    md. 

Charles  Clark,  son  of  Levi  Clark,  q.  v. 

2.  Sarah  R  ,  b.  April  24,  1822  ;  md.  John  N. 

Hastings,  q.  v. 

3.  Eunice,    b.    May  15,    1824;  md.    Simeon 

Merritt,  q.  v. 

VIII.  Nathaniel,  b.  Dec.  10,   1795;  was  a   merchant  in 
New  Orleans,  where  he  d.  unmd. 
IX.   Clarissa,  b.  May  5,  1798  ;  d.  June  26,  1803. 
X.  Milly,    b.   June    20,    1801  ;  lived  with   her   sister 
Lucy;  d.  unmd.  Feb.,  1841. 


Capt.  Samukl  a.  Tavlok,  sou  of  Aaron  and  Louisa 
(Crane)  Taylor,  was  b.  in  Westminster  March  23,  1827. 
His  father  d.  when  he  was  a  child  and  at  six  yeva's  of  age 
he  found  a  home  in  the  family  of  Nathaniel  F.  Cutter  who 
was  a  relative.  He  was  a  man  of  good  ability  and  of 
unblemished  character.  In  1860  he  was  commissioned  a 
lieutenant  in  the  Ashburnham  Light  Infantry,  and  the 
following  year  he  entered  the  service  with  his  company  in 
the  21st  Regiment.  Jan.  24,  18(!2,  he  was  promoted  to 
first  lieutenant,  aud  May  28  of  the  same  year  he  was 
promoted  to  captain.  He  resigned  Jan.  13,  1863,  and  was 
subsequently  an  officer  in  the  Fourth  Heavy  Artillery. 
He  md.  Nov.  11,  1852,  Julia  A.  Davis,  b.  in  Templeton 
March  13,  1831,  dau.  of  Abel  and  Lucy  (Partridge) 
Davis.  He  d.  July  6,  1869.  His  widow  resides  at  Pratt, 
Kansas. 

I.   Charles  Austin,  b.  March  31,  1856. 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER. 


921 


31 
32 


II.    Willie  Davis,   h.    Aug.    23,    1858 ;    d.    June    23, 

1863. 
III.  Etta  Jane,  b.  Nov.  2,  1863. 


Haktwell  Tenney  was  b.  in  Marlboro',  N.  H.,  April 
4,  1825.  He  is  a  sou  of  Archie  and  Susanna  (Jones) 
Tenuey,  a  grandson  of  William  and  Mehitable  (Jones) 
Tenney  of  Marlboro',  N.  H.,  and  a  great-grandson  of 
William  and  Sarah  (Proctor)  Tenney  of  Littleton.  He 
removed  to  this  town  1862,  where  he  has  since  resided. 
He  md.  July  18,  1850,  Josephine  P.  Stearns,  dau.  of 
Charles  Stearns,  Esq.,  q.  v.  Two  children  b.  in  Marl- 
boro', N.  II.,  and  one  in  Ashburnham. 

I.  Nellie  Josephine,   b.    Sept.    6,    1857;  d.   July  31, 

1859. 
11.   Charles  Stearns,  b.  Sept  27,  1860. 
III.  Mabel  Winthrop,  b.  July  6,  1863. 


TOTTINGHAM. 

The  families  of  Tottingham  have  not  been  numerous  but  the  name  has 
been  continuous  on  the  records  for  a  century.  They  are  descendants  of  Henry 
Tottingham  who  was  b.  in  England  and  in  1640  was  residing  in  Charlestown. 
He  removed  to  Woburn  and  was  taxed  there  in  1645  and  continued  a  resi- 
dence in  that  town.  The  birth  of  two  children  of  this  Henry  and  his  wife 
Anna  Tottingham  are  recorded  in  Woburn ;  of  these  Eliah  Tottingham,  b. 

Feb.  28,  1652,  md.  Mary ,  and  lived  in  Woburn  where   he  d.  Nov.  27, 

1717.  Elisha Tottingham,  fifth  of  the  eight  children  of  Eliah,  was  b.  July 
22,  1696;  also  lived  in  Woburn  wliere  he  d.  March  29,  1743.  By  wife 
Rebecca  he  had  six  children.  The  eldest  son  was  Elisha,  b.  Oct.  18,  1713. 
He  md.  May  27,  1736,  Sarah  Lawrence  and  lived  in  Woburn.  They  are  the 
ancestors  of  the  Ashburnham  families. 


MosES  Tottingham,  b.  in  Woburn  July  22,  1746,  was 
a  son  of  Elisha  and  Sarah  (Lawrence)  Tottingham  and  of 
the  fifth  generation  of  his  family  in  this  country.  He 
came  to  Ashburnham  about  1772,  and  from  an  early  date 
and  perhaps  from  the  time  of  his  arrival  he  was  a  black- 
smith near  the  old  common.  He  had  many  apprentices 
to  whom  he  taught  the  mysteries  of  the  trade.  The  old 
shop  and  the  burly  form  of  its  occupant  still  live  in  the 
traditions  of  the  town.  He  md.  Sept.  8,  1774,  Elizabeth 
Conant,  dau.  of  Ebenezer  Conant ;  she  d.  Jan.  5,  1777; 
md.  (2d)  Oct.  17,  1785,  Mary  Samson,  dau.  of  Jonathan 
Samson.     He  d.  Feb.  7,  1831  ;  she  d.  Dec.  23,  1817. 

I.  Mary,  b.  Oct.  23,  1786. 

II.  Elizabeth,  b.  Feb.  8,  1788  ;  d.  Jan.  25,  1795. 
III.  Sarah,  b.  Dec.  13,  1789. 


922 


HISTORY  OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


9 
10 

(5) 


11 


(10) 


20 


21 


IV.  Moses,  h.  April  18,  1791.-}- 
V.  Asa,  h.  Feb.  24,  1793  ;  d.  uumd.  Nov.  26,  1880. 
VI.  Ejyhrahn,  b.  May  7,  1794  ;  d.  Aug.  9,  1795. 
VII.  David,  b.  Sept.  18,  1796  ;  lived  alone  many  years 
in  northwest  part  of  the  town  ;  d.  unmd.  May 
23,  1875. 

VIII.  Infant,  b. ;  d.  March  6,  1800. 

IX.  Abraham  S.,  b.  April  30,  1802. -|- 


MosES  ToTTiNGHAM,  Jr.,  md.  ,  Olive  Bigelow,  and 

lived  in  the  northwest  part  of  the  town.     Ilis  wife  d. 
April  19,  1863  ;  he  d.  Jan.  2,  1867. 

I.  Levi  Bigelow,  b.  April  11,  1820;  md.  ,  1845, 

Arvilla  A.  Small,  dan.  of  Joseph  Small,  g.  v. 
He   was    a   farmer   on   the  Fletcher  farm  now 

occupied  by  Aaron  B.  Bixby.     He  d.  ;  she 

md.  (2d)  Alpheus  Bosworth  of  Winchendon. 


184^ 


d.   April    5, 


1.  Eos  well    T.,  b.  - 

1848. 

2.  Omar  I).,  b.  March  25,   1849;  md.  Ellen 

Moodis  ;  resides  in  Oakham. 

3.  Emma  Ida,  b.  March  27,  1853  ;  md.  Charles 

Bosworth,  son  of  Alpheus  Bosworth  of 
Winchendon. 

4.  p:imer  L.,  b.  Sept.  14,  1857. 

II.  Lnaj,  b.  Aug  24,  1823  ;  d.  Sept.  16,   1841. 

III.  Olive,   b.    Sei^t.    13,    1826;    md.    Aug.   26,   1847, 

Jesse  P.  Wellman.     She  d.  March  1,  1848. 

IV.  Polly  (twin),  b.  Sept.  13,  1826  ;  md.  Joseph  Small, 

q.  V. 
V.     Harriet,   b.   Jan.    9,    1828;   md.   Isaiah  Crosby; 
md.  (2d)   Henry  Weeks.     She  d.  in  Worcester 
about  1870. 


Abraham    S.   Tottingham   md.  ,  1822,  Sarah  M. 

Taft,  dau.  of  Marvin  Taft  of  Whitingham.     He  resided 
in  Winchendon  a  few  years  but  returned  to  Ashburnham 

about   1826,    aud  in    he  removed  to  Westminster, 

where  he  d.  Dec.  21,  1880  ;  his  wife  d.  June  27,  1860. 

I.  Henry  Edwin,  b.  Aug.  15,  1823  ;  md.  1827,  Lucy 
Bartlett ;  lived  in  Keene,  N.  H.,  where  he  d. 
March,  1865. 
II.  Marvin  Taft,  b.  March  31,  1825;  md.  Jan.  30, 
1851,  Ellen  Hill,  b.  in  Fitzwilliam,  N.  H., 
March   9,    1831,    dau.    of   Samuel   and   Nancy 


GENKALOGICAL   KKGISTKll.  923 

(Locke)  Hill.  He  is  au  ornamental  painter  in 
Keene,  N.  H.  For  several  years  past  an 
invalid. 
Charles  Newton,  b.  Sept  11,  1828;  md.  July  15, 
1851,  Rlioda  M.  Titus,  lie  is  a  manufacturer 
of  carriages  and  sleighs  in  Keene,  N.  H. 


Nathaniel  ToTxixcniAjr,  who  removed  to  this  town 
1838,  was  a  grandson  of  Nathaniel  Tottingham  who  was 
a  brother  of  Closes  of  Ashburuham,  and  a  sou  of  Elisha 
and  Sarah  (Lawrence)  Tottingham.  He  was  b.  in 
Woburn  June  10,  1740;  md.  Aug.  16,  1770,  Esther 
Brown,  h.  in  Lexington  Aug.  12,  174.3,  dan.  of  Daniel 
and  Anne  (Bright)  Brown.  He  removed  to  Westminster. 
His  son  Elisha  Tottingham,  b.  in  Westminster  March  11, 
1773,  md.  June  20,  1817,  Clarissa  P.  Brown.  Their  son 
Nathaniel  Tottingham,  b.  in  A\^estminster  March  10, 
1818,  md.  Oct.  6,  1842,  Harriet  R.  Page,  b.  in  Marlow, 
N.  H.,  ^larch  23,  1824,  dafi.  of  Charles  and  Elizabeth 
(Warren)  Page.  He  lived  after  1838  in  this  town  wliei-e 
he  d.  May  26,  1874.  His  widow  resides  on  the  homestead 
in  Central  Village. 

I.  Henry  J.,  b.  May  20,  1847.  For  several  years 
and  until  1885,  he  was  a  dry  goods  merchant  in 
Winchendou.  He  md.  Juue  3,  1869,  Ella  M. 
Brown  of  Clinton. 


Joshua  Townsend,  b.  about  1725,  and  wife  Mary 
removed  to  Shrewsbury  about  1760.  They  probably  lived 
previously  in  AVestboro'.  Their  j'oungest  children  were 
b.  in  Shrewsbury.  The  homestead  by  a  change  in  town 
lines  is  now  in  Boylston.  In  1780  the  family  removed  to 
this  town  and  the  parents  had  a  home  with  their  son 
Reuben.     He  d.  Sept.  26,  1804  ;  she  d.  Dec.  18,  1812. 

I.  Hannah,  b.  ;    md.    Dec.    8,    1773,    Richard 

Murphy  of  Rutland. 

II.  Priscilla,  b.  ;  md.  Caleb  Kendall,    q.  v. 

Abraham,  b.  .-j- 

Zilpah,  b.  1757  ;  md.  Jonas  Rice,  q.  v. 

Reuben,  b.  Aug.  23,  1758. -|- 

Manj,  b.  April  14,  1762. 

Zipj)orah,   b.  June   24,   1764;  md.  Oct.  23,  1787, 

Ozias  Partridge. 
Lucy,  b.  Feb.  19, 1769  ;  md.  Hezekiah  Corey,  q.  v. 
Achsah,  b.  July  27,  1772  ;   md.  Amos  Corey,  q.  v. 
Ruth,  b.  Oct.  28, 1774  ;  md.  Dea.  Samuel  Ward,  q.  v. 


4 

III. 

5 

IV. 

6 

V. 

7 

VI. 

8 

v„. 

9 

vm. 

10 

IX. 

11 

X. 

924 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


(4) 


(6) 


20 
21 


22 

23 
24 


Abraham  Townsend  resided  in  this  town  from  1780  to 
1802.  Previous  to  his  removal  to  this  town  he  served  in 
the  Revolutionary  army  on  the  Hudson  river  in  1778. 
He  removed  to  Berlin,  Vt.,  and  was  successful  in  business 
and  respected  as  a  citizen.  He  md.  Jan.  21, 1781,  Molly 
Gardner  of  Shelburne. 

I.  Molly,  b.  April  24,  1783. 
II.  Priscilla,  b.  April  5,  1785. 

III.  JSfaaviah,  b.  Ma}^  17,  1787. 

IV.  Betty,  b.  July  18,  1790. 

V.  Abraham,  b.  Oct.  25,  1792. 
VI.  Benjamin,  b.  Jul}-  23,  1799. 


Reuben  Townsend  served  two  or  more  enlistments  in 
the  Revolution.  Vide  page  200.  He  md.  in  this  town 
Nov.  5,  1782,  Margaret  Metcalf,  dau.  of  Joseph  Metcalf. 
He  was  an  intelligent,  thoughtful  man,  a  good  citizen 
and  his  influence  at  Lome  and  abroad  was  salutary.  He 
d.  1837  ;  his  widow  d.  March  20,  1847. 

I.  Dolly,  b.  Jan.  12,  1784  ;  md.  John  "Ward,  Jr.,  q.  v. 
II.  Eunice,  b.  Jan.  16,  1786  ;  md.  Joshua  Smith,  Jr., 
q.  V. 

III.  Reuben,  b.  Jan.  15,  1788.-f- 

IV.  JosJuia,  b.  Oct.   22,  1790;  he  was  engaged  in  the 

manufacture  of  pails  on  lYater  street.  In  1833 
he  removed  to  Rindge  and  was  there  a  cabinet 
maker.  He  md.  Julv  17,  1823,  Betsey  Kimball, 
b.  Sept.  25,  1796,  dau.  of  William  and  Abigail 
(Hamlet)  Kimball  of  Rindge.  She  d.  Nov.  15, 
1849;  he  md.  (2d)  1852,  Esther  Eaton  of 
Lancaster.  He  d.  June  20,  1855  ;  his  widow 
d.  June  27,  1855. 

1.  Leonard  Kimball,  b.    July    11,   1825;    d. 

July  3,  1836. 

2.  Albert,  b.  Nov.  22  ;  d.  Nov.  23,  1827. 

3.  Mary,  b.  April  27,  1830  ;  md.  Jan.  6, 1857, 

Ivers  Wellington,  b.  in  Ashby  Jan.  12, 
1812,  son  of  Libert}^  and  Mary 
(Lawrence)  Wellington.  They  reside 
in  Rindge. 

4.  William  Kimball,    b.    June    10,   1839  ;  d. 

April  21,  1843. 


V.  Joseph,  b.  June  23,  1793;  md.  Mary  Smith. 

was  a  carpenter  in  Fitchburg. 

VI.  Lucy,  b,  July  18,  1800;  d.  July  20,  1803. 


He 


GENEALOGICAL   KEGISTER.  925 

Reuben  Townsend,  Esq.,  during  the  active  years  of 
his  life  occupied  a  prominent  position  in  social  and  public 
affairs,  lie  was  frequently  called  to  positions  of  trust. 
He  was  a  selectman  many  years  and  twice  represented 
the  town  in  the  Legislature.  In  fair  characters  the  out- 
lines of  his  life  are  engraven  in  the  records  of  the  town. 
Among  his  fellow-men  he  was  responsive  to  every  call  of 
duty,  exact  and  honest,  and  in  all  his  relations  to  the 
public  he  was  a  model  citizen.  In  his  youth  he  was  a 
member  of  the  Ashburnham  Light  Infantry  and  was  in 
the  service  in  the  War  of  1812.  Contrasted  with  his 
pacific  nature  and  the  quiet  and  peaceful  habits  of  his 
life,  his  patriotism  in  this  service  is  rendered  more  con- 
spicuous. He  d.  of  paralysis  in  1867,  aged  79.  His 
father  and  his  grandfather  d.  at  about  the  same  age  and 
of  the  same  disease.  He  md.  July  18,  1815,  Sultina  Hill, 
dau.  of  Isaac  Hill,  q.  v.  ;  she  d.  June  18,  1860  ;  he  md. 
(2d)  Matilda  (Bolton)  Shumway,  dau.  of  Capt.  Bolton  of 
Westminster. 

I.  Sultina  Cobleigh,  b.  Nov.  10,  1816;  d.  July  28, 
1824. 

II.  Lucy,  b.  July  20,  1818 ;  md.  Aug.  24,  1842, 
Samuel  Sawin  Coolidge,  b.  in  Gardner  Aug.  24, 
1813,  son  of  James  and  Annis  (Sawin)  Coolidge. 
Mr.  Coolidge  was  in  the  employ  of  E.  Murdock, 
Jr.,  of  Winchendon  about  ten  years,  and  after 
a  residence  of  four  years  in  this  town,  he 
'  removed  in  184-  to  Bellows  Falls,  Vt.,  where 
he  has  been  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  ()ails 
and  lumber. 

1.  Arthur,  b.  Jan.  5,  1844;  md.  Eliza  Jane 

Shumway. 

2.  Clement,  b.  May  12,  1849  ;  d.  at  Bellows 

Falls,  Vt.,  July  9,   1861. 

3.  Samuel   Joseph,    b.    April  2,   1855 ;    md. 

Flora  S.  Prentice. 


Edwin  Alonzo  Townsend  was  b.  in  Mason,  N.  H., 
March  24, 1810.  He  is  a  son  of  Samuel,  Jr.,  and  Betsey 
(Nutting)  Townsend  of  Mason  and  a  grandson  of  Samuel 
and  Hannah  (Lawrence)  Townsend  who  removed  from 
Northboro'  to  Mason,  N.  H.,  about  1785.  It  may  prove 
that  Samuel  Townsend,  who  md.  Hannah  Lawrence,  was 
a  sou  of  Joshua  Townsend  who  is  No.  1  of  this  register. 
Edwin  Alonzo  Townsend  came  to  this  town  in  childhood 
and  lived  with  Samuel  Dunster  whose  wife  was  his  aunt. 


926 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


34 


35 


After  a  residence  of  some  years  in  Boston  he  returned  to 
this  town.  He  md.  June  22,  1835,  Mercy  C.  Moore,  dau. 
of  Treat  and  Mei'cy  Moore  of  Eastham. 

I.  Augusta  Maria,  b.  Jan.   7,   1839  ;   md.  E.  G.  W. 

Ladd. 
II.  Betsey    Wilder,  b.  Aug.    22,    1845 ;    md.    Lulher 
Seaver  of  Gardner. 


John  Trimnal  was  a  native  of  England.  He  md. 
Margaret  Samson,  dau.  of  Jonathan  Samson,  q.  v.,  and 
resided  a  farmer  in  this  town.  He  d.  Oct.  9,  1840;  she 
d.  Oct.  19,  1860. 

I.  3Iary  Ann,  b.  Oct.  6,  1823  ;  md.  Nov.  14,  1843, 
George  Flint,  son  of  David  Flint,  and  resides 
in  Ashby. 

II.  Joseph  Rice,  b.  Dec,  4,  1824  ;  d.  March  4,  1859. 

III.  Ovisa    Woods,  b.    April   22,   1828;    d.  Aug.    23, 

1850. 

IV.  John  Otis,  b.  May  2,  1832  ;  d.  Jan.  24,  1852. 


Henry  Tuckerman,  son  of  Capt.  George  TV",  and 
grandson  of  John  Tuckerman,  was  b.  in  Portsmouth, 
N.  H.,  Nov.  11,  1814.  He  removed  to  this  town  1831  ; 
md.  April  14,  1840,  Charlotte  Farrar,  dau.  of  John 
Farrar,  q.  v.     He  is  a  farmer  in  the  ninth  school  district. 

I.  Anna  Maria,  b.  Nov.  13,   1841  ;  md.  Oct.    15, 
•    1868,  John  E.  Wood,  b.  May  1,   1823,  son   of 

David  and  Mary  (Earl)  Wood  of  Eindge. 
II.  Arabel   Sophia,  b.   Aug.    3,    1843 ;  d.   Nov.    25, 

1865. 

III.  Albert  Henry,   b.  Sept.  3,    1845  ;  served   in   the 

CivilWar  in  Fifth  Regiment ;  d.  Sept.  4,   1865. 

IV.  Eveline  Eliza,  b.  July  26,   1847  ;  md.    June    24, 

1874,  William  Henry  Lucas  of  Worcester;  she 
d.  April  13,  1877. 
V.   Clarence   Earle,   b.  Jan.   15,    1849  ;  d.   Dec.  29, 

1867. 
VI.  Florence   3falora,  h.  Dec.   28,  1850;  md.  Charles 
M.  Stimson,  son  of  Mirick  Stimson,  q.  v. 


Artemas  G.  Upham,  b.  in  Canton  Ma}'  25,  1818,  son 
of  Charles  and  Polly  (Tilden)  Upham,  md.  in  Scituate 
March  19,  1838,  AbigailH.  Dexter,  b.  in  Scituate  June 
29,  1818,  dau.  of  Thomas  and  Abigail  (Cushing)  Dexter. 


GENEALOGICAL   KECJISTEK.  927 

He  resided  in  Lowell  and  in  Pelham,  N.  H.,  removing  to 
this  town  in  1871.  He  is  a  farmer  at  the  South  Village. 
His  wife  d.  Nov.  28,  1884. 

I.   Charles   T.,  b.  June   IG,  1839;  d.  Aug.  17,  1854. 
II.  Andreio  (7.,b.  Dec.  12,  1842;  md.  Dec.  24,  1869, 

Mary  Estey,  b.  in  Canton  June  27,  1847.     He 

resides  in  Gardner. 

III.  Sumner  H.,  b.  Sept.  13,  1845  ;  md.  July  31,  1866, 

Sophia  E.  Cutter,  dau.  of  James  Cutter,  q.  v. 
He  is  a  mechanic  and  resides  at  South  Village. 

IV.  Harliii  P.,  b.  Dec.  6,  1860;  ind.  May  1,  1884, 
Sadie  Muzzy,  b.  at  Chester,  Vt.,  June  10, 
1860.     He  resides  in  Gardner. 


Philip  Vorback,  sometimes  written  Vorpeck,  is  the 
most  conspicuous  personage  in  the  annals  of  Ashburn- 
ham.  He  did  not  serve  in  the  Revolution  and  narrate  to 
succeeding  juveniles  how  fields  were  won.  He  was  not 
foremost  in  public  affairs,  he  was  never  a  highway  sur- 
veyor or  an  orator  in  the  annual  town  meeting.  He  was 
neither  a  deacon,  a  tithingman,  nor  even  a  justice  of  the 
peace.  In  negative  qualities  he  was  a  peer  among  the 
average  citizen.  But  Philip  Vorback  rode  a  bear  and  at 
once  became  a  hero.  Vorback  and  the  bear  are  dead, 
but  the  story  of  the  ride  lives  on  in  perpetual  youth. 

Philip  Vorback,  considered  in  the  abstract,  was  a  Ger- 
man who  came  to  this  country  for  the  sole  purpose  of 
earning  an  honest  livelihood.  His  ambition  was  moder- 
ate and  his  thirst  for  fame  was  quenched  in  the  routine  of 
daily  toil.  In  some  way  the  ride  was  accidental.  There 
was  no  coincidence  of  thought  between  Vorback  and  the 
bear  nor  is  it  fair  to  presume  there  was  collusion.  How 
it  chanced  that  our  hero,  a  man  of  placid  temperament 
and  moderate  movements,  ever  came  up  with  a  vigorous 
bear  is  the  only  mystery  that  surrounds  the  exploit. 

Philip  Vorback  came  to  Ashburnham  in  1758  and 
settled  near  the  site  of  Gushing  Academy.  He  and  John 
Overlock  were  the  only  Germans  who  did  not  live  in  the 
community  on  Lexington  grant.  He  was  one  of  the  orig- 
inal members  of  the  church.  His  name  is  occasionally 
found  in  the  records  until  1780.  He  was  not  taxed  in 
1787,  the  only  tax  list  preserved  from  1771  to  near  the 
close  of  the  century.  There  is  no  tradition  or  evidence 
that  he  removed  from  the  town,  and  in  the  fulfilment  of 
his  immortal  fame  there  is  no  record  of  his  death.  The 
name  of  his  wife  was  Lois  and  the  names  of  nine  children 
appear  in  the  town  and  church  records. 


928 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


I.  Susannah,  b.  Nov.  27,  1755. 
II.  Lois,  b.  Sept.  19,  1757. 

III.  Philip,  h.  March,  1760, 

IV.  John,  b.  July  14,  1763. 

V.   Catherine,  b.  July  15,  1766. 

VI.  Mary,  b.  March  4,  1769. 
VII.  Jacob,  b.  Jul}^  11,  1771. 
VIII.  Henry,  bap.  Nov.  14,  1773. 

IX.    William,  bap.  Feb.  16,  1780. 


Prof.  James  E.  Vose,  son  of  Edward  L.  and  Aurelia 
(Wilson)  Vose  and  grandson  of  Dea.  Samuel  and  Mary 
(Saltmarsh)  Vose  of  Antrim,  N.  H.,  was  b.  July  18, 
1836.  The  ancestry  is  traced  in  History  of  Antrim,  and 
successive  generations  in  Antrim  and  in  Bedford  have 
been  distinguished  for  sterling  traits  of  character,  and 
have  been  prominent  in  ecclesiastical  and  political  affairs. 
Prof.  Vose  removed  to  this  town  1875.  Vide  page  358. 
He  md.  Mary  Neville  of  New  Boston,  who  d.  Jan.  6, 
1875.  He  md.  (2d)  Aug.  11,  1878,  Lois  E.  (Stickney) 
Rockwood,  widow  of  J.  Augustus  Rockwood,  q.  v. 


WALKER. 

Capt.  Zaccheus  Walker  was  a  native  of  Andover.  He  was  an  officer  in 
the  Revolution  and  for  some  time  was  a  member  of  Washington's  Life 
Guard.  During  the  Revolution  his  home  was  in  Merrimack.  About  1793 
he  removed  to  Ashby  and  about  1801  to  New  Ipswich,  where  he  d.  1832. 
His  wife  Martha  d.  in  Ashby  Feb.  22,  1801,  and  in  July,  1801,  he  md.  (2d) 
Rachel  Bigelow,  widow  of  Silas  Bigelow  of  New  Ipswich.  Danforth  Walker, 
the  seventh  of  his  eleven  children,  was  b.  in  Merrimack  July  26,  1785.  He 
md.  Betsey  Bigelow,  dau.  of  Silas  Bigelow,  b.  Nov.  12,  1788.  He  resided 
in  New  Ipswich,  where  he  d.  June  4,  1863;  his  widow  d.  Nov.  29,  1868. 


Capt.  Addison  A.  Walker,  son  of  Danforth  and 
Betsey  (Bigelow)  Walker,  was  b.  in  New  Ipswich  Sept. 
22,  1817.  He  md.  1840,  Susan  S.  Keyes,  b.  in  Rindge 
Nov.  18,  1818,  dau.  of  Amos  and  Eunice  (Spofford) 
Keyes.  She  d.  in  Gardner  Aug.  21,  1843.  Capt. 
Walker  removed  to  Ashburnham  in  1847  and  has  con- 
tinued a  residence  in  this  town.  For  many  years  he  was 
engaged  in  the  firm  of  Rockwood  and  Walker  in  the 
manufacture  of  tubs  and  pails.  He  has  been  a  selectman 
several  years  and  has  been  at  all  times  a  loyal  citizen. 
He  was  a  captain  in  the  Civil  War,  and  for  several  years 
an  officer  of  the  Ashburnham  Light  Infantry.  Vide 
Chapters  XVIII  and  XIX.  He  md.  (2d)  Oct.  21,  1847, 
Rebecca  H.  Stearns,  dau.  of  Charles  Stearns,  Esq.,  q.  v. 


( T  K  N  K  A  FA )  G I C  A  L    It  KG  I  ST  K  R.  929 

I.  Susan  J.,  b.  April  20,  1842;  md.  Jan.  3,  1872, 
James  E.  Thompson,  sou  of  James  H.  Thompson. 
He  is  a  stationer  in  Fitchburg. 


Dr.  Merrick  Wallace  was  b.  in  Oxford  April  12, 
1808.  He  was  a  son  of  Psahum  and  Susan  (Joslin) 
Wallace  and  a  grandson  of  James  Wallace  of  Douglas. 
Nahum  Wallace  lived  in  Douglas,  Oxford  and  in  Killingly, 
Conn.  Vide  page  471.  Dr.  Wallace  nid.  Fanny  Baker, 
b.  Feb.  2,  1813,  dan.  of  Ezra  and  Lucy  (Priest)  Baker 
of  Gardner.     She  d.  Jan.  31,  1887. 

I.  Merrick  W.,  b.  Dec.  18,  1831  :  md.  May  20,  1862, 
Helen  E.  Manning,  dau.  of  Ivers  B.  Manning, 
q.  V.  ;  resides  in  Gardner. 
II.  Lucy  F.,  b.  Dec.  20,  1833;  md.  May  15,  1852, 
George  A.  Kendall  of  Ashby.  They  reside  in 
Petersham. 

III.  Webster    TT.,  b.    May    27,    1836;  md.    Dec.    10, 

1860,  Sarah  A.  Stokes  of  Lawrence.  He  d. 
of  wounds  received  in  the  Civil  War,  July  26, 
1864. 

IV.  Henry  C,  b.  May  2,   1838;  md.  Nov.   18,   1880, 

Flora  A.  Capron  of  Marlboro',  N.  H.  ;  resides 
in  Keene,  N.  H. 
V.  Jennie  B.,  b.  June  15,  1841  ;  md.  Dec.  31,  1863, 

Abner  J.  Barnaby  of  Providence,  R.  I. 
VI.  Ellen  B.,  b.  May  26,  1843;  md.  May  28,  1862, 
William  F.  Dinwiddie,  b.  in  Harrisburg,  Pa., 
Oct.  26,  1838,  son  of  John  and  Margaret 
Dinwiddie  and  a  grandson  of  Hugh  Dinwiddie 
of  Gettysburg,  Pa.  He  is  an  ornamental 
painter. 


Brigham  Wallace,  a  brother  of  Dr.  Merrick  Wallace, 
was  b.  in  Killingly,  Conn.,  March  9,  1812.  He  is  a 
farmer  and  has  resided  in  this  town  since  1834.  He  md. 
Lorette  Bemis,  b.  in  Westminster  Sept.  30,  1805,  dau.  of 
William  and  Hannah  (Derby)  Bemis,  q.  v. 

I.  Frank  TF.,  b.  Nov.  27,  1832.-|- 
II.    William,    b.    Sept.   15,   1838;  unrad.  ;  resides    in 
Ashburnham. 


Frank  W.  Wallace  md.  May  6,  1860,  Susan  W. 
Maynard,  dau.  of  Antipas  Maynard,  q.  v.  They  reside 
in  Ashburnham  Centre. 


59 


y;^0  HISTORY  OF  ASHBURNHAM 

11 


12 


13 


Mellora  M.,  b.  April    17,    1861  ;    md.  Sept.    12, 

1883,  Charles  Byron  Ross  of  Hanover,  N.  H.  ; 

reside  in  Hol3'oke. 
Frank   Edward,    b.  Aug.    3,  1862  ;  md.    Sept.  8, 

1886,  Elizabeth  Dolson  of  New  Paltz,  N.  Y.  ; 

reside  in  New  York  city. 
Lottie  E.,  b.  Aug.  26,  1871. 


WALLIS. 

The  early  emigrants  to  America  bearing  the  name  of  Wallis  and  Wallace, 
which  were  often  interchangeable  names,  were  of  English  and  Scotch  origin. 
The  Ashburnham  family  of  Wallis  is  a  branch  of  the  Townsend  family  and 
while  I  am  unable  to  trace  the  lineage  to  a  known  emigrant  ancestor, 
the  record  beginning  with  1731  is  well  established.  At  this  date  John  Wallis, 
then  a  man  of  middle  age,  was  a  resident  of  Townsend.  The  first  mention 
of  his  name  appears  in  a  deed  of  land  conveyed  to  him  by  John  Kemp,  Nov. 
12,  1731.  In  March,  1733,  he  purchased  of  Thomas  Phillips  and  others  a  part 
of  the  Hathorn  farm.  See  History  of  Townsend,  pages  84  and  62.  This 
title  proved  worthless,  and  in  consideration  of  his  loss  the  proprietors  of 
Townsend  granted  him  one  hundred  and  ninety  acres,  near  Mount  Grace  and 
not  far  from  the  Hathorn  purchase.  He  m  as  a  selectman  1747  and  was  one 
of  the  sixteen  original  members  of  the  church  in  Townsend.  He  d.  May  20, 
1763,  aged  87.  His  will  is  dated  Aug.  1,  17G2,  and  it  was  entered  for  probate 
June  13,  1763.  In  a  deed  of  land  to  his  son  Isaac,  dated  1761,  he  includes 
the  conveyance  of  "his  pew  in  the  Townsend  Meeting  House  in  the  south 
side  of  the  house  at  the  left  hand  of  the  south  door  going  in,"  providing  that 
possession  should  not  be  given  until  after  his  decease.  No  record  of  his 
marriage  has  been  found.  His  wife  Elizabeth,  who  survived  him  and  d.  Jan. 
25,  1765,  aged  72  years,  was  the  mother  of  his  younger  children.  It  is 
possible  that  she  was  a  second  wife.  In  his  will  he  names  his  wife  Eliza- 
beth and  six  children,  and  sons  of  a  deceased  daughter.  The  records  of 
Townsend  furnish  the  names  of  two  sons  who  died  young. 

I.  John,  named  in  a  following  paragraph. 

II.  Susannah,  was  b.  1725  or  five  years  before  her  parents  removed  to 
Townsend;  md.  June  23,  1742,  Jonas  Woolson,  b.  in  Cambridge 
Oct.  1,  1711,  son  of  Thomas  and  Elizabeth  (Chadwick)  Woolson. 
They  resided  in  New  Ipswich,  where  he  settled  previous  to  his 
marriage.  He  d.  1794:  shed.  1796,  leaving  children  :  (1)  Elizabeth, 
(2)  Susannah,  (3)  Martha  and  (4)  Jonas. 

HI.  A  daughter,  who    md.    Conick,  and    her   sons   James,    David, 

Jonathan  and  John,  are  named  in  the  will  of  .John  Wallis,  Sen. 

IV.  Jonathan,  b.  about  1730,  md.  Oct.  7,  1755,  Mary  Barstow  of  Hollis. 
He  was  proprietors'  clerk  twenty  years,  a  selectman  eleven  years 
and  a  representative  two  years.  Three  of  his  fourteen  children 
d.  in  infancy.  (1)  Elizabeth,  md.  1775,  Aaron  Scott;  (2)  Sarah, 
md.  Samuel  Stone,  Jr. ;  (3)  Mary,  b.  April  14,  1759;  md.  1786, 
Samuel  Stevens;  d.  July  21,  1787;  (4)  Hannah;  (5)  Jonathan,  rad. 
Abigail  Wyman;  he  d.  March  26,  1807;  (6)  Sybel,  md.  Benjamin 
Spaulding;  (7)  Joseph,  md.  Hannah  Conant;  (8)  Benjamin,  md. 
Rebecca  Whitney;  (9)  Reuben;  (10)  Rebecca,  md.  1793,  John 
Conant;  (11)  Asa,  b.  1778  ;md.  1802,  Milly  Conant.  Mary  (Barstow) 
Wallis  d.  Sept.  6,  1797.  He  md.  (2d)  June  7,  1^01,  Milicent 
(Farrar)  Conant,  widow  of  Daniel  Conant.  She  d.  May  3,  1843, 
aged  87  years. 
V.  Matthew,  perhaps  older  than  Jonathan,   md.  Jane ,  and  in    1762 


GENEALOGICAL    HEGISTEH.  931 

was    living   in   Milford,    N.    H.      Three    children,   Jane,   John  and 

Sybel,  were  bap.  in  Townsend  17G1-5. 
VI,  Isaac,  md.  17G0,  Jane  Russell  and  lived  in  Townsend.     He  d.  Nov.  12, 

1817;  his  wife  d.  Dec.  4,  1783.     Among  thtir  children   was   Isaac 

Wallis,  Jr.,  who  nid.  1783,  Rebecca  Farrar  of  New  Ipswich. 
VII  and  VIII.  William  and  David,  who  d.  young. 
IX.  William,  youngest  child,  was  bap.  1737. 

John  Wallis,  Jr.,  removed  to  Townsend  at  an  early  date,  and  is  fre- 
quently named  in  the  records.  His  wife  Sarah,  who  was  the  mother  of  his 
children,  d.  March  _'."),  1752.  He  md.  (2d)  Feb.  15,  1753,  Mary  White  of 
Groton:  md.  (3d)  1759,  Martha  Pudney  of  New  Ipswich.  He  d.  Sept.  80, 
1777,  aged  83  years.  His  wife,  Martha,  survived  him,  and  in  Probate  and 
Registry  records  is  found  mention  of  the  following  children  : 

I.   William,  who  md.  Aug.  2,  1747,  Eunice  Nutting  and  had  sons,  Daniel 
and  John. 

II.   Zebediah,    who    md.  Tahitha and  had    children,  Moses,  Sarah, 

Relief,  Abel,  and  two  d.  in  childhood. 
III.  Relief,  who  was  a  tailoress  in  Fitchburg,  and  the  owner  of  consid- 
erable real  estate.  She  d.  unmd.  1781. 
.IV.  Benoni,  who  resided  in  Lunenburg.  He  md.  July  2,  1755.  Rebecca 
Brown  of  Lynn.  He  is  the  immediate  ancestor  of  the  Ashburnham 
and  the  Ashby  families  of  Wallis.  He  d.  March  15,  1792.  His  wife 
d.  Aug.  25,  1790. 

There  were  seven  children  of  Benoni  and  Rebecca  (Brown)  Wallis,  all  b. 
in  Lunenburg.  I.  Benjamin,  b.  April  15,  1750.  Vide  Wilker  register. 
II.  Curwin,  b.  April  21,  1758.  III.  David,  b.  Oct.  IG,  1760;  md.  Susannah 
Conn  and  is  No.  1  in  the  following  register.  IV.  Rebecca,  b.  April  11, 
1763;  md.  1793,  Isaac  Walker  of  Asiiby;  d.  Jan.  27,    1795.     V.  Ehenezer, 

b.  April  11,  17G5.      Vide  page  180.      VL   Molly,  b.   ;    md.   Julv,  1784, 

Asa  Kendall,  Jr.,  of  Ashby.    Twelve  children.    She  d.  Sept.  30,  1836.     VII. 
Frederick,  b.  Oct.  15,  1768;  d.  young. 

NoT'E. — It  is  certain  that  John  Wallis,  Sen.,  who  d.  May  20,  1763,  had  a 
son  John  who  was  living  in  1762,  and  there  is  inferential  evidence  that  John 
Wallis,  Jr.,  who  d.  Sept.  30,  1777,  was  that  son.  However,  there  is  a  tradi- 
tion in  Townsend  that  John  Wallis,  Jr.,  was  a  nephew  of  John  Wallis,  Sen., 
and  if  no  error  appears  in  the  inscriptions  on  the  grave-stones,  which  are  not 
infallible,  their  relative  age  firmly  sustains  the  tradition.  Whatever  may 
have  been  the  degree  of  kinship,  record  and  tradition  are  unanimous  in  the 
assertion  that  they  were  men  of  strong  character,  and  through  their  occupa- 
tion of  coopers,  or  barrel  makers,  as  formerly  known,  they  were  the  pioneers 
of  a  thriving  industry  of  Townsend. 


David  Wallace,  son  of  Benoni  and  Rebecca  (Brown) 
Wallis,  was  b.  in  Lunenburg  Oct,  16,  1760.  While  a 
resident  of  his  native  town  he  served  three  enlistments  in 
the  Revolution.  Vide  page  206.  He  removed  to  this 
town  1786,  and  was  a  farmer  until  late  in  life.  He  md. 
April  11,  1797,  Susannah  Conn,  dau.  of  John  Conn,  q.  v. 
He  d.  Jan.  12,  1842  ;  his  widow  d.  March -24,  1847.  Six 
children. 

I.  David,  b.  July  14,  1797.-|- 
II.  James  Parks,  b.  July  27,  1799  ;  md.  Lucy  Locke, 


932 


HISTORY    OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


10 


11 


b.  Aug.  3,  1797,  clau.  of  Benjamin  and  Betsey 
(Wyman)  Locke  of  Lexington.  He  resided  in 
Cambridge  many  years  and  subsequently  in 
Ashby,  Where  he  d.  May  26,  1870.  Three  or 
more  children. 

III.  Ruth   Davis,    b.   Oct.  15,    1806 ;    md.    John   D. 

Morton,  q.  v.  ;  md.  (2d)  Philip  R.  Merriam, 
q.  V. 

IV.  John  Wyman,  b.  Jan.  27,  1809. + 

V.  Lucy  Spaukling,  b.  March  6,  1814;  md.  Oct.  30, 
1838,  Walter  Fairbanks,  b.  in  Gardner  Jan.  2, 
1811,  son  of  Levi  Fairbanks,  Jr.  They  resided 
in  Gardner;  he  d.  April  24,  1881  ;  she  d.  June 
7,  1883. 

1.  George  W.,  b.  July  20,  1841  ;  d.  Sept.  6, 

1841. 

2.  Mary  A.,  b.  Aug.  10,  1849  ;  md.  Llewellyn 

L.  Atherton.     He  d.  Dec.  30,  1879. 

VI.  Frederick,  b.  June  19,  1816;  md.  May  15,  1839, 
Fannie  Tenney,  b.  in  Marlboro',  N.  H.,  Jan. 
28,  1819,  dau.  of  Archie  and  Susannah  (Jones) 
Tenney.  He  resided  in  Ashburnham  until  1848, 
when  he  removed  to  Marlboro',  N.  H.,  where 
he  d.  Feb.  26,  1882. 

1.  Abbie   Frances,  b.    Jan.    17,   1840;   md. 

Aug.  20,  1857,  Hosea  B.  Knight,  b.Oct. 
22,  1835,  son  of  Josiah  H.  and  Martha 
(Mason)  Knight  of  Dublin  and  Marl- 
boro', N.  H.  They  reside  in  Winchen- 
don. 

2.  Wilber  F.,  b.   Nov.  29,   1850;  md.    Jan. 

24,  1874,  Ella  D.  Richardson,  b.  July  6, 
1852,  dau.  of  Darius  and  Ruth  T. 
(Woodward)  Richardson  of  Marlboro'. 
He  was  a  farmer  on  the  homestead,  and 
has  recently  removed  to  Keene,  N.  H. 


(2) 


David  Wallace,  son  of  David,  was  the  first  in  this 
lineage  who  wrote  the  name  Wallace.  A  few  years 
previous  to  1822  he  was  a  clothier  in  Fitchburg  and,  with 
Charles  F.  Crosby,  owned  lands  and  a  mill  near  the  Stone 
mill,  now  of  Joseph  Cushing.  Subsequently  he  was  a 
farmer  in  New  Ipswich  and  in  Rindge,  where  he  d.  May 
29,  1857.  He  was  an  exemplary  man  and  a  worthy 
citizen.  He  md.  Roxanna  Gowen  of  New  Ipswich,  who, 
surviving  him,  d.  in  Fitchburg  Feb.  27,  1876. 


GENEALOGICAL    REGISTER.  933. 

I.   Harriet,  h.  Sei:,t.   18,    1821;  md.  Feb.    12,    1843, 
Barnard  Teiiney  of  New  Ipswich.     She  d.  Sept. 
7,  1881. 
11.   Rodney,  b.  Dec.  21,  1823. -|- 

III.  David  A'.,   b.  Jan.  24,    1826;  md.  Hiildah  Hart- 

well,  dan.  of  Charles  Ilartwell  of  Ashby  ;  she 
d.  June  23,  1874. 

IV.  John  A.,  b.  Jan.  23,  1829  ;  resides  in  New  York; 

md.  1859,  Snsan  Jane  Drake. 
V.   Charles  E.,  b.  March  6,   1831  ;  md.  June  6,  1857, 

Elizabeth   Gilson   of  Groton.      He   resides    in 

New  Ipswich. 
VI.   George  F.,  b.  Nov.  21,  1833;  md.  Nov.  21,  1859, 

Maria  A.  Woodbury,  dau.  of  Nathan  Woodbury 

of  Rindge.      He    d.  in    Winchendon   July    10, 

1874. 
VII.  Bomanzo   A.,  b.  Sept.   29,    1836;  md.    June    25, 

1865,  Jane  S.  Morgan.     He    d.  at    Savannah, 

Ga.,  Nov.  6,  1875. 
III.    Willinm    3.,  b.  March   25,    1839;  md.  Aug.  28, 

1859,   Helen    A.   Hay  ward    of  Fitchburg.     He 

resides  in  Fitchburg,  and   is  an    accountant  for 

the  Fitchburg  Paper  Company. 

1.  Minnie  M.,  b.  Aug.  29,  1861. 


John  W.  Wallace,  sou  of  David,  md.  Nov.  17,  1831, 
Lucy  Blodget,  dau.  of  Elias  Blodget,  q.  v.  They 
resided  at  South  Village,  where  he  d.  April  19,  1862. 
His  widow  resides  in  this  town. 

I.  Hosea    C,    b.    May   2,    1837;    md.   ,    1860, 

Jennie    S.  Ackley.     He   d.    by   accident   Aug. 
4,  1883. 
II.  Lincoln,  b.  Jan.   16,   1842;   md.  Sept.  26,   1868, 
Sarah  Frances  Blodget,  dau.  of  James  Blodget, 
q.  V.     They  reside  at  South  Village. 


Hon.  Rodney  Wallace,  son  of  David  and  Roxauna 
(Gowen)  Wallace  and  grandson  of  David  and  Susannah 
(Conn)  Wallace,  was  b.  in  New  Ipswich  Dec.  21,  1823. 
In  his  youth  his  parents  removed  to  Rindge,  where  at  the 
age  of  twenty  years  he  was  employed  by  Dr.  Stephen 
Jewett,  with  whom  he  remained  nine  years.  For  a  con- 
siderable portion  of  this  time  he  was  engaged  in  the  sale 
and  distribution  of  the  Jewett  proprietary  medicines  which 
were  famous  at  that  time. 

In  1852  he  removed  to  Fitchburg,  and  actively  engaged 


934  HISTORY    (^F    ASHBUUNHAM. 

iu  the  wholesale  trade  iu  books,  stationery '  aud  paper 
stock,  which  was  conducted  under  the  firm  of  Shepley 
&  Wallace  and  R.  Wallace  &  Co.  After  several  years  of 
successful  management  of  this  business,  in  1865  with 
other  gentlemen  he  enlisted  in  the  manufacture  of  paper 
under  the  firm  name  of  the  Fitchburg  Paper  Co.  Early 
in  the  fifth  year  of  this  enterprise  he  became  sole  pro- 
prietor of  the  business.  He  has  made  large  additions  of 
lands  and  tenements,  aud  has  enlarged  and  improved  the 
mill  and  its  appointments.  A  new  mill  was  built  in  1878 
and  at  this  date  the  daily  product  of  the  business  is 
twenty  thousand  pounds  of  hanging,  glazing  and  card 
paper.  In  whatever  enterprise  he  has  engaged  he  has 
been  fortunate,  not  only  in  a  pecuniary  point  of  view,  but 
in  the  prompt  command  of  the  confidence  and  respect  of 
his  associates.  In  him  integrity  and  principle  have  been 
closely  allied  with  business  tact  and  a  liberal  and  com- 
prehensive management  of  large  pecuniary  interests. 

In  the  direction  of  the  affairs  of  several  monetary 
and  corporate  interests,  his  servfces  have  been  frequently 
sought.  He  has  been  president  and  director  of  the 
Fitchburg  Gas  Light  Co.  since  1864  ;  a  director  of  the 
Fitchburg  National  Bank  since  1866  ;  for  many  years  a 
trustee  of  the  Fitchburg  Savings  Bank  ;  a  director  of  the 
Fitchburg  Mutual  Fii-e  Insurance  Co.  ;  a  partner  in  the 
Fitchburg  Woollen  Mill,  aud  a  director  of  the  Putnam 
Machine  Co.  and  of  the  Parkhill  jNIanufacturing  Co.  The 
past  twelve  years  he  has  been  an  influential  director  of 
the  Fitchburg  Railroad  Co.  and  is  a  trustee  of  Smith 
College,  Northampton. 

His  arnbition  in  political  affairs  has  been  restrained  by 
the  exacting  burdens  of  business  and  the  magnitude  of 
the  interests  demanding  his  attention.  He  was  a  select- 
man of  the  town  of  Fitchburg,  and  has  several  times 
refused  the  nomination  of  his  party  and  of  the  citizens 
for  mayor.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Legislature  1873, 
and  of  the  Governor's  Council  1881,  18^2  "and  188.3.  It 
is  an  honorable  record,  yet  many  men  of  less  worth,  less 
success  in  business  and  less  usefulness  in  general  affairs, 
have  figured  more  conspicuously  and  have  rendered  less 
efficient  service  with  greater  pomp  and  ceremony. 

By  a  munificent  act  Mr.  Wallace  has  presented  an 
enduring  demonstration  of  public  spirit  aud  love  for  his 
fellow-men.  In  1881  he  purchased  a  site  conveniently 
located  on  INfain  street.  Here  he  erected  a  substantial 
edifice  at  an  expense  of  nearly  $100,000  and  presented  it 
to  the  city  of  Fitchburg  for  the  uses  of  a  free  public 
library,  reading  rooms  and  galleries  of  art.     Its    profit 


gp:nkal<)i;i('al  in-xnsrKii  935 

and  usefulness  can  be  computed  ouly  by  the  measure  of 
duration,  and  as  succeeding  generations  enjoy  the 
strengtliening  inHuences  of  a  i)rudent  and  thoughtful 
liberality,  tiiey  cannot  fail  to  recall  and  accept  the 
thought  of  the  donor,  "  that  to  many  of  our  people  these 
rooms  may  prove  to  be  a  place  of  rest  and  profit,  and 
help  make  the  journey  of  life  more  pleasant  and  useful." 

Mr.  Wallace  is  courteous  and  affable  in  manner  and 
loyal  in  his  friendship.  In  tlie  reserve  of  his  nature  he  is 
restrained  from  impetuous  demonstration,  l)ut  in  every 
social  and  public  duty  his  friendship,  his  influence  and  his 
assistance  are  put  forth  with  commanding  effect.  If  his 
activities  are  circumscribed  by  reason  and  prudence,  his 
conclusions  are  deliberately  formed  and  founded  upon  a 
comprehensive  study  of  the  attending  facts.  In  him  are 
combined  diligence  and  sagacity,  and  above  all  a  lofty 
standard  of  honor  and  integrity. 

Mr.  Wallace  md.  Dec.  1,  1853,  Sophia  Ingalls,  dan.  of 
Thomas  and  Sophia  (Shurtleff)  Ingalls  of  Kludge.  She 
d.,  leaving  two  sons,  June  20,  1871.  He  md.  (2d)  Dec. 
28,  1876,  Sophia  F.  (Billings)  Bailey  of  Woodstock,  Vt. 
The  sons  reside  in  Fitchburg  and  are  associated  with 
their  father  in  business. 

I.  Herbert  I.,  h.  ¥eh.  17,  ISoQ.     Harvard  University, 

Class  of  1877.     He  md.  Oct.   23,   1879,   Amy 

Louisa  Upton  of  Fitchburg. 
II.   George  R.,  h.  June  20,  1859  ;  pursued  a  course  of 

study  at  the  Institute  of   Technology,  Boston. 

He  md.  Nov.  10,  1886,  Nellie  Maria  Howland  of 

Fitchburg. 


Fred  W.  Walther,  a  native  of  Germany,  md.  Dec.  9, 
1861,  Wilhelraina  Bueron  and  removed  to  this  town.  He 
is  a  gardener.     Two  of  their  five  children  d.  young. 

I.    Wfliam  F.,  b.  March  30,    1864;  md.    Feb.    18, 

1886,  Eva  R.  Reed — see  Kelton  register. 
11.  Anna,  h.  June  3,  1866  ;  d.  Oct.  8,  1883. 
III.  Fred,  b.  April  15,  1870. 


Caleb  Ward,  son  of  Thacldeus  and  Lydia  (Benjamin) 
Ward,  was  b.  in  Wultham  Nov.  22.  1748;  bap.  Nov.  27. 
He  removed  to  this  town  about  1  770  and  settled  where 
Joseph  H.  Small  now  resides,  known  as  the  Alvan  Ward 
farm.  He  was  a  selectman  and  his  name  is  frequently 
met  in  the  records.  He  md.  Jan.  22,  1772,  Rebecca 
Foster,  dau.  of  Jeremiah  Foster,  7.  v.     He  d.  June  20, 


936 


HISTORY    OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


2 

I. 

3 

ij. 

4 

III. 

5 

IV. 

6 

V. 

7 

VI. 

8 

VII. 

9 
10 

(2) 


1813,  aged  65  years;  she  d.  March  22,  1831,  aged  81 
years.  To  the  record  of  her  dt'ath  Rev.  George  Perkins 
appends,  *•'  She  has  lived  in  this  town  77  years  and  about 
60  years  in  the  house  in  which  she  died." 

Samuel,  b.  Dec.  22,  1772.-|- 

Sarah,    b.    Oct.    27,    1774:  md.    May    25,   1806, 

Tliomas  Piper  ;  lived  in  Weston,  Vt. 
Rebecca,  b.  1776;  d.  Nov.  23,  1780. 
Caleb,  b.  Aug.  6,  1778. + 
Nahum,  b.  Aug.  7,  1780;  resided  some   years   in 

Peterboro',  N.  H.,  and  subsequently  joined  the 

Mormons. 
VI.  Jacob,  b.  Nov.  22,  1782.-1- 

Jonas,    b.    Feb.    15,  1785;  md.   Dec.    24,    1812, 

Susan  F.  Thurston,  b.  Sept.  18,   1792,  dau.  of 

Nathan    and    Sally    (Campbell)    Thurston    of 

Oxford.     They  lived  in  Oxfoid. 
VIII.  Rebecca,  b.  Sept.  14,    1788  ;  md.  Ezra  Lawrence, 

q.  V. 
IX.  Lucy,    b.   July    28,    1790;  md.   March    14,    1815, 

Samuel  Wilson,  and  lived  in  Nelson,  N.  H. 


(5) 


16 


Dea.  Samuel  Ward  was  a  farmer  in  this  town  and 
during  the  winter  season  for  some  years  he  was  a  school- 
teacher. He  was  chosen  a  deacon  of  the  Congregational 
church  in  1817  and  was  continued  in  office  until  1843.  He 
md.  April  15,  1799,  Kuth  Townsend,  h.  Oct.  28,  1774, 
dau.  of  Joshua  Townsend  and  a  sister  of  Reuben  Town- 
send,  Sen.,^.  V.  He  d.  Mav  18,  1845;  she  d.  Oct.  16, 
1850. 


I.  Alvan,  b.  April  26,  1800.-f- 
II.   Sylvia,    b.    Sept.    22,    1801 


md.    Dea.    Gilman 


Jones,  q.  v. 


Caleb  Ward,  son  of  Caleb,  md.  Jufy  26,  1810,  Mary 
Rice,  dau.  of  Jonah  Rice,  q.  v.  He  was  a  farmer  and  in 
his  _>ounger  years  a  school-teacher.  He  d.  Aug.  6,  1833  ; 
his  widow  md.  (2d)  Jonathan  Winchester,  Jr.,  q.  v. 

I.  Myra,   b.  Sept.  5,  1811  ;  md.  Abel  Farwell,  q.  v. 
II.  Ede.  b.  Nov.  19,  1814;  md.  Addison  Howe.  q.  v. 

III.  Mary,  b.  Sept.  15,  1818;  md.  Christopher  Jones, 

q.   V.  \  md.  (2d)  Addison  Bancroft;  d.  March 
19,  1869. 

IV.  Emma,  b.  July  2,  1820;  md.  April  6,  1842,  John 

Barrett  of  Ashb}'. 


gp:nealogical  register.  937 

V.  Stephen,  b.  Jan.  12,  1823;  rad.  Nov.  2,  1849, 
Mary  Aun  Farrington,  b.  in  Boston  April  4, 
1823.  He  is  a  farmer  on  the  Jacob  Ward  farm 
at  North  Village. 
VI.  Cynthia  Avesta,  h.  Nov.  19,  1825;  md.  April  20, 
1851,  Alpheus  Swallow  ;  live  in  Dunstable. 


Jacob  Ward,  son  of  Caleb,  md.  March  29,  1810,  Sally 
Whitmore,  dau.  of  Isaac  Whitmore,  q.  v.  He  was  a 
farmer  and  was  also  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  chair 
stock  and  wood  ware.  He  was  in  the  War  of  1812.  He 
d.  Jan.  12,  1852  ;  his  widow  d.  Jan.  17,  1859. 

I.  Alvau  Foster,  b.  Aug.  14,  1810 ;  md.  Jan.  29, 
1837,  Elzina  E.  Manning,  dau.  of  Solomon 
Manning,  Jr.,  g.  v. 
II.  Caleb  Barbaiik,  b.  May  6,  1813 ;  md.  July  3, 
1839,  Abigail  Mixer,  b.  Oct.  13,  1815,  dau.  of 
Charles  andMehitable  (Smith)  Mixer  of  Rindge. 
He  resided  in  Rindge  until  1845  and  subse- 
quentl}'  in  Dedham. 

III.  Salem  Town,h.   Jan.    21,    1815;  md.    Mary  Ann 

Kendall  of  Nashua,  N.  H. 

IV.  Jacob  F.,  b.  Sept.  17,   181G;  md.  Nov.  30,   1848, 

Harriet  L.  Fairbanlis,  dau.  of  Jacob  Fairbanks, 
g.  V. ;  she  d.  Nov.  29,  1852. 
V.  Isaac  Dennis,  b.  Oct.  27,  1817.-}- 
VI.   Oren  Prentice,  b.  Aug.  14,  1819;  md.  Ruth  Ken- 
dall of  AVilmington. 
VII.  Martin  Neivton,  b.  March  19,   1821  ;  md.  Dec.  7, 
1845,  Lucy  D.  Lewis  of  Wilmington ;  lived  in 
Rindge  where  he  d.  Dec.  24,  1883. 
VIII.  Lewis  Kimball,  b.  March  24,  1823  ;  md.  Sept.  22, 
1845,  Sarah  H.  Keyes,  dau.  of  Samuel  Keyes, 
q.  V. 
IX.   Quincy  Remits,  b.  June  6,  1825  :  md.  Feb.  14,  1852, 
Isabel  Goodwin  ;  resides  in  Woburn. 

1.  Mason   E.,  b.  Aug.  21,    1853;  md.   Aug. 

20,  1884,  Mary  White. 

2.  Winfield  Scott,  b.  May  3,  1861  ;  graduate 

Tufts  College  1883.  Principal  of  High 
School,  Hollis,  N.  H.,  one  year;  since 
1884  instructor  in  Cushing  Academy. 
He  md.  March  12,  1885,  M.  Jennie 
Cameron. 

X.  Harriet    Zula,  b.  Feb.   10,    1827;  md.  April    12, 
1849,  Abijah  Hinds  of  Gardner. 


938 


HISTORY    OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


31 
32 
33 
34 

35 
(10 


36 
37 


38 


<23) 


Levi  Lincoln,  b.  Nov.  2,  1828  ;  md.  Anna  Grey  of 

Hallowell,  Me. 
Elsie   Salina,  b.  April  21,   1830;  md.  George   E. 

Lewis  of  Peabody. 
Waldo  Webster,  b.  April  15,    1832  ;  md.  Sophro- 

nia  Tuttle  of  Chester,  Vt. 
Zoa   X.,  b.  May    28,    1832;  md.   June    1,   1853, 

Lowell  F.  White,  son  of  William  and   Mary  G. 

(Wilson)  White  of  Deering,  N.  H.    They  reside 

in  Hillsboro',  N.  H.     One  son. 

1.  Frank  L.,  b.  June  18,  1865. 


Alvan  Ward,  son  of  Dea.  Samuel  Ward,  md.  Oct. 
23,  1823,  Eusebia  Kussell.  b.  in  Rindge  Sept.  14,  1797, 
dau.  of  Eliakim  and  Sarah  (Converse)  Russell.  He  was 
a  farmer  and  for  several  years  he  was  engaged  in  the 
manufacture  of  chair  stock.  He  d.  June  20,  1869  ;  his 
widow  d.  Aug.  24,  1875. 

I.  Mary  Ann   T.,    b.    Dec.    17,   1824;    md.    Calvin 

Dows.     He  d.  Feb.  18,  1874. 
II.   George  P.,  b.  Aug.  18,  1826  ;  md.  July  22,  1849, 
Eunice  K.  Wood,  dau.  of  Jonathan  Wood,  q.  v. 
He  served  in  14th  New  Hampshire  Volunteers  ; 
resides  in  Tro}',  N.  H. 
m.  Achsah  C.,b.  Aug.  12,  1828;  md.  Milton  Brooks, 

q.  V. 
IV.  Ivers,  b.  Feb.  18,  1830;  d.  Dee.  28,  1831. 

V.  Franklin     W.,    b.    July    19,     1833;     resides    in 

Winchendon.  He  is  a  job  printer  and  pro- 
prietor and  editor  of  The  Winchendon  Courier. 
He  md.  Sophronia  Stone. 

VI.  Marcus   L.,    b.  March  12,    1834;  md.    Julia  A. 

Muzze}'  of  Winchendon. 
VII.    William    L.   G..  b.  Aug.   15,  1835  ;  md.    Abigail 

Bride. 
VIII.  Angeline  G..  b.  Feb.  15,  1839  ;  md.  John  Baldwin. 
He  was   killed  in  the   service,    May    2,    1863. 
She    md.    (2d)    Henry  C.  Whitcomb ;    she   d. 
Aug.  24,  1SG7. 


Isaac  D.  Wakd  md.  Oct.  31,  1843,  Rebecca  A. 
Cushing,  dau.  of  Labau  Gushing,  q.  v.  They  reside  at 
North  Village,  where  he  has  been  engaged  in  the  manu- 
facture of  wood  ware  and  has  been  an  assessor  and 
selectman  several  j'ears.  In  town  and  parish  affairs  he 
has  been  an  active  and  influential  citizen. 


(JENKA LOGICAL    KEGLSTER.  939 

I.  Flora  E.,    b.    April  27,    1845  ;    md.    Charles   E. 

Woodward,  q.  v. 
II.  Ella  M.,  b.  April  13,  1847;  md.   La  Roy  Butler, 
q.  V. 

III.  Lelfa  A.,  b.  Aug.  7,  1849  ;  d.  March  12,  1850. 

IV.  Effi-e  A.,  b.  Jan.   19,   1855;  md.   Dec.   16,    1880, 

Frank  H.  Rideout  of    Fitchburg.     They  reside 
in  Gardner. 


William  Ward,  a  brother  of  Caleb,  was  b.  in  Waltham 
July  5,  1757  ;  bap.  July  17.  He  came  to  this  town  in  his 
youth  and  after  a  few  years  settled  near  Ward  pond.  He 
served  several  enlistments  in  the  Revolution  which  are 
stated  in  Chapters  V  and  VI.  He  md.  March  7,  1787, 
Mrs.  Sarah  (Draper)  Brooks.  He  d.  Dec.  5,  1846  ;  she 
d.  March,  1835. 

I.    William,  b.  March  7,  1788.-|- 

II.  Lydia,  b.  Feb.  19,  1790;  md.  May  23,  1839, 
Benjamin  Blaney  ;  lived  in  this  town,  where  she 
d.  March  3,  1857.  Several  children  but  no 
record  is  received. 

III.  Nathaniel  Draper,  b.  June  10,  1793.-J- 

IV.  Thaddeus,    b.    Nov.    12,    1795;   d.    unmd.   about 

1868. 
V.  Jesse,  b.  Feb.  14,  1798;  non  comp.  ;  d.   Jan.    12, 

1856. 
VI.  Bevjamiii,  b.  April  1,  1801. -|- 


WiLLiAM  Ward  resided  a  few  years  in  Marlboro', 
N.  H.,  but  settled  in  Plainfield,  N.  II.,  where  he  was  a 
farmer  and  a  merchant.  He  was  a  respected  citizen  and  a 
deacon  of  the  Congregational  church.  He  md.  March  6, 
1817,  Rebecca  Barrett,  b.  May  26,  1789,  dau.  of  Joseph 
and  Sarah  (Brooks)  Barrett  of  Mason,  N.  H.  ;  md.  (2d) 
1826,  Rebecca  Boynton  of  Mason,  N.  H.  He  d.  Feb.  8. 
1863. 

I.    William  B.,h.  May  8,  1818;  md.  April  5,   1853, 
Maria  P.  Fuller ;  a  farmer  in  Plainfield,  N.  H. 
II.  Rebecca,  b.  1822  :  md.  Norman  Smith  of  Lempster, 
N.  H.  ;  d.  1864. 

III.  Sarah,    b.    1824 ;    md.    George   C.    Freeman    of 

Plainfield,  N    H. 

IV.  Benjamin  F.,  b.  1827;  a  merchant  in   Plainfield, 

N.  H.  ;  md.  Edna  S.  Davis  ;  md.  (2d)  Elizabeth 
P.  Spalding. 


«40 


HISTORY    OF    ASHBURNHAM. 


59 


60 


(51) 


61 

62 

63 
64 
65 
66 


(54) 


72 


Alfred,  b.  1828  ;  a  farmer  in  Spring  Lake,  Mich,  ; 

md.    March    17,    1859,    Mary    E.    Burnap    of 

Plainfield,  N.  H. 
Cyrus,  b.  April  1,  1830;   a  baker    in  Springfield, 

Vt.  ;  md.  Martha  W.  Thornton. 


Nathaniel  Draper  Ward,  son  of  William,  md.  1816^ 
Betsey  Haven,  dau.  of  Jonathan  Haven,  q.  v.  He  lived 
in  the  south  part  of  the  town.  He  d.  Oct.  18,  1859  ;  hi& 
widow  d.  Sept.  22,  1877.  Two  of  their  eleven  children  d. 
in  infancy. 

I.  Benjamin    Sabin,    b.    Oct.  9,   1817;    d.    in    New 

Orleans,  La.,  Oct.  31,  1841. 
11.  Martha,  b.  Nov.   26,   1819  ;  md.  Amos   F.  Lane, 
q.  V. 

III.  Mary,  b.  Jan.  22,  1821  ;  md.  Stephen  Wood,  q.  v. 

IV.  Nancy,  b.  Aug.  12,  1823  ;  md.  Elijah  Haven,  g.  v. 
V.  Elmira,  b.  April  15,  1825  ;  d.  May  25,  1844. 

VI.  Horace  Parker,  b.   March  27,  1827;  md.  May  27, 

1850,  Elizabeth  O'Farye ;    resides  in    Sterling, 

Minn. 
VII.   Lucinda,    b.    Feb.     17,    1829  ;    resides   unmd.  at 

Honolulu,  Sandwich  Islands. 
VIII.   George    Washington,  b.  .June  2,   1832;  md.    July 

23,   1860,  Phebe  A.  Cole;  resides    at   Garden 

City,  Minn. 
IX.   Charles  Lewis,  b.  July  5,  1834  ;    md.   April  29, 

1857,  Sarah  Jane  Clare,  who  d.  June  8,  1867; 

md.  (2d)   Sarah  Norman ;   resides    in   Kansas. 

Formerly  he  was  a  magistrate   and  postmaster 

in  Minnesota.     In  the  Civil  War  he  served  in 

Fifth  Iowa  Cavalry. 


Benjamin  Ward  was  a  farmer  in  this  town.  He  owned 
and  occupied  the  farm  near  the  homestead  of  his  father, 
now  of  Laban  W.  Wright.  He  md.  Nov.  29,  1838, 
Melinda  Lane,  dau.  of  Benjamin  Lane,  q.  v.  He  d.  Sept. 
16,  1860;  his  wife  d.  Feb.  25,  1855. 

t.  Elliot   Benjamin,    b.    March    6,     1840 ;    drowned 

Aug.  8,  1857. 
II.  Henry  William,. h.  Dec.  16,  1841  ;  he  is  a  farmer 

in  Greeley,  Col.  ;  md.   April  29,    1874,  Hattie 

H.  Orr.     Two  children. 
III.  Edwin  Franklin,  b.  Dec.  27,  1843  ;  he  is  farming 

and  sheep  raising  in  Greeley,  Col.  ;  unmd. 


GENEALOGICAL   KEGISTER.  941 

Sarah  Isabel,  b.  May  16,  1847;  md.  March  19, 
1868,  Lemuel  AYbituey,  son  of  Dwell  Whitney, 
q.  V. 


(82) 


John  Ward,  b.  in  Sutton  June  10,  1746,  was  a  son  of 
Jonas  and  Abigail  (Child)  Ward.  He  lived  in  West- 
minster near  the  line  of  Ashburnham,  and  died  in  that 
town,  but  in  social  relations  he  was  intimately  connected 
with  the  people  of  this  town.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
church  in  Ashburnham,  his  children  were  baptized  by  Mr. 
Gushing,  and  the  deaths  in  his  family  are  recorded  in  the 
church  records.  The  farm  was  annexed  to  this  town 
many  years  ago  and  is  now  owned  by  John  G.  AVoodward. 

He  md. ,  1774,  Mindwell  Harrington,  who  d.  Sept. 

18,  1782;  md.  (2d)  Oct.  4,  1784,  Copiah  Rice,  b. 
Aug.  17,  1747,  dau.  of  Silas  and  Copiah  (Broughton) 
Rice  of  Westboro'.  He  d.  Sept.  24,  1818  ;  his  widow  d. 
March  25,  1844,  aged  96,  recorded  98. 

I.  Sarah,     b.     June    19,    1775;    md.    John   Flagg ; 

resided  in  Worcester. 
II.  Polbj,  b.  Oct.   12,   1777;  md.  July  3,  1820,  John 
Woodward,  son  of  Nathaniel  Woodward ;  lived 
in  Westminster.     John  G.  Woodward   of  Ash- 
burnham is  their  son. 

III.  Bettif   (twin),  b.  Oct.  12,   1777;  md.  John  Crox- 

field  and  resided  in  Barre,  Vt. 

IV.  Joh7i,  b.  May  14,  1780.-f 

V.  Jonas,   b.   July  19,    1782;  md.   Anna   Child   and 
lived  in  Westminster.     She  md.  (2d)  Americus 
Amsden  of  Windsor,  Vt. 
VI.  Lucy,  b.  Dec.  8,  1785  ;  d.  young, 
VII.   Copia,  b.  May  24,  1789  ;  md.  John  Mossman,  g.  v. 
vm.  Silas,  b.  July  22,  1791. + 


John  Ward,  Jr.,  md.  April  9,  1811,  Dolly  Townsend, 
dau.  of  Reuben  Townsend,  q.  v.  He  resided  on  the 
homestead,  and  by  the  change  in  town  lines  became  a 
citizen  of  Ashburnham  in  1824.  He  d.  April  27,  1843; 
she  d.  July  5,  1857. 

I.  Mary,  b.  May  21,  1812  ;  md.  John  G.  Woodward, 

q.  V. 


Silas  Ward,  son  of  John,  md. ,  1815,  Diedama 

Mossman,  dau.  of  Matthias  Mossman,  q.  v.  They 
resided  in  Westminster.  He  d.  May  29,  1881  ;  she  d. 
Nov.  7,  1879. 


942 


HISTORY   OF  ASHBURNHAM. 


I.  Susanna  F.,  b.  Oct.  13,  1817  ;  d.  Nov.  21,  1856. 
II.  Horace,  h.  Aug.  24,  1824  ;  d.  Nov.  5,  1849. 
III.  Sarah  F.,  b.  Dec.  5,  18.31  ;  md.  John  M.  Pratt, 

q.  V. 


Samuel  Warren  md.  Anna  Merriam,  b.  Oct.  10, 
1753,  dau.  of  Samuel  and  Anna  (Whitney)  Merriam  of 
Lexington.  He  removed  to  this  town  about  1773.  An 
infant,  perhaps  Rebecca,  d.  July  10,  1777.  He  d.  April 
20,  1778,  aged  27;  she  md.  (2d)  Dea.  Jacob  Harris, 
q.  V. 

I.  Rebecca,  b.  Feb.  28,  1775. 
II.  Anna,  b.  April  27,  1778. 


Col.  Jehiel  Watkins  was  b.  in  Chester,  Vt.,  July  28, 
1796.  He  md.,  about  1821,  Priscilla  Earle  of  Chester, 
Vt.  She  was  b.  Aug.  12,  1799.  After  a  brief  residence 
in  Ashby  they  removed  to  this  town  in  1823.  He  was  a 
lieutenant  and  captain  of  the  militia  from  1824  to  1828; 
subsequently  he  held  commissions  of  major,  lieutenant- 
colonel,  and  colonel  of  the  regiment.  In  town  affairs  he 
was  a  man  of  influence  and  was  frequently  elected  to 
office.  He  d.  Sept.  7,  1857  ;  his  widow  d.  Jan.  13,  1882. 
They  had  one  adopted  child. 

I.  Sarah  Helen  Ingraham,  b.  in  Chester,  Vt.,  1841  ; 
md.  Francis  A.  AVhitney,  q.  v. 


Jacob  Wenning,  also  written  Winning  and  Wenneg, 
came  to  this  town  from  Chelmsford  in  1770,  and  removed 
to  Westford  in  1773.  He  was  of  Irish  parentage  and  his 
residence  in  this  town  was  not  of  sufficient  duration  to 
lead  to  mention  were  it  not  for  the  purpose  of  correcting 
a  tradition  that  he  was  one  of  the  Germans.  He  was  a 
blacksmith  and  lived  where  Alden  B.  Marble  now  resides. 
The  name  of  his  wife  was  Eleanor.  She  was  possibly  a 
second  wife. 

I.  Jacob,  b.  . 

II.  Susannah,  b.  . 

III.  Henry,  b. . 

IV.  Mary,  bap.  June  27,  1772. 


James  Weston  was  b.  in  Woburn  1773.  He  was  a  son 
of  John  and  Mary  Atwood  Weston,  grandson  of  Isaac 
and  Elizabeth  Pratt  Weston,  great-grandson  of  Stephen 
and    Sarah   (Townsend)   Weston  and   great-great-grand- 


GENEALOGICAL   KEGISTEU.  943 

sou  of  John  and  Sarah  (Fitch)  Weston  of  Salem.  James 
Weston  md.  in  Woburn  1797,  Rhoda  Reed,  dan.  of  Jonas 
Reed,  q.  v.  He  removed  to  Ashburidiam  about  ]«{)(), 
and  probably  in  eomi)au3'  with  the  Reed  family  who  came 
at  that  time.  He  d.  July,  1837  ;  his  widow  d.  a  few 
years  subsequently. 

I.  Bhoda,  b.  Aug.  1 "),  1798  ;  md.  Abel  Sawyer,  q.  v. 
II.  Susan,  b.   Sept.   IT),   1800;    md.   Nov.   22,   1826, 
Arringtou  Gibson  of  Fitchburg. 

1.  Emerson,   b.    Sept.    15,    1830;  md.   Sept. 

14,  18r)9,  Hattie  A.  Wilbur;  residence 
Brattleborough,  Vt. 

2.  Albert  A.,  b.   Feb.   4,    1832  ;  md.   Jennie 

McCoy  ;  residence  Omaha,  Neb. 

3.  Susan  A.,  b.  Jan.    22,    1835  ;    md.   Sept 

27,  1858,  George  E.  Bryant,  son  of 
George  W.  and  Eunice  (Norcross) 
Bryant  of  Fitzwilliam.  He  is  a  lawyer 
in  Madison,  Wis. 

III.  Elijah,  b.  May  23,  1804;  md.  1846,  Mrs.  Hannah 

R.  Wood  of  Winchendon.     He  d.  in  this  town. 

IV.  James  Allan,  b.  March  9,  1810.-f- 

V.  Amos,  b.  April  22,  1817;  md.  1843,  Rebecca 
Wheeler  of  New  Ipswich  ;   d.  in  New  Ipswich. 

VI.  Harriet  N.,  b.  Nov.  3,  1820;  md.  Dec.  23,  1841, 
Charles  Taylor,  b.  in  New  Ipswich  March  21, 
1820,  son  of  Samuel  and  Persis  (Jones)  Taylor 
(Jones  register) ,  resided  in  New  Ipswich  where 
she  d.  1867 ;  he  md.  (2d)  Mary  L.  Gipson, 
widow  of  Henry  Gipson,  q.  v. 

1.  Clinton  C,  b.  Nov.  27,  1842;  d.  Oct.  17, 

1861. 

2.  Henrietta  M.,  b.  July  16,  1844. 

3.  Myron,  b.  July  31,   1846;  md.   Elizabeth 

Crosby  ;  residence  in  Boston  ;  chief  clerk 
Boston  and  Lowell  Railroad. 

4.  Marianna,  b.  Feb.  17,  1849;  d.  Feb.  26, 

1851. 

5.  Emma,   b.  Feb.  20,    1854;  md.    Sept.   3, 

1878,  Frank  Herbert  Hardison,  b.  in 
Rindge  Sept.  3,  1849,  son  of  Samuel  J. 
and  Louisa  (Hastings)  Hardison.  He 
is  editor  of  Greenfield  Gazette  and 
Courier. 


944 


HISTORY   OF    ASHBURNHAM. 


16 


(8) 


21 


6.  Carrie,  b.  Jan.  22,  1857;  md.  July  2, 
1883,  Frederick  S.  Maynard  of  Wilton, 
N.  H.  He  d.  June  23,  1886  ;  she  d. 
Aug.  25,  1886. 


James  A.  Weston  md.  Dec.  24,  1835,  Elizabeth  S. 
Borman,  b.  in  Wincbendon  Feb.  27,  1815,  dau.  of  Charles 
Borman.  They  resided  in  this  town  until  1848  when  they 
removed  to  New  Ipswich,  where  he  d.  Aug.  18,  1852  ; 
she  md.  (2d)  Ebenezer  Blake  of  Rindge. 

I.  Harlan  Marcellm,  b.  Nov.  4,  1836  ;   d.  Oct,  20, 

1838. 
II.  Mary  Elizabeth,  b.  Oct.  31,  1839;  md.  Edwin  J. 
Stearns,  q.  v. 

III.  Harlan  A.,  b.  May  9,  1844  ;  d.  June  6,  1847. 

IV.  Ellen  M.,  b.  June  22,  1848  ;  md.  May  27,  1874, 

Frank  E.  Wellington,  b.  in    Rindge   May  27, 
1852,  son  of  Oilman  P.  and  Mary  Ann  (Jones) 
Wellington.     They  reside  in  Leominster. 
V.   Charles  A.,  b.  April  29,  1850;  d.  Aug.  30,  1867. 


Ethan  Wetherbee  md.  Dec.  31,  1775,  Lucretia 
Adams,  dau.  of  Capt.  Thomas  Adams,  q.  v.,  and  removed 
from  Cambridge  to  this  town  in  1776  or  1777.  It  is  sug- 
gested that  he  was  the  landlord  of  the  historic  Black 
Horse  Inn  in  Menotomy,  where  the  Committee  of  Safety 
held  meetings  in  April,  1775,  and  where  Gerry,  Orne  and 
Lee  witnessed  by  moonlight  the  march  of  the  British 
troops  on  their  advance  toward  Lexington  and  Concord. 
In  the  names  of  his  children  appear  Samuel  Cook,  Abigail 
Bowman  and  Betsey  Sanders,  which  are  suggestive  to 
persons  conversant  with  the  annals  of  Menotomy.  In 
1787  Mr.  Wetherbee  appears  to  be  residing  in  Medford, 
but  with  little  exception  he  lived  in  this  town  and  is  fre- 
quently named  in  the  records  until  1798,  when  he  sold  his 
farm  to  Isaac  Hill  and  removed  to  Keene,  N.  H.  The 
births  of  his  children  are  not  recorded,  but  Mr.  Cashing 
found  frequent  employment  in  the  baptism  of  a  numerous 
progeny. 

Betsey  Sayiders,  bap.  July  27,  1777. 
Abigail  Boivman,  bap.  April  18,  1779. 
Samuel  Cook,  bap.  May  27,  1781. 
Lucretia,  bap.  May  25,  1783. 
Simon  Peter,  bap.  May  6,  1785. 
David,  bap.  July  25,  1790. 
Jonathan  (twin),  bap.  July  25,  1790. 


2 

I. 

3 

II. 

4 

III. 

5 

IV. 

6 

V. 

7 

VI. 

8 

VII. 

GENEALOGICAL    KEGISTEK.  945 

VIII.   Ethan,  bap.  July  2.'!,  1790. 
IX.  Lydia,  bap.  Jul}'  29,  1792  ;  d.  June  7,  1794. 
X.  i?/r?('a,  bap.  July  6.  1794. 
XI.  Mary,  bap.  Sept.  25,  1796. 


Phinehas  AVetiierbee,  probably  from  Stow,  came  to 
Ashburnbam  about  170;').  He  md.  (Int.)  June  7,  1767, 
Hannah  Whitney  of  Stow.  In  1776  the  family  removed 
to  Stow. 

I.   Betty,  b.  Nov.  9,  1708. 
II.   Catherine,  b.  Dee.  16,  1770. 

III.  Dolly,  b.  Feb.  21,  1773. 

IV.  Hannah,  b.  March  20,  1775. 


Amos  Wetherbee  md.  in  Ashburnham  Nov.  26,  1789, 
Sarah  Foster  and  removed  about  1800  to  Cavendish,  Vt. 

I.  Ahel,  b.  June  16,  1790. 
II.  Stephen,  b.  Nov.  21,  1791. 

III.  Sarah,  b.  Dec.  24,  1793. 

IV.  Lydia,  b.  Dec.  7,  1795. 

V.  Amos,  b.  March  6,  1798;  md.  Aug.  31,  1824, 
Sarah  May nard,  a  sister  of  Antipas  Maynard ; 
resided  in  Lowell. 


Dea.  Joseph  Wetherbee,  son  of  Joseph  and  Mary 
(Farr)  Wetherbee,  was  b.  in  Ashby  Dec.  4,  1810.  He 
was  a  chairmaker  in  this  town  and  a  deacon  of  the  Union 
church.  He  md.  April  18,  1844,  Mary  E.  Fletcher,  dau. 
of  Joshua  Fletcher,  q.  v.  He  d.  Aug.  13,  1847.  She 
md.  (2d)  Aug.  7,  1852,  George  W.  Todd  of  Rindge. 
Two  children  b.  in  Ashburnham. 

1.  Prescott  W.,  b.  Feb.  1,  1847;  d.  Feb.  22,  1847. 
II.  Joseph  F.,  b.  Jan.  8,  1848  ;  md.  1872,  Arabella  S. 
Nichols,  dau.  of  Thomas  S.  Nichols  of  Peter- 
boro'  ;  resides  in  Fitchburg. 


Marshall  Wetherbee,  son  of  Josiah  and  Clarissa 
(Sawtell)  Wetherbee,  was  b.  in  Rindge  June  30,  1817. 
The  lineage  of  the  Wetherbee  and  Sawtell  families  is 
traced  in  the  History  of  Rindge.  Mr.  Wetherbee  removed 
to  this  town  in  1844,  and  the  following  year  he  purchased 
a  livery  property  and  has  successfully  continued  the  busi- 
ness to  the  present  time.  He  was  a  deputy-sheriff  twelve 
years  and  has  been  a  State  constable.     In  town  affairs  he 

GO 


946 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


28 


29 
30 
31 


35 


36 


37 


has  been  employed  many  years  as  collector,  constable, 
overseer  of  the  poor  and  selectman.  He  is  a  director  of 
the  First  National  Bank  and  a  trustee  of  the  Savings 
Bank  of  Gardner.  He  md.  Oct.  13,  1842,  Marinda 
Whitaker,  dau.  of  Levi  and  Eunice  (Tarbell)  Whitaker  of 
Mason,  N.  H.- 

I.  George  M.,  b.  Dec.  25,  1843  ;  md.  March  3,  1863, 
Mary  Ellen  Livingston  ;  he  served  in  the  21st 
Regiment. 

II.   Charles  H.,  b.  June  2,  1847  ;  d.  Sept.  22,  1847. 

III.  Charles  H.,  b.  Oct.  2,  1848  ;  d.  Sept.  6,  1849. 

IV.  Sid7iey  J.,  b.  Jan.  8,    1851  ;  md.    March,    1872, 

Hattie  M.  Farwell  of  Mason,  N.  H.  ;  he  d.  Sept. 
23,  1883;  she  md.  (2d)  W.  Fred.  White. 
V.   Charles  P.,  b.  Nov.  4,  1852  ;  resides  in  this  town. 
VI.   Clara  J.,  b.  Sept.  7,  1854  ;  d.  Aug.  28,  1868. 

VII.  Emma  J.,  b.  Sept.  28,  1856;  md.  May  26,  1880, 
Otis  H.  Norcross,  b.  May  8,  1851,  son  of 
Joshua  and  Calista  K.  (Cooper)  Norcross  of 
Rindge  ;  reside  in  Rindge. 

VIII.  William  H.,  b.  Sept.  5,  1858  ;  resides  in  Green- 
field. 


BENJAivnN  E.  Wetherbee  was  b.  in  Brookline,  N.  H., 
July  4,  1821.  He  is  a  son  of  Benjamin  and  Hannah 
(Wadsworth)  Wetherbee  and  a  grandson  of  Timothy  ^Veth- 
erbee  of  Mason,  N.  H.  He  md.  May  25,  1847,  Sarah 
Helen  Bruce,  b.  April  29,  1825,  dau.  of  Silas  and  Melinda 
Bruce  of  Templeton,  and  resided  some  years  in  Townsend 
where  he  was  a  town  officer,  and  in  1854  a  representative 
to  the  Legislature.  He  removed  to  this  town  1860  and 
has  been  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  chairs  and  bent 
chair  stock.  He  resides  on  the  John  Willard  farm.  In 
this  town  he  has  been  frequently  elected  to  office. 

I.  Eloise  Helen,  b.  June  22,  1856  ;  a  music  teacher. 


Samuel  Wheeler,  son  of  John  Wheeler,  b.  Aug.  11, 
1762,  md.  in  Ashburnham  May  7,  1793,  Elizabeth 
Taylor,  dau.  of  Jonathan  Taylor,  q.  v.  He  lived  on  the 
Clary  farm  in  New  Ipswich,  where  he  d.  Feb.  14,  1839. 


Daniel  Wheeler,  son  of  Samuel,  b.  in  New  Ipswich 
July  1,  1800,  md.  April  3,  1823,  Rhoda  Taylor,  dau.  of 
Nathan  Taylor,  q.  v.  He  was  a  farmer  in  this  town 
residing  on  the  farm  now  of  his  son  Daniel.  He  d.  April 
3,  1848;  she  d.  Dec.  4,  1848. 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTEK.  947 

1.  ASa?>i«e/,  b.  March  15,    1824;  md.    May  5,    1853, 
Permelia  Whitnej'.     He  is  a  carpenter  in  New 
Ipswich. 
II.   Rhoda,    b.    Jan.    31,  1826;    md.    Dec.    6,    1856, 
Jonathan  Coburn  of  New  Ipswich. 

III.  Daniel,  b.  Jan.  25,  1828  ;  md.  Dec.  4,  1860,  Mary 

Drinan.     He  is  a  farmer  on  the  homestead. 

1.  Mary  Ehzabeth,    b.   April  24,  1862;  md. 

1886. 

2.  Nathan  Taylor,  b.  March  17,  1864. 

IV.  George,  b.  April  30,  1830. 

V.  Elizabeth,  b.  Dec.  14,  1832;  md.  May    6,   1858, 

William  Jeffrey  ;  reside  in  Hudson. 
VI.  John,  b.  Oct.  9,  1835  ;  d.  Sept.  10,  1837. 
VII.  Lois,  b.  Jan.  31,  1840. 


Capt.  Asahel  Wheeler,  b.  1814,  came  to  this  town 
in  youth.  He  md.  Oct.  6,  1836,  Susan  S.  Lawrence,  dau. 
of  Capt.  Jeremiah  Lawrence.  She  d.  Aug.  28,  1845; 
md.  (2d)  Feb.,  1846,  Eliza  (Wright)  Carlton,  widow  of 
John  Carlton  and  dau.  of  Abel  Wright,  q.  v.  He  d. 
1855  ;  his  widow  d.  in  Ashby.  Capt.  Wheeler  was  a 
member  of  the  Ashburnham  Light  Infantry  and  an  officer 
seven  years.     He  was  commissioned  captain  in  1844. 

I.  Asahel,  b.  Sept.  8,  1839.  He  was  in  the  service 
in  the  Civil  War  and  was  a  captain  of  21st  and 
of  61st  Regiments.  Vide  page  445.  After  the 
war  he  was  the  first  captain  of  the  Rice  Guards. 
Nearly  twenty  years  ago  Capt.  Wheeler  removed 
to  Fitchburg  and  was  of  the  police  of  that  city 
several  years.  He  md.  1861,  Lydia  A.  Win- 
ship,  dau.  of  Sj^lvester  and  Lucy  (Munroe) 
Winship;  she  d.  July  28,  1862;  he  md.  (2d) 
Sarah  J.  Beckwith  of  Fitchburg. 


Russell  Whipple,  a  son  of  Otis  and  Amy  (Harkness) 
Whipple,  was  b.  in  Richmond,  N.  H.,  Jan.  22,  1820.  He 
md.  1840,  Mary  Scollay,  dau.  of  Grover  Scollay,  q.  v. 
During  the  ensuing  twenty  years  they  resided  in  Ash- 
burnham, in  Royalston,  Richmond,  N.  H.,  New  Ipswich, 
Winchendon  and  again  in  Ashburnham.  He  enlisted  in 
the  53d  Regiment  and  was  killed  at  Port  Hudson,  June 
14,  1863;  shed.  Nov.  11,  1882. 

I.  Eunice  L.,  b.  March  19,  1841. 


948 


HISTORY    OF    ASHBTTRNHAM. 


II.   George  W.^h.   Sept.   21,   1842;  md.   1867,  Laura 

Barrett,  dau.  of  Townsend  Barrett,  q.  v. 
HI.  Frederick  R.,  b.  July  6,   1844  ;   md.    1868,  Emily 

Barrett,  dau.  of  Townsend  Barrett,  q.  v. 
IV,   Charles  N.,  b.  Sept.  17,  1845;  md.  1868,  Nancy 

M.  James. 
V.  James  A.,  b.  Oct.  16,  1847. 
VI.  Joseph  A.,  b.  Jan.  11,  1851, 

VII.  Emma  A.,  b.  Aug.  10,  1853  ;  md. Paulding. 

VIII.  Sarah  E.,  b.  May  14,  185p. 
IX.  Ella  J.,  b.  Aprir27,  1857. 
X.  Martha  L.,  b.  Aug.  17,  1859. 
XI.  Moulton  H.,  b.  Aug.  12,  1862. 


(2) 


William  Whitcomb,  with  wife  Hannah  and  several 
children,  came  from  Harvard  to  this  town  in  1762.  At 
the  organization  of  the  town  in  1765,  he  was  elected  town 
clerk.  This  office  he  filled  only  two  years,  but  he  was 
subsequently  elected  moderator,  selectman,  and  for  a 
number  of  years  he  was  among  the  foremost  men  in  the 
town.  He  was  frequently  chosen  on  committees  during 
the  Revolution,  and  in  1783  he  was  a  representative  to  the 
General  Court.  He  d.  Dec.  3,  1792.  The  records  furnish 
very  little  information  of  this  family  and  it  is  not  known 
how  many  children  there  were  nor  the  order  of  age  of  the 
following. 

I.  Elias,  b. .-|- 

II.   Oliver,  b.    ;    md.    Oct.    16,     1770,    Dorcas 

Dickinson,  g.  v. 

III.  Lucy,  b. ;  md.  Simeon  Brooks,  q.  v. 

IV.  Persis,  b. ;  md.  Isaac  Blodgett,  q.  v. 


Elias  Whitcomb  md.  Aug.  9,  1781,  Dinah  Brooks  and 
resided  in  this  town  until  1800,  when  he  removed  to 
Ashby.  His  wife  d.  1806;  he  md  (2d)  1807,  Sally 
Bonner  of  Hancock,  N.  H. 


Relief,  b.  Oct.  30,  1781  ;   md.  Elias  Blodget,  q.  v. 
Dinah,  h.  Aug.  13,  1783  ;  d.  Aug.  20,  1783. 
Hannah,  b.  June  27,  1786  ;  md.  Job  Foster. 

Louisa,  b.  March  29,  1788  ;  md. Haynes. 

Mary,  b.  April  25,  1791  ;    md.  Moses  Sanderson, 
Jr.,  q.  V. 

Nancy,  b.  March  25,  1796  ;    md. Edwards. 

Lucinda,  b.  Feb.  2,   1801  ;  md.  Charles  Buttrick. 


6 

I 

7 

II 

8 

III 

9 

IV. 

10 

V. 

11 

VI. 

12 

VII. 

GENEALOGICAL    HEGISTEK.  949 

viii.   Esther,  b.  April  G,  1805  ;  md.  Blood. 

IX.  Elaph,  b.  April  20,  1810. 


John  AVhite  was  a  soldier  in  the  Continental  service 
from  1777  to  1780.  He  was  in  Col.  Greaton's  regiment, 
and  on  one  roll  he  is  counted  on  the  quota  of  Easton  and 
on  another  roll  on  the  quota  of  this  town,  but  both  records 
assert  that  he  was  a  resident  of  Ashburnham.  He  md. 
Ruth  Holden,  and  settled  in  the  southwest  part  of  the 
town  not  long  before  he  entered  the  army.  In  1785  his 
farm  was  included  in  Gardner,  and  his  continued  record 
was  in  that  town,  where  he  d.  1806.  Three  or  four  of 
the  older  children  were  b.  in  this  town. 

I.  Betsey,  b.  Sept.  21,  1776  ;   md.  William  Bickford, 

Jr.,  of  Gardner.     She  d.  1841. 
II.  Abigail,  b.  April  30,  1780;  d.  young. 

III.  John,  b.  May  5,   1782;  md.  Persis  Comee  ;  lived 

in  Gardner. 

IV.  Polly,    b.    Feb.    17,   1784;    md.  John   Parker   of 

Gardner. 
V.  Augustine,  b.  Feb.  24,  1786. 
VI.  Ahner,  b.  Dec.  10,  1787. 
VII.  Rebecca,  b.  May  i),  1790. 
VIII.  Lucy,  b.  Oct    26,  1792. 
IX.  Abigail^  b.  April  20,  1796. 


Dea.  Elisha  White  was  a  native  of  Lancaster,  He 
was  a  descendant  of  John  White,  one  of  the  early  settlers 
of  Lancaster,  where  his  descendants  were  numerous  and 
influential.  In  the  early  history  of  that  town  few  names 
were  more  prominent  in  civil  and  ecclesiastical  affair^. 
The  records  of  Lancaster  are  not  complete,  and  the  names 
of  Elisha  and  Josiah  are  so  frequently  met  that  the  lineage 
of  individual  members  of  this  family  is  not  easily  traced. 
Elisha  White  of  Ashburnham  was  b.  in  Lancaster  June 
18,  1759  ;  he  md.  Oct  10,  1780,  Deborah  Hunt,  b.  in 
Lancaster  Oct.  29,  1760,  dau.  of  Slierebiah  and  Deborah 
(Wilder)  Hunt,  and  a  sister  of  Dea.  Sherebiah  Hunt  of  this 
town.  After  his  marriage  he  lived  a  short  time  at 
Plymouth,  \t.,  but  settled  in  Ashburnham  in  1782.  He 
was  a  farmer  and  a  carpenter.  In  town  affairs  he  was 
one  of  the  foremost  men  of  his  time,  serving  as  town  clerk, 
moderator,  selectman  and  assessor.  From  1798  until  his 
death  he  was  a  deacon  of  the  church,  and  among  his 
fellow-men  his  opinions  were  respected  and  his  character 
was  above  reproach.  He  d.  June  14,  1817  ;  his  widow  d. 
March  'h'),  1846,  aged  <S5. 


950 


HISTORY   OF    ASHBURNHAM. 


(12) 


I.  Jusiah,  1).  Nov.  2,  1782.4- 
II.  Anna,  h  Oct.  2(3,  1784  ;  md.  Jesse  Holbrook,  q.  v. 

III.  Elisha,  1).  ]May  17,  1787. + 

IV.  Sherehiah     Hunt,    b.    Feb.    26,    1790;    md.    Lois 

Stocker ;    resided    iu     Spriiigfield,    Vt.,    subse- 

queutlv  ill  Uuit}^   N.   II.,  where  he  d.   , 

188.-5.  ^ 

V.  Deborah,    b.    Jan.    22,    1792 ;    md.    ,    John 

Ilarriugtou. 

VI.  Peter,    b.    April    29,     1794;    md.    ,    Nancy 

Stocker.  * 

VII.  Dorinda,  b.  May  25,  1796  ;  d.  iinmd.  ,  1837. 

VIII.  Mary,  b.  July  15,  1799  ;  md.  Stephen  Corey,  q.  v. 

IX.  David,  b.  Nov.   27,   1801  ;  md.   Sarah  Newcomb. 
He  was  a  contractor  and  builder,  doing  an  ex- 
tensive business  ;  resided  in  Gloucester. 
X.  Ivers,  b.  June  25,  1804. -f- 

XI.  Sarah,  b.  Nov.  17,  1806  ;  md.  June  6,  1833,  Jonas 
Lawrence,  q.  v. 


28 


JosiAH  White,  son  of  Dea.  Elisha  AVhite,  was  a 
carpenter  in  this  town.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Ash- 
burnham  Light  Infantry  and  was  in  the  service  in  1814  at 
Boston  Harbor.  He  md.  Feb.  8,  1807,  Matilda  Stone, 
dau.  of  Joseph  Stone,  q.  v.  ;  she  d.  Feb.  4,  1838  ;  md. 
(2d)  May  13,  1840,  Betsey  Bly,  dau.  of  James  Bly  of 
Andover.     He  d.  Oct.  24,  1871^ 

I.  Josiah  E.,  b.  May  20,  1809  ;  md.  April  10,  1835, 
Betsey  Lawrence,  dau.  of  Dea.  William  J. 
Lawrence,  q.  v.  ;  she  d.  Aug.  10,  1846  ;  md. 
(2d)  ]Mary  Moore.  He  removed  to  Lowell 
1848,  and  was  there  a  merchant;  resides  in 
Laconia,  N.  H. 
II.  Susan  Gates,  b.  July  21,  1811  ;  d.  Aug.  24,  1833. 

III.  Nancy  Hayden,    b.  Feb.   24,   1813;    md.   George 

Davis,  q.  V. 

IV.  Amos  S.,  b.  April  6,  1816  ;  he  is  a  merchant  in 

Weymouth  ;  md.  Eunice  Bowditch. 

V.  Mary^ Matilda,   b.  Aug.  4,   1818;  md.  ,  Dr. 

Ebenezer  T.  Learned  ;  resides  iu  Fall  River  ;  he 

VI.  Imrs   Warren,   1).   July   i»,    1820;    md.    Elizabeth 

AVheeler  of  Fitchburg. 
VII.  Sarah  Cushing,  b.  Dec.   27,   1822;  md.  Sept.  22, 
1845,  James  H.  Warner,  b.  iu  Boston  Sept.  10, 
1813;  d.    in    Fitchburg    Sept.    18,    1859.     She 
resides  in  Ashby. 


GENEALOGICAL    I{EG1STER.  951 

1.  .Tiuiies    K.,   1).    Alio-.    27,    \8H',  ;  ind.   Nov. 

21,  18r,7,  KlhiK.  lUy,  b.  Aug.  29,  1845, 
<l:vu.  of  .hiiues  Uly.  They  reside  at 
South  Village. 

2.  Mary  E.,  b.  Nov.   29,    1848;  md.   Henry 

Burr,  sou  of  Samuel  Burr  of  Ashby. 
;i.  Jane  W.,  b.  Oct.  1,  1852  ;  d.  young. 
4.  Francilla    A.,     b.     June     8,     185G ;    md. 
Herbert  Sadler  ;  they  revside  at  Beverly. 

VIII.  Joseph  Wilder,  h.  March  ."0,  182.'»  ;  md.  Susan 
Lake  ;  md.  (2d)  Sarah  Loud  ;  he  is  a  carpenter 
at  Lebanon,  N.  H. 

IX.  Charles  H.,  b.  Nov.  12,  1841  ;  md.  Nov.  2i),  1866, 

Florence  H.  Stowe,  dau.  of  David  and  Mary 
(Converse)  Stowe.  He  was  a  veteran  of  the 
21st  Regiment,  serving  in  the  Civil  War  four 
years.  He  has  been  a  member  of  the  volunteer 
militia  nearly  twenty  years,  and  is  now  a 
lieutenant  of  Company  E.  He  resides  on  the 
homestead. 

X.  Susan  E.,  b.  Oct.  20,  1843  ;  d.  May  29,  1865. 

XI.  Ellen  T.,  b.   June  8,    1847;  md.   Nov.    21,    1867, 

Edward  G.  Newell ;  residence  in  Gardner. 
XII.  Emma  F.    (twin),  b.  June  8,  1847;    d.   July  18, 
1847. 


Elisha  White  md.  Jan.,  1818,  Juda  Rodgers,  and 
resided  in  this  town  until  1H,")(),  and  subsequently  resided 
in  Newton  where  he  d.     He  md.  (2d)  Mrs. Rodgers. 

I.  Edwin,  b.  Oct.  12,  1819,  d.  May  10,   1824. 
11.  Sarah  H.,  b.  Nov.  2o,  1824  ;  d.  . 


IvERS  White,  after  the  death  of  his  father,  resided  a 
few  years  in  Springfield,  Vt.  Returning  to  Ashburnham 
in  1830,  he  purchased  of  Charles  Stearns  the  mail  route 
from  this  town  to  Worcester.  He  was  engaged  in  this 
enterprise  several  years.  Subsequently  he  was  a  house, 
carriage  and  ornamental  painter.  For  a  few  years, 
retaining  a  residence  in  this  town,  he  was  engaged  at  his 
occupation  in  Fitchburg.  He  was  adjutant  of  the  Ninth 
Regiment,  a  deputy-sheriff,  and  imder  the  Fillmore 
administration  he  was  postmaster.  He  md.  1832,  Zoa 
Lawrence,  dau.  of  Dea.  William  J.  Lawrence.  He  d. 
June  26,  1884. 

I.    William  Frederick,  b.  Aug.   17,   1834;  md.  

1857,  Alice  A.  Wheeler,  dau.  of  Oliver  Wheeler 


952 


HISTORY    OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


42 


of  Ashby.  They  were  divorced  18(5- ;  he  nid. 
(2d)  March  14,  1885,  Hattie  M.  (Farwell) 
Wetherbee,  widow  of  Siduej^  J.  Wetherbee,  q.  v. 
He  is  an  oruameutal  painter. 
A^mie  Eliza  Celestia,  b.  March  15,  1841  ;  md. 
Aug.  31,  1871,  Edwin  E.  Spencer,  M.  D.  ; 
resides  in  Canibridgeport. 


(6) 


Christiax  William  Whiteman,  with  wife  Anstina  and 
two  children,  with  his  German  associates  settled  on  Lex- 
ington grant  in  1758.  lie  was  one  of  the  proprietors  of 
the  grant  and  upon  its  division  among  the  several  owners 
he  secured  a  farm,  on  which  he  lived.  He  was  an  intelli- 
gent, valued  citizen.  In  1796  the  family  removed  to 
Haverhill,  N.  H. 

I.  Catherine,  b.  Oct.  18,  1752;  md.  Aug.  Q,  1781, 
Henry  Sunbury  and  resided  about  two  years  in 
this  town  ;  removed  to  Warren,  N.  H. 

1.  Catherine,  b.  1782. 

II.  Elizahbth,  b.  April  5,  1756;  md.  Jacob  Constan- 
tine,  q.  v. 

III.  Anstina,  b.  July  24,  1758. 

IV.  Nicholas,  b.  Feb.  19,  1761.+ 
V.   Christian,  b.  Oct.  21,  1763. 

VI.  Margaret,  b.  July  20,  1766. 


14 


Nicholas  Whitemax  served  in  Mitchell's  regiment  in 
1776  and  at  Castle  William,  Col.  Abijah  Stearns'  regi- 
ment, in  1778.  He  removed  to  Warren,  N.  H.,  in  1780, 
but  subsequently  returned  to  this  town  where  he  lived 
many  3'ears.  He  had  a  farm  and  a  mill  where  Warren  E. 
Marble  now  lives.  In  his  old  age  he  lived  elsewhere  with 
his  children.  He  md.  Aug.  23,  1781,  Elizabeth  Rodamel, 
q.  V.  A  dau.,  aged  12  years,  d.  Feb.  6,  1796  ;  a  dau., 
aged  9  years,  d.  Feb.  10,  1776.  Scarcely  more  than  the 
names  of  the  other  children  can  be  2:iven. 


I. 
II. 
III. 

IV. 
V. 


William,  b. 
Nancy,  b.  — 
Folhh  b.  — 
Jacob,  b.  — 
Peter,  b.  — 


settled  in  Canada. 


d.  unmd.  in  this  town  Oct.,  1835. 
settled  in  Canada. 


John  Whiteman  first  appears  in  the  records  in  1765. 
He  probably  came  with  the  other  Germans  in  1758.     He 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTEK 


953 


lived  iu  the  northeast  part  of  the  town  and   the  family 
removed  about  1804.     The  birth  of  one  child  is  recorded 
'  and  six  others  were  baptized. 


15 

I.  3Iary,  b.  May  13,  1765. 

16 

II.  John,  bap.  April  23,  1769. 

17 

III.  Jacob,  bap.  Nov.  21,  1771. 

18 

lY.  Katherine,  bap.  Oct.  27,  1776. 

19 

V.   George,  bap.  May  27,  1781  ;  d.  Feb.  29,  1784. 

20 

Yi.  Sarah,  bap.  Oct.  12,  1783. 

21 

VII.  Hannah,  bap.  May  21,  1786. 

22 

Hekry  Whiteman,  perhaps  a  son  of   John  (14),  md. 

1793,   Abigail   Wheeler  of  New    Ipswich.     He   was   an 

ensign  of  the  militia  1792. 

WHITMORE. 

Francis  Wiiitmore,  b.  in  England  1G25,  is  found  in  Cambridge  in  1649. 
He  was  a  large  land  owner  in  Cambridge  and  the  neighboring  towns  and 
resided  many  years  and  perhaps  through  life  within  the  limits  of  the  present 
city.  When  Lexington  was  created  a  precinct  the  bounds  were  described  as 
beginning  "  on  the  southerly  side  of  Francis  Whitmore's  house."  It  does  not 
appear  that  he  ever  lived  there  and  at  the  date  of  the  record  he  had  been 
dead  several  years.  He  served  in  the  Indian  War  under  Major  Willard. 
He  md.  Isabel  Parks,  dau.  of  Richard  Parks  of  Cambridge;  she  d.  March 
31,  1665;  md.  (2d)  Nov.  10,  1666,  Margaret  Harty.  He  d.  Oct.  12,  1685; 
she  d.  March  1,  1685-6.  By  both  marriages  there  were  thirteen  children. 
Joseph  Whitmore,  youngest  son  of  Francis  and  Margaret  (Harty)  Whitmore, 
b.  1675,  md.  Feb.  13,  1698-9,  Mary  Kendall,  b.  in  Woburn  Feb.  27,  1679-80, 
dau.  of  Thomas  and  Ruth  Kendall.  They  were  admitted  to  church  in  Lex- 
ington 1703  and  the  following  year  were  dismissed  to  church  in  AVoburn, 
where  they  subseqiiently  resided.  Their  only  son  was  Joseph  Whitmore,  b. 
Feb.  17,  1699-1700.  He  also  lived  in  Woburn  and  May  23,  1719,  was  pub- 
lished to  MaryPeirce;  she  d.,  leaving  one  son,  Joseph,  b.  Sept.  9,  1719. 
Joseph,  the  father,  was  subsequently  md.  and  reared  a  large  family  which 
includes  the  ancestors  of  the  Newbury  branch  of  the  Whitmore  family. 


Joseph  Whitmore,  the  first  of  the  name  in  Ashburn- 
ham,  was  a  descendant  in  the  fourth  generation  of  Francis 
Whitmore,  the  emigrant  ancestor.  He  was  b.  in  Woburn 
Sept.  9,  1719,  according  to  Woburn  records,  or  Sept.  20, 
1719,  following  the  family  record.  He  md.  Dec.  21, 
1741,  Mary  Marion  of  Boston,  b.  April  25,  1718,  and 
removed  from  Woburn  to  Leominster  between  1747  and 
1749,  and  to  Ashburnham  immediately  preceding  1780. 
He  was  moderator  of  a  town  meeting  in  this  town  1780. 
He  settled  in  the  northwest  part  of  the  town  where  his 
great-grandson.  Dr.  L.  L.  Whitmore,  now  resides.  The 
homestead  has  remained  in  the  possession  of  his  descend- 
ants to  the  present  time.     For  several  years,  and  until 


954 


HISTORY    OF   ASHBUKNHAM. 


9 
10 
11 

(7) 


retired  by  age,  he  was  a  prominent  citizen  and  was  often 
chosen  to  office.  He  d.  April  18,  1805;  his  widow  d. 
Julj^  10,  1805.  Three  children  were  b.  in  Woburn  and 
scA'en  in  Leominster. 

I.  Mary^  b.  Feb.  15,  1742-3  ;  md.  Enos  Jones,  q.  v. 
II.  Hannah,  b.  Oct.  27,  1744;  md.   Shebuel  Bailey 
and  lived  in  Sterling. 

III.  Rebecca,  b.  Jul}'  16,  1747;  md.  Warner. 

IV.  Josejyh,  b.  June  6,  1749  ;  md.  Ruth  Knight;  lived 

in  Chester  and  Ira,  Vt. 
V.  Benjamin,  b.  Oct.  22,   1751;  md.  Lois  Stanley; 

lived  in  Chester,  Vt. 
VI.  Isaac,  b.  March  3,  1755.-|- 
VII.  Persis  (twin),  b.  March  3,   1755;  md.  Jonathan 

Winchester,  q.  v. 
Viii.  Lucy,  b.  Jan.  23,  1857  ;  md.  Jonas  Brooks,  q.  v. 

IX.  Elizabeth,  b.  Feb.  8,  1759  ;  md.  Joshua  Phelps. 
»   X.  Edward,  b.  Aug.  12,  1763.-|- 


12 


13 


Isaac  Whitmore  resided  on  the  homestead.  While  a 
resident  of  Leominster  he  was  a  soldier  in  the  Revolution. 
He  served  in  the  siege  of  Boston,  participating  in  the 
battle  of  Bunker  Hill  and  during  the  ensuing  year  he  was 
in  the  army  under  Washington.  In  the  latter  service  his 
name  is  borne  on  the  roll  of  Capt.  Maxwell's  company 
of  Col.  Frescott's  regiment.  He  was  in  the  battle  at 
White  Plains  and  in  the  engagement  at  Trenton  and 
Princeton.  It  is  probable  that  he  was  in  the  service  later 
than  early  in  the  year  1777,  but  he  makes  no  mention  of 
additional  service  in  his  application  for  a  pension  made 
July  8,  1819.  His  application  was  successful  and  he 
remained  a  pensioner  until  his  death.  He  came  to  this 
town  with  his  father  and  his  name  often  appears  in  the 
choice  of  town  ofl3cers.  He  is,  however,  more  accurately 
described  as  an  honest,  industrious  farmer,  who  found  his 
chief  employment  in  the  frugal  management  of  his  own 
affairs.  He  md.  1781,  Rebecca  Foster,  b.  in  Lunenburg 
Sept.  16,  1760,  eldest  dau.  of  Joseph  and  Sarah  (Jones) 
Foster.     He  d.  May  2,  1847  ;  she  d.  Aug.  30,  1840. 

I.  James,  b.  April  23,  1782;  md.  Oct.  22,  1811, 
Phebe  Stimson,  dau.  of  Lemuel  Stimson,  q.  v. 
Resided  a  few  years  in  Londonderry,  N.  H., 
and  after  1815  in  Framingham. 
11.  Levi  F.,  b.  Feb.  13,  1786;  md.  May  8,  1817, 
Mehitabel  Edgell,  b.  in  Framingham  1796,  dau. 
of  Aaron  P.  and  Eleanor  (Trowbridge)  Edgell. 
He  was  a  farmer  in  Marlboro'.     Eight  children. 


(JENKALOGICAL    KEGISTKK.  955 

14  I       HI.  Infant,  b.  ;  d.  March  15,  1780. 

15  1       IV.  SaUii,  h.  Sept.  7,  1790;  d.  Oct.  21,  1792. 

K;  1         y.   Saliii,  b.  Sept.  16,  1793;  md.  Jacob  Ward,   q.  v. 

17  VI.  Enoch,  b.  Sept.  8,  1796.+ 

18  vii.   Beulah,  b.  Aug.  8,   1799;    ind.    Charles  Stirason 

q.  V. 


<11) 


19 
20 
21 
22 
23 

24 
25 
26 


Edward  Whitmore,  3'oungest  son  of  Joseph,  resided 
in  this  town  until  1804,  when  he  removed  to  Rindge,  and 
in  1820  he  removed  to  Enosburg,  Vt.,  where  he  d.  Nov. 
15,  1841.  He  was  a  soldier  in  the  Revolution.  Vide 
page  197.  He  rad.  Aug.  2,  1782,  Lydia  Samson,  dan.  of 
Jonathan  Samson,  7.  v.     She  d.  Sept.  1,  1840. 

I.  Patty,  b.  Oct.  30,  1784;  d.  unmd.  July  13,  1818. 
II.    Oliver,  b.  Feb.  16,  1787.+ 

III.  Sally,  b.  Nov.  5,  1792  ;  md.  Henry  Broats. 

IV.  Lydia,  b.  May  3,  1795;  d.  unmd. 

V.  Eimna,   b.   Sept.   9,   1797;    md.   Nov.   20,   1817, 

Nathan  Estey  of  Stow. 
VI.  Isaac,  b.  March  14,  1800;  d.  Oct.  29,  1805. 
VII.  Levi,  b.  Sept.  14,  1802;  d.  Oct.  10,  1805. 

VIII.   Zoa,  b.  March  20,  1806  ;  md. ;   she  d.  June 

21,  1841. 
IX.  Josej^h  A.,  b.  Dec.  3,  1807  ;   d.  Oct.  6,  1825. 


(17) 


29 


Col.  Enoch  Whitmore  was  a  farmer  and  manufacturer 
in  Ashburnham  and  a  leading  man  of  his  time.  Vide 
page  485.  He  md.  Clarissa  Willard,  dau.  of  Silas 
Willard,  Esq.,  q.  v.  He  d.  Sept.  13,  1860;  she  resides 
in  Fitchburg. 

I.  Eliza  R.,  b.  Oct.  25,  1818;  rad.  Nov.  18,  1841, 
Horace  Fames  of  Framingham.  They  resided 
in  Springfield,  where  he  d.  May  17,  1879. 

II.  Alfred,  b.  Nov.  29,  1818;  md.  Feb.  5,  1846, 
Elmira  W.  Stimson,  dau.  of  Charles  Stimson, 
q.  V.  He  was  station  agent  at  Ashburnham 
Junction  several  years  and  subsequently  en- 
gaged in  the  manufacture  of  wood  ware.  He 
d.  Jan.  4,  1873  ;  she  resides  in  Leominster. 

1.  Herbert  E.,  b.  July  13,  1859. 

2.  p:ieanor  C,  b.  July  18,  1861. 

32  III.  Flint   31.,  b.  Dec.  24,   1821  ;  unmd.;  is  a    pros- 

perous dealer  in  lumber  in    California  ;  resides 
I  at  Antelope  Creek  in  Amador  county. 


956 


HISTORY    OF    ASHBURNHAM. 


34 

35 
36 
37 
38 


40 


(20) 


Lorenzo  Locke,  b.  July  2,  1823  ;  a  physiciau  and 
farmer  of  Asbburuham.  Vide  page  471.  He 
md.  Jan.  9,  1872,  Mary  Sophia  Baker,  dau.  of 
Dea.  Joel  and  Lucy  (Newton)  Baker  of  East 
Templeton. 

Silas,  b.  July  10,  1824;  md.  Dec.  13,  1855, 
Althea  Gibbs.  He  d.  at  Antelope  Creek, 
Amador  county,  Cal.,  Aug.  11,  1878. 

Clarissa,  b.  Oct.  18,  1826  ;  unmd.  ;  resides  in 
Fitchburg. 

Catherine,  b.  Dec.  19,  1828;  md.  Sept.  12,  1853, 
James  M.  Ingraham  ;  reside  in  Chicago,  111. 

Mary,  b.  Sept.  13,  1830;  unmd.;  resides  in 
Fitchburg. 

Harriet,  b.  Feb.  19,  1835;  unmd.;  resides  in 
Chicago,  III. 

Oravge  Scott,  b.  Oct.  26,  1836,  was  a  teacher 
several  years,  and  in  May,  1862,  was  admitted 
to  the  bar  at  St.  Albans,  Vt.  Enlisted  the  same 
month  in  Co.  A,  Ninth  Regiment,  Vermont 
Infantr}' ;  discharged  on  account  of  wounds  in 
March,  1863.  Was  engaged  in  business  in 
Chicago  several  years  and  lost  the  fruit  of 
successful  enterprise  in  the  great  fire.  Subse- 
quently was  engaged  several  years  in  the 
lumber  business  at  Cadillac,  Mich.,  where  he 
now  resides.  He  md.  June  1,  1866,  Mary 
Elizabeth  Stevens,  b.  in  Watertown,  N.  Y., 
April  9,  1847,  eldest  dau.  of  Hiram  B.  and 
Emma  A.  Stevens.  Seven  of  ten  children  are 
living. 

Franklin  B.,  b.  April  4,  1838  ;  md.  Oct.  15,  1867, 
Amanda  T.  Frye.  He  is  a  lumber  dealer  in 
Lexington,  K3'.,  in  the  firm  of  Rule  and  Whit- 
more. 

Laura  A.,  b.  July  10,  1839  ;  md.  Francis  G. 
Kibling,  son  of  Francis  Kibling,  q.  v. 

Frances  Elizabeth,  b.  June  10,  1841  ;  md.  Dec.  17, 
1868,  Albert  L.  Streeter,  b.  Sept.  14, 1841,  son 
of  Thomas  and  Paulina  (Locke)  Streeter.  He 
is  express  messenger  on  the  Fitchburg  railroad 
with  residence  in  Charlestown  district. 


Oliver  Whitmore  md.  in  Rindge  June  2,  1808,  Sophia 
Stone,  b.  April  19,  1789,  dau.  of  Capt.  Salmon  and 
Susanna  (Page)  Stone.  In  1810  he  returned  to  Ash- 
burnham  and  settled  in  the  northwest  part  of  the  town, 


GENKAI>OGlCAL   KKGISTER. 


957 


43 


44 
45 

46 


47 
48 


49 


50 


where  he  lived  until  after  the  death  of  his  wife.  lie  d. 
in  Winchendon  Oct.  K!,  1874,  aged  87;  his  wife  d. 
March  4,  1863. 

I.  Eli  S.,  h.  Jan.  27,  1809;  md.  Nov.  14,  1837, 
Rebecca  Darling,  dau.  of  Amos  and  Ede  (Stone) 
Darling  of  Rindge.  Resided  in  Rindge, 
Worcester  and  in  this  town,  where  he  d.  July 
27,  1870. 

1.  Clara,  b.  April  7,  1851  ;  d.  Nov.  10,  1861. 

2.  Irving,  b.  Sept.  25,  1855. 

II.  Elvira,  b.  March  18,  1816;  md.  Nov.  26,  1839, 
Stephen  Tolman,  sou  of  William  and  Mercy 
(Brown)  Tolman.  He  d.  June  15,  1884;  she 
resides  on  the  homestead  in  Winchendon. 

1.  George  Oscar,  b.  Sept.  19,  1842. 

2.  Wayland,  b.  April  28,  1850  ;  d.  April  30, 

1850. 

3.  Lizzie  M.,  b.  June  6,  1860  ;  md.  Nov.  26, 

1879,  Eugene  P.  Brooks,  b,  in  Rindge 
Feb.  25,  1850,  son  of  William  S.  and 
Frances  J.  (Parks)  Brooks. 

in.  Charles  Farivell,  b.  Oct.  10,  1819  ;  md.  April  6, 
1848,  Cynthia  Tubbs,  widow  of  Alvin  Tubbs. 

IV.  Laurilla,  b.  July  9,  1825  ;   d.  March  17,  1832. 

V.  George,  b.  Oct.  30,  1829;  md.  April  19,  1855, 
Laurette  Tubbs,  dau.  of  Alvin  and  Cynthia 
Tubbs.  He  d.  at  Providence,  R.  I.,  May  19, 
1883. 

1.  George  Alvin. 

2.  Mabel  Cynthia. 


AVHITNEY. 

No  other  register  in  this  volume  contains  an  equal  number  of  names.  The 
Whitney  families  of  Ashburnham  are  descendants  of  John  and  Elinor 
Wliitney  who  embarked  for  New  England  in  the  Elizabeth  and  Ann,  Roger 
Cooper,  master,  in  April,  163").  At  this  date  he  was  aged  35  and  his  wife  30. 
In  the  summer  of  the  same  year  he  purchased  a  homestead  and  settled  in 
Watertown.  Subsequently  the  town  made  him  several  grants  amounting  to 
i;i8  acres,  and  he  acquired  other  land  by  purchase.  He  was  admitted 
freeman  March  3,  1635-G,  and  at  once  assumed  and  maintained  a  prominent 
position  in  the  affairs  of  the  settlement.  He  was  a  selectman  eighteen 
successive  years,  and  town  clerk  in  1055.  Five  of  his  eight  sons  were  b.  in 
England,  and  six  of  them  left  a  numerous  posterity.  His  wife  d.  May  11, 
1(559.  He  md.  (2d)  Sept.  21),  16.59,  Judaii  Clement,  who  d.  previous  to  the 
date  of  his  will,  April  3,  1G73.     He  d.  June  1,  1673,  aged  73. 


958  HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 

John  Whitney,  eldest  son  of  John  and  Elinor  Whitney,  was  b.  in  England 
1624,  and  was  admitted  freeman  May  26,  1647.  He  was  a  selectman  of 
Watertown  six  years.  He  md.  Ruth  Reynolds  who  survived  him.  He  d. 
Oct.  12,  1692,  leaving  five  sons  and  five  daughters. 

Nathaniel  Whitney,  son  of  John  and  Ruth  (Reynolds)  Whitney,  was  b. 
in  Watertown  Feb.  1,  1646-7.  Hemd.  March  12,  1673-4,  Sarah Hagar,  b.  in 
Watertown  Sept.  3,  1651,  dau.  of  William  and  Mary  (Bemis)  Hagar.  He 
resided  in  the  part  of  Watertown  that  was  included  in  Weston,  where  he  d. 
Jan.  7,  1732-3;  his  widow  d.  May  7,  1746. 

William  Whitney,  third  of  the  seven  children  of  Nathaniel  and  Sarab 
(Hagar)  Whitney,  was  b.  May  6,  1683.  and  resided  in  Weston.  He  md. 
May  17,  1706,  Martha  Peirce,  b.  Dec.  24,  1681,  dau.  of  Joseph  and  Martha 
Peirce  of  Watertown.  He  d.  Jan.  24,  1720-1.  Among  his  five  children 
were  Samuel,  who  settled  in  Westminster,  and  Martha,  who  became  the  wife 
of  Timothy  Mossman,  Jr.,  once  a  resident  of  Ashburnham. 

Samuel  Whitney,  son  of  William  and  Martha  (Peirce)  Whitney,  was  b.  in 
Weston  May  23,  1719.  He  md.  Oct.  20,  1741,  Abigail  Fletcher,  and 
settled  in  Westminster.  He  was  a  leading  man  in  the  settlement  and  was 
frequently  elected  to  office.  He  d.  Jan.  1,  1782.  The  sixth  of  his  thirteen 
children,  b.  in  Westminster,  was  Capt.  Silas  Whitney  of  Ashburnham,  No. 
1  in  the  following  register. 

Another  branch  of  the  Whitney  family  in  this  town  is  closely  allied  to  the 
descendants  of  Capt.  Silas  Whitney.  Abner  Whitney,  another  son  of 
Samuel  and  Abigail  (Fletcher)  Whitney,  was  b.  in  Westminster  May  18, 
1748.  He  md.  May  14,  1770,  I^lizabeth  Glazier,  dau.  of  Jonas  and  Eunice 
(Newton)  Glazier  of  Shrewsbury;  she  d.  April  3,  1778.  He  md.  (2d)  April 
22  1779,  Levina  (Glazier)  Ward,  b.  in  Shrewsbury  May  9,  1752,  a  sister  of 
his  first  wife  and  a  widow  of  Jonas  Ward,  brother  of  John  Ward.  Abner 
Whitney  d.  Sept.,  1811.  Joseph  G.  Whitney,  son  of  Abner  and  Levina 
Whitney,  was  b.  in  Westminster  .Tune  22,  1783.  He  md  1805.  Levina  Dunn, 
and  resided  in  Westminster  and  Ashburnham  where  he  d.  July  31,  1868. 
Levina  G.  Whitney,  his  dau.,  is  the  wife  of  Rev.  Stephen  Gushing,  q.  v., 
and  John  Whitney,  his  son,  was  a  resident  of  Ashburnham  and  is  No.  122  in 
the  following  register. 

The  Lemuel  Whitney  family,  commencing  with  No.  139,  are  probably 
descendants  of  Richard  Whitney,  another  son  of  John  and  Elinor  Whitney, 
the  emigrant  ancestors.  Richard  Whitney  md.  Martha  Caldam  and  settled 
in  Stow.  The  records  do  not  afford  sufficient  information  to  complete  the 
lineage.  Gen.  Josiah  Whitney  was  b.  in  Stow  about  1730.  He  md. 
1751,"  Sarah  Farr.  They  were  the  parents  of  eighteen  children,  fifteen  of 
whom  d.  in  infancy.  About  1754  he  removed  from  Stow  to  Harvard,  where 
his  wife  d.  and  he  md.  (2d)  Sarah  Dwelly  of  Bridgewater.  By  this  marriage 
there  were  seven  children.  In  1795  Gen.  Whitney  removed  with  the 
younger  children  to  Ashby,  where  he  d.  Jan.  24,  1806;  his  widow  d.  in 
Whitingham,  Vt.,  Feb.  18,  1817. 


Capt.  Silas  Whitney,  sou  of  Samuel  aud  Alngail 
(Fletcher) Whitney,  was  b.  iu  Westminster  Oct.  20,  1752. 
He  md.  Jan.  27,  1774,  Sarah  Withiugton,  b.  iu  Stow 
17.5:3,  dau.  of  AAllliam  aud  Sarah  (Locke)  AVithington. 
After  his  marriage  he  lived  four  years  iu  AVestmiuster. 
He  sold  his  farm  iu  that  towu  iu  1778  aud  piux-hased  a 
large  tract  of  laud  iu  the  southeast  part  of  Ashbixruham. 
Here  he  soon  became  the  leading  farmer  in  this  vicinity. 
The  size  of  his  barns  aud  granaries  aud  the  numl)er  of  his 
horses  and  cattle  are  the  liWug  theme  of  tradition.     He 


GENEALOGICAL    REGISTER.  959 

was  a  captain  of  the  militia  and  was  prominent  in  town 
affairs.  In  the  midst  of  a  life  of  industry  and  usefulness 
he  d.  at  mid-age  Nov.  14,  1798.  Mr.  Gushing  records 
his  death  with  the  remark  that  ' '  he  died  suddenly  after  a 
few  days  of  complaining,  though  not  confined ;  he  was 
sitting  in  a  chair  leaning  on  a  table  and  sunk  down,  and 
almost  immediately  expu-ed."  The  widow  settled  the 
estate  and  prudently  managed  the  affairs  in  the  interest  of 
her  chikken.  She  nul.  (2d)  1802,  Thomas  Earle  of 
Leicester,  and  d.  in  this  town  Jan.  12,  1820.  There  were 
four  sons  and  twenty-four  grandsons  of  Capt.  Silas 
and  Sarah  (Withington)  Whitney,  and  including  the 
female  lines  the  number  of  their  descendants  named  in 
these  registers  is  above  two  hundred. 

I.  Susminah,  b.  Sept.  29,  1776;  md.  Josiah  Brown. 

Vide  page  959. 
II.  Silas,  b.  Oct.  1,  1779.-|- 

III.  Sai-ak,  b.  July  1,  1781  ;  md.  Caleb  Wilder,  son  of 

Samuel  Wilder,  Esq.,  q.  v. 

IV.  Samuel,  b.  May  20,  1783.+ 
V.    William,  b.  Aug.  5,  178o.-f- 

VI.   Ohio,  b.  March  22,  1789.+ 
VII.  Abigail,  b.  May  15,  1791  ;  md.  Jesse  Ellis,  son  of 

Jesse  Ellis,  q.  v. 
VIII.  Nancy,  b.  Nov.    19,   1794;  md.   Laban   Gushing, 
son  of  Gapt.  David  Gushing,  q.  v. 


Josiah  Brown  of  Stow  md.  April,  1797,  Susannah 
Whitney,  eldest  dau.  of  Gapt.  Silas  Whitney,  q.  v.  They 
resided  in  Stow. 

I.  Silas,  b.  Dec.  12,  1797;  d.  unmd.  in  Stow  March 

4,  1856. 
II.  Josiah,  b.  Jan.  21,  1799. 

III.  Stisa7i,  b.  July  2,  1801. 

IV.  Ohio,   b.   April   29,   1803;    md.   Sept.    17,    1849, 

Sarah  Ellis,  dau.  of  Jesse  Ellis.     They  resided 
in  Stow  many  years  and  both  d.  in  this  town. 
V.  Horatio,  b.  July  25,  1805  ;  d.  unmd. 
VI.  Nancy,  b.  Nov.  11,  1806. 
VII.  Reuben,  b.  March  17,  1808. 
VIII.  Sally,  b.  Sept.  17,  1811. 
IX.  Anna,   b.    May    7,    1815;    md.    Nov.    29,     1846, 
Ephraim  Ray  of  Stow;  she  d.  March  1,  1877. 


Gapt.  Silas  Whitney,  son  of  Gapt.  Silas,  md.  Dec.  31, 
1801,  Hannah  Gushing,  dau.  of  Gapt.  David  Gushing, 
q.  V.     He  was  a  farmer  on  a  part  of  the  homestead  for 


960 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBUKNHAM. 


23 

24 

25 
26 
27 


28 
29 

(5) 


30 
31 
32 

33 
34 
35 
36 


several  years  and  was  an  officer  in  the  militia  at  an  early 
age.  He  was  a  lieutenant  in  1803  and  was  styled  captain 
after  1804  or  1805,  but  a  record  of  the  latter  commission 
has  not  been  found.  He  resided  in  Walpole,  N.  H.,  from 
1810  to  1815  and  possibly  a  year  or  two  longer.  After 
his  return  to  this  town  he  was  a  farmer.  He  was  a  man 
of  more  than  average  ability.  He  d.  Sept.  4,  1846  ;  his 
widow  d.  March  5,  1854. 

I.  Silas,   b.  April  28,    1803  ;    md.   April   27,   1826, 
Olive  Knight  of  West  Boylston. 

II.  Hannah  Cushmg,  b.  Sept.   15,  1805  ;  d.  in  Balti- 

more, Md.,  Nov.  26,  1826. 

III.  David   Gushing,   b.   Feb.    24,    1808 ;  d.   Aug.   6, 

1809. 

IV.  David  Cushing,h.  April  14,  1810;  md.  Nov.  21, 

1832,  Tila  Bowditch ;  md.  (2d)  Harriet  A. 
Shepstone.  He  resided  in  Walpole,  N.  H., 
where  he  d.  1878. 

1    Joseph. 
2.  Charles. 

V.  Susan,]).  Aug.  21,  1812;  d.  young. 
VI.   Charles,  b.  June  18,  1815.+ 

VII.  Joseph  Cushing,  b.  Jan.  23,  1818  ;  md.  Feb.  3, 
1842,  Florence  E.  Weston.  He  is  a  merchant 
in  Baltimore,  Md. 
vm.  Sarah,  b.  June  22,  1820;  md.  Oct.  31,  1844, 
James  W.  Gardner  of  Hingham.  She  d.,  s.  -p., 
at  Springfield  May  30,  1865. 
IX.  Milton,  b.  Oct.  9,  1823 ;  resided  in  Baltimore, 
Md.  Vide  page  492.  He  md.  Nov.  24,  1846, 
Annie  M.  Weston.     He  d.  Sept.  3,  1875. 


Samuel  Whitney,  son  of  Capt.  Silas,  md.  Aug.  12, 
1802,  Abigail  Wilder,  dau.  of  Caleb  Wilder,  q.  v.  He 
was  a  farmer,  residing  on  the  farm  now  of  his  son,  Austin 
Whitney.  He  was  an  enterprising,  active  man.  He  d. 
May  9,  1837.     His  wife  d.  Oct.  23,  1861. 

I.  Samuel,  b.  Oct.  28,  1802  ;  d.  Sept.  3,  1805. 
II.  3Ierrick,  b.  Dec.  31,  1804. -f 

III.  Jane    Vincent    Woodwa)-d,  b.  Aug.    11,   1807;  d. 

Sept.  10,  1810. 

IV.  Samuel,  b.  Feb.  25,  1810;  d.  Dec.  17,  1810. 
V.  Austin,  b.  Dec.  21,  1811  ;  d.  Sept.  7,  1814. 

VI.   Charles  Wilder,  b.  Jan.  10,  1814.+ 
VII.  Atistiii,  b.  April  16,  1816. -j- 


47 


(JENEAJ.OGICAL    HKdIS  TKl?.  961 

viri.  Jane  Elizabeth,  h.  .lu\y  7,    181.S;  umnd.  ;  d.   Nov. 
12,  1847. 
IX.  Samuel  Vincent,  h.  May  25,  1820.-f- 
X.   Quincy.  b.  Oct.  7.  1822. -|- 

xj.  Horatio  Nelson,  b.  Oct.  3,  1824  ;  was  a  farmer  in 
this  town  ;  md.  1853,  Marv  Eliza  Carlton.  He 
d.  Feb.  18,  1858  ;  no  children. 


William  Wiiitnev,  son  of  Capt.  vSilas,  md.  May  22, 
1808,  Lucy  Brooks.  She  d.  Dec.  4,  1829  ;  md.  (2d)  May 
7,  1830,  Mercy  (Burgess)  Bemis,  dau.  of  Ebenezer 
Burgess,  q.  v.,  and  widow  of  Jonas  Bemis,  (j.  v.  He  d. 
July  22,  1852  ;  his  widow  resides  with  her  3'oungest  dau. 
in  Fitchburg.  He  was  a  farmer;  occupj'iug  a  portion  of 
the  homestead,  and  lived  above  reproach. 

I.  William,  b.  July  22,  1809.  Vide  page  512.  He 
md.  May  7,  1840,  Julia  Emerson,  dau.  of  Dea. 
Timotliy  Emerson  ;  she  d.  Nov.  10,  1864  ;  md. 
(2d)  April  19,  1866,  Mrs.  Catherine  H. 
Courtney.  Rev.  William  Whitnc}'  resides  at 
Granville,  Ohio. 
II.  Silas,  I).  May  26,  1811  ;  resides  in  Fitchburg  ;  md. 
1844,  Susan  Eddy  ;  md.  (2d)  Mary  E.  Whitney. 

III.  George,  b.  April  6,  1814;  md.  1849,  Mary  Wedge 

of  Boston.     He  d.  May,  1858.     No  children. 

IV.  Lticy,  b.  Dec.   27,  1818;  md.  Alonzo  L.  Willard, 

7.  V. 
V.  Catherine,  h.  Feb.  3,  1820  ;  md.  William  Brown 
of  Fitchburg;  md.  (2d)  Charles  Davis  of 
Fitchburg.  There  were  three  children  of 
William  and  Catherine  (Whitney)  Brown,  two 
of  whom  d.  in  infancy. 

1.  Julia,  b.  ;  md.  Herbert  A.  Willard, 

son  of  Alonzo  L.  Willard,  g.  v. 

VI.  Sarah     Ann,    b.    April   30,    1831  ;    md.    Newton 
Hayden,  q.  v. 


(7)]  Ohio  Whitney,  son  of  Capt.  Silas,  was  a  farmer  in  this 
town,  residing  on  a  portion  of  the  homestead.  He  md. 
Jan.  3,  1809,  Mary  Bolton,  b.  May  21,  1791,  dau.  of 
Aaron  and  Dorcas  (Winship)  Bolton  of  Westminster; 
she  d.  Aug.  30,  1843.  He  md.  (2d)  June  9,  1844, 
Dorothy  (Maynard)  Brown,  widow  of  John  Brown,  q.  v. 
He  d.  March  23,  1870;  she  d.  Aug.  8,  1885.  Mr. 
Whitney  was  a  man  of  ability  and  unusual  force  of 
character.  The  record  of  his  life  and  good  works  is 
fil 


962 


HISTORY    OF    ASHBURNHAM. 


THK    OHIO    WIUTXKV    HO:\rE.STEAl). 


48 


54 


engraven  in  the  annals  of  Ashburnhara.  He  was  a 
selectman  several  years  and  honorablj'  discharged  every 
trust.  At  all  times  and  under  all  circumstances  he  com- 
manded the  respect  and  affectionate  regard  of  his  towns- 
men. 

I.  Mary    Bolton,    b.    July    23,     1809 ;    md.    James 

Adams,  q.   v. 
Jason,  b.  Feb.  10,  1811. -f- 
Ohio,  b.  June  9,  181 3. -f- 

Sarah,  b.  April  5,  1815  ;  md.  Walter  Adams,  <j.  v. 
Amos,  b.  June  7,  1817. -f- 
Dolly    Wimhip,    b.    Jan.    19,    1819  ;    md.    Joseph 

Adams,  q.  v. 
Harriet  Jackson,  b.  Dec.  8,  1820  ;  md.  Salmon  W. 

Putnam,  q.  v. 
Francis  Alexander,  b.  Aug.  2,  1823. -|- 
Wolter,\i.  Jan.  1,  1825.+ 
Ivers  B.,  b.  Aug.  1,  1827  ;  d.  Sept.  8,  1829. 
Ain-on,  b.  March  20,  1829  ;  d.  Sept.  5,  1830. 
Nancy,  b.  Feb.  23,  1831  ;  d.  Oct.  20,  1847. 
Ahbie  Ellis,  b.  Feb.  25,  1836  ;    md.  Dec.  5,  1857, 

Charles  W.  Barrell,  son  of  Dea.  Luther  Barrell 

of  Westminster ;    he  d.  March  23,   1865  ;    she 

md.  (2d)  Simeon  Merritt,  q.  v. 


49 

II 

50 

III 

51 

IV, 

52 

V 

53 

VI 

00 

VIII, 

56 

IX 

57 

X 

58 

XI 

59 

XII 

60 

XIII 

I  hm 


^^c^ 


GENEALOGICAL   KEGISTEH.  963 

(26)!  Ciiaki.es  Whitney,  son  of  Silas,  Jr.,  md.  Oct.  23,  1845, 
Susan  Davis,  b.  in  Steilintf,  Jan.  22,  1822,  dau.  of  John 
Davis  ;    resides  in  Central  Village. 

.1.  Florence  Eliza,  b.  Dec.  TJ,  1849;  md.  Dec.  22, 
1871,  Calvin  W.  Burbank. 

II.  Charles  Henry,  b.  May  31,  1854;  md.  Jan.  16, 
1878,  Emma  B.  Rockwood,  dau.  of  George 
Rockwood,  (/.  V.  They  reside  in  this  town. 
He  has  been  road  commissioner  and  is  a  con- 
ductor on  the  Ashburnham  railroad. 


(35) 


Merrick  Whitney,  son  of  Samuel,  md.  April  5,  1830, 
Harriet  Adams,  dau.  of  John  and  Dolly  (Gibson)  Adams, 
q.  V.  He  was  a  farmer  and  lived  several  3'ears  on  the 
Samson  farm,  now  of  his  son  Hosea  S.  Whitney.  Subse- 
quently he  lived  near  Central  Village.  He  d.  Dec.  2, 
1881  ;  his  wife  d.  April  9,  1877. 

I.  3IerricJc,  h.  Dec.  25,  1830  ;  resides  unmd.  in  this 

town. 
II.  Austin,  b.    April    10,    1832;    drowned    June    10, 
1846. 

III.  Lincoln,  b.  July  1,  1834;  md.  Feb.  5,  1859,  Mary 

Caroline  Mclntire,  dau.  of  Franklin  and  Mary 
G.  (Adams)  Mclntire  —  Adams  register  77. 
He  resides  in  Central  Village. 

1.  Jennie  A.,  b.  Dec.  20,  1862. 

IV.  Hosea   S.,   b.    March    29,    1838;  md.   March  31, 

1870,    Mary    Goodwin   Adams,   dau.    of   Ivers 

Adams,   q.   v.     He   is  a  farmer  and   owns  the 

farm  formerly  of  his  father. 
V.  Francina  J.,    b.   Dec.   5,    1843  ;    md.    David    E. 

Willard,  son  of  John  Willard,  g.  v. 
VI.   Clementina  H.,    b.    Feb.   2,    1847;    md.  Clement 

Edgar  Willard,  son  of  Silas  Willard,  q.  v. 
VII.    Willis  W.,  b.  Jan.  21,  1851  ;  md.   Nov.  24,  1886, 

Harriet   E.    Hyde,    dau.    of   Alfred    and   Mary 

(Hastings)  H3'de  of  Winchendon. 


Charles  W.  Whitney,  son  of  Samuel,  md.  Aug.  10, 
1848,  Elmira  M.  Wilder,  dau.  of  Joseph  Wilder,  q.  v. 
He  resides  in  Central  Village.  He  is  a  millwright  and 
wheelwright. 

I.   Charles  Burton,  b.   Jan.   31,  1853;  md.  Kate  G. 

Robinson  ;  resides  in  Portland,  Me. 
II.  Alfred  W.,  b.  June  15,  1867. 


964 


HISTORY    OF    ASHBURNHAM. 


(36) 


73 

74 
75 

76 
77 
78 
79 
80 
81 


(38) 


82 


(39) 


(49) 


Austin  Whitney,  sou  of  Samuel,  was  formerly  a  mer- 
chant in  this  town  and  for  many  j'ears  he  was  engaged  in 
morocco  dressing.  He  resides  on  the  farm  formerly  of 
his  father,  midway  between  the  Central  and  the  South 
Village.  He  has  been  an  assessor  and  selectman  and 
a  representative  to  the  Legislature.  He  md.  April  4, 
1854,  E.  Augusta  Holmes,  b.  Jan.  30,  1830,  dau.  of 
Leonard  Holmes  of  Boston. 

I.  Frederic  Austin,  b.  Jan.   18,    1855  ;    d.  Dec.   26, 

1855. 
II.  Ella  Augusta,  b.  Sept.  1,  1856. 

III.  Leonard  Austin,  h.  June  16,  1858. 

IV.  Samuel  Nelso7i,  b.  April  23,  1860. 
V.  Fannie  R.,  b.  March  18,  1862. 

VI.  Alfred  Washburn,  b.  Oct.  31,  1864. 
VII.   Gertrude  J.,  b.  April  30,  1866. 
VIII.  Mijra  Abigail,  b.  Nov.  20,  1868. 

IX.  Florence  Ballou,  b.  Jan.  21,  1871. 


Samuel  V.  Whitney  md.  Jan.  31,  1843,  Sarah  Ann 
Russell,  dau.  of  Walter  Russell,  q.  v.  He  was  postmaster 
1853-6  and  was  engaged  in  several  business  enterprises. 
For  several  years  he  was  prominent  in  the  morocco  busi- 
ness.    He  d.  July  3,  1856  ;  his  widow  d.  April  9,  1875. 

I.  Russell,  b.  Nov.    13,  1844  ;  resides  in  Gardner ; 
md.  June  11,  1867,  Maria  Metcalf,  dau.  of  Joel 
Metcalf,  q.  v. 
II.    Willis,  b.  Nov.  22,  1848;  d.  Aug.  22,  1849. 

III.  Eleanor,  b.  Sept.  28,  1851  ;  d.  July  29,  1852. 

IV.  Luella    (twin),    b.     Sept.     28,    1851;    d.    unmd. 

Jan.  26,  1877. 


Rev.  Quincy  Whitney  resides  in  Cambridge.  He  md. 
Mandana  M.  Whittemore,  dau.  of  Rev.  Benjamin  Whitte- 
more.     He  is  a  Universalist  clergyman. 


I.  Elmina  M.,  b.  . 

II.  Annie  B.,\).  ;  md. 

at  Loyal,  Kansas. 


Gerard  Churchill ;  reside 


Jason  Whitney,  son  of  Ohio,  was  a  farmer  in  this  town. 
He  lived  several  years  near  Factory  Village  and  later  in 
Westminster.  He  md.  May  4,  1836,  Elizabeth  L.  Sam- 
son, dau.  of  Jonathan  Samson,  q.  v. ;  she  d.   Sept.    5, 


•GENKAL()(;iCAL   KEGISTEK.  9Go 

1841  ;  md.  (2(1)  Aiiij.  16,  1842.  Susan  E.  Barrett,  b.  May 
2,  1816;  d.  Aprill,  1857;  md.  (3d)  Nov.  14,  1859, 
Esther  Ball,  b.  Sept.  20,  1821  :  d.  Dec.  7,  1877.  He  d. 
May  16,  1880. 

88  I.  Sarah  B..  h.  July  29,  1837;  md.  May  18,  1858, 
Henry  E.  Thomas.  He  enlisted  in  21st  Regi- 
ment and  was  killed  in  battle  of  Cold  Harbor. 
June  2,  1864  ;  she  d.  Auff.  2,  1858. 

89  II.  Emma  E.,  b.  Jan.  17,  1839;  md.  July  3,  1861, 
George  A.  Stone  of  Fitzwilliam,  N.  H. 

90  III.   Charles  W.,  b.  Dec.  7,  1840.+ 

91  IV.  Maria  S.,  b.  April  20,  1843  :  md.  Henry  L.  Smith 
of  Westminster. 

92  V.   FrmikUn,  b.  April  20,  1845  ;  d.  March  15,  1849. 

93  VI.  Mary  C,  b.  Nov.  5,  1847  ;  d.  Oct.  1,  1848. 

94  VII.  Jaso7i  W.,  b.  June  18,  1849  ;  d.  Sept.  11,  1849. 

95  VIII.  Abbie  E.,  b.  1851  ;  d. . 

96  IX.   Ferdinand   A.,    b.    Aug.    29,    1854;    md.     1876, 
i  Elmira  S.  Gleason  ;  resides  in  Fitchburg. 

(50)  Hon.  Ohio  Whitney,  son  of  Ohio,  was  a  useful  and 
prominent  citizen  of  Ashburnham.  Vide  page  486.  He 
md.  April  11,  1839,  Mary  R.  Brooks,  dau.  of  Elijah 
Brooks,  q.  V.     He  d.  Feb.  6,  1879. 

97  i  I.  EJIen  Rebecca,  b.  Jan.  6,  1840  ;  d.  Oct.  10,  1865. 

98  '         u.  Josie  J/.,  b.  Aug.  23,  1843  ;  md.  Capt.  Walter  0. 

Parker,  q.  v. 

99  in.   Georgie  S.,  b.    Aug.    26,    1845;    md.    Moses    P. 
j  Greenwood,  q.  r. 

100  I       IV.  Lydia  A.,  b.  Aug.  3,  1846. 

101  V.   CIi7iton  0.,  b.  Aug.  9,  1850;  md.  Sept.  12,  1873, 

Lillian  E.  Connant.  He  is  a  commercial  agent 
residing  in  Boston. 

102  VI.    Walton  B.,  b.  Aug.  28,  1859;  md.  Jan.  14,  1886, 

Sadie  B.  Sherburne,  dau.  of  Warren  and  Abbie 
(Ames)  Sherburne.  He  is  a  job  and  orna- 
mental printer  in  Ashburnham,  and  in  1887  was 
elected  town  clerk. 


(52)  Amos  Whitney,  sou  of  Ohio,  md.  May  7,  1840,  Harriet 
J.  Bemis,  b.  Aug.  20,  1819,  dau.  of  Jonas  and  Mercy 
(Burgess)  Bemis,  7.  /■.  He  d.  April  20,  1868.  He  was 
foreman  in  the  chair  factor}-  several  years  and  also  a 
farmer.     His  widow  resides  on  the  homestead. 

103  1  I.   Edwin  A.,h.  May  29,   1842;  md.  May  3,   1871, 

!  Kate  R.  Gummings  ;  resides  in  Newton. 


966 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


104 


105 


106 


107 


Waldo  F.,  b.  April  22,  1844;  is  a  dentist  in 
Boston.     He  rad.  Jan.  2,  1870,  Abbie  Hale. 

Albert  E.,  b.  Jan.  20,  1847;  md.  1872,  Mary  E. 
Lowe  of  Fitehburg.     He  resides  in  Newton. 

Clara  T.,  b.  Jan.  22,  1850;  md.  Jan.  6,  1886, 
Nathaniel  Sarsfield.  They  live  on  the  home- 
stead. 

Wihnot  A.,  b.  Jan.  30,  1852  ;  d.  young. 


(55); 


108 
109 
110 

111 


Francis  A.  Whitney  has  been  a  successful  and  pro- 
gressive farmer  in  this  town.  He  has  been  prominently 
connected  with  the  Farmers'  and  Mechanics'  Club  and 
has  fully  participated  in  the  aims  and  work  of  the  organi- 
zation. He  has  taught  with  unfailing  success  many  terms 
of  school  and  has  been  a  member  of  the  committee  of 
supervision  many  years.  In  these  capacities  he  has 
served  the  community  and  the  town  a  longer  period  than 
has  fallen  to  the  lot  of  any  man  in  the  town's  history.  He 
has  been  an  assessor  and  selectman  and  is  a  trustee  of 
Gushing  Academy.  In  all  public  affairs  he  has  studiously 
canvassed  the  problems  of  his  time  and  continues  to 
occupy  an  advanced  position  among  his  townsmen.  He 
md.  Jan.  6,  1852,  Lucy  M.  Lane,  dan.  of  Elias  Lane, 
q.  V.  Sbe  d.  Aug.  16,  1861  ;  he  md.  (2d)  Sept.  9,  1862, 
Sarah  I.  Watkins,  adopted  dau.  of  Jehiel  Watkins,  q.  v. 

I.  Earl  Inc/raham,  b.  July  25,  1865. 
II.    Walter  Henry,  b.  June  30,  1868  ;  d.  Aug.  17,  1869. 
m.   Henru  Inqralmm,  b.  Nov.    7,   1872;  d.  June  17, 

1881. 
IV.    Winthrop,  b.  June  17,  1874. 


(56)!  Waltek  Whitney,  son  of  Ohio,  removed  to  Fitehburg 
where  he  d.  July  23,  1867.  He  was  respected  for  his 
candor  and  honesty  and  loved  for  amiable  traits  of  char- 
acter and  unfailing  kindness.  He  md.  Ma}'  1,  1853, 
Elvira  Dunn.  b.  Dec.  16,  1827;  she  resides  in  Dedham. 


112 
113 


114 


115 


116 


I.    Walton,  b.  July  19,  1854;  d.  July  21,  1854. 
II.  Frank  Walter,  b.  June  13,  1856.     He  is  principal 
of  Chicopee  High   School.     He  md.   Dec   25, 
1882.  Georgia  Augusta  Taylor. 

III.  Mary  Elvira,   b.   May   15,    1859:    d.    March    31, 

1861. 

IV.  Jessie   D.,   b.   May   19,    1862;    a  teacher   in    the 

public  schools  of  this  town. 
V.  Fred  Ernest,  b.  Jan.  18,  1865. 


GEXEA LOGICAL    RLCnSTLK 


967 


(90) 


117 

118 
119 
120 
121 


122 


123 


124 

125 
126 

127 
128 

129 

130 


131 
132 
133 


Chaklks  W.  WiiiTNKv,  eldest  son  of  Jason  Whitney, 
nid.  Aug.  13,  186;'),  Ruana  Bavrell,  dau.  of  Nahum 
Barrell,  q.  v.  He  is  a  farmer  on  the  farm  formerly  of 
William  Barrell,  which  was  severed  from  Westminster 
and  annexed  to  this  town  many  years  ago.  He  has  been 
one  of  the  road  commissioners  several  years. 

I.    William  C,  b.  May  27,  1866. 

11.  Martha  E.,  b.  April  23,  1869. 

HI.   George  F.,  b.  Sept.  20,  1872;  d.  Sept.  11,   1S74. 
IV.  iSarah  Ji.,  b.  Sept.  17,  1875, 

V.  Abbie  A.,  b.  Nov.  13,  1879. 


John  Whitney,  son  of  Joseph  G.  and  Levina  (Dunn) 
Whitney,  was  b.  in  Westminster  Sept.  12,  1806.  He 
md.  May  9,  1832,  Eliza  Cushing,  dau.  of  Stephen  Gush- 
ing, q.  V.  He  resided  some  years  in  Westminster  and 
subsequent!}'  in  this  town,  where  he  was  a  pioneer  manu- 
facturer of  chairs.  In  his  daily  life  and  in  business  he 
ignored  contention  and  enjoyed  the  rewards  of  peace  and 
an  honorable  conduct.  He  d.  INIay  4,  1873;  his  widow 
d.  Sept.  1,  1882. 

I.  Stephen  C,  b.  July  4,  1833  ;  md.  April  14,  1861, 
Achsah  I.  May,  dau.  of  Sumner  May,  q.  v. 
Enlisted  in  53d  Regiment  and  d.  in  the  service 
at  New  Orleans,  Feb.  20,  1863. 
II.  Eliza  Cushinq,  b.  July  25.  1835;  d.  July  13, 
1837. 

III.  Joseph,  b.  June  15,  1838  ;  d.  Nov.  26,  1838. 

IV.  Wilbur  Fisk,  b.  Dec.  9,  1839. -f 

V.  Jo/m  Edici7i,  h.  Oct.  28,  1841 ;   d.  Nov.  21,  1856. 
VI.    Timothy  Merritt,  b.  Dec.  2,    1844;  d.    Nov.  22, 

1856. 
VII.    George   Echoard,    b.    April    20,    1847 ;    d.    unmd. 

Oct.  30,  1880. 
VIII.    Orange,    b.  March  16,   1849;   md.  Jan.  5,   1875, 

Laura  M.  Collester ;  she  d.  Jan.  28,  1885.     He 

is  successfully  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of 

chairs  at  South  Village.     He  was  a  member  of 

the  board  of    selectmen   1880.     Since  1881  he 

has  resided  in  Wiuchendon. 
IX.  Sarah  Aim,  b.  Oct.  4,  1850;  md.  Feb.  20,  1878, 

George  H.  Clapp  ;  they  reside  in  Greenfield. 
X.  Arthur  Melville,  b.  Oct.  4,   1853  ;  immd.  ;  resides 

at  Grand  Rapids,  Mich. 
XI.   Alfred  Herbert,   b.  June  14,  1856;  md.   June  3, 

1884,  Susie  W.  Davis,  dau.  of  Phineas  P.  and 


968 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


Sarah  (Rice)  Davis.  He  is  of  the  firm  of 
Orange  Whitiie}^  &  Co.,  manufacturers  of  chairs 
at  South  Village. 


(126)1  Wilbur  F.  Whitney  for  more  than  twent}'  years  has 
1  been  actively  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  chairs  and 
I  has  become  an  important  factor  in  the  liusiness  interests 
of  this  town.  An  illustration  of  his  factories  and  an 
account  of  his  business  appear  in  Chap.  XVII.  In  the 
personal  supervision  of  an  important  industry  Mr. 
Whitney  has  found  full  employment,  yet  he  has  been  an 
efficient  member  of  the  school  committee  many  years  and 
has  labored  in  this  work  with  unfailing  interest.  He  is  a 
director  of  the  Ashburnhara  National  Bank  and  of  the 
Nashua  Reservoir  Company.  In  1875  he  represented  this 
district  in  the  Legislature.  In  187S  he  was  nominated 
for  Congress  by  the  Greenback  party  and  by  a  conven- 
tion of  Independents.  In  the  canvass  he  received  seven 
thousand  votes  He  was  renominated  in  1882  and  1884. 
In  1876  and  1877  he  was  nominated  for  State  Treasurer 
and  in  several  instances  his  candidacy  was  endorsed  by 
the  Prohibitionists.  With  the  experience  of  years  Mr. 
Whitney  has  joined  the  fruits  of  an  attentive  studj'  of  the 
social  and  political  problems  of  the  times.  His  con- 
clusions are  intelligent!}'  formed  and  his  judgment  of  men 
and  measures  is  free  from  partiality  and  prejudice.  In 
municipal  affairs  he  has  manifested  a,  commendable 
interest  and  at  all  times  has  maintained  an  advanced 
position  among  his  fellow-men.  In  his  daily  life  he  has 
seldom  wounded  or  disappointed  his  friends  and  has 
cultivated  no  enmities.  He  md.  July  17,  1866,  Emeline 
S.  Jewell,  b.  Dec.  27,  1839,  dau.  of  Dexter  and  Sarah 
(Mower)  Jewell  of  Rindge. 


134 


135 
136 
137 
138 


I.  Oscar  Jeioell,  b.  Jan.  22,  1871  ;  d.  Jan.  2,  1886. 
In  this  brief  life  was  developed  a  maturity  of 
mind  and  character  that  commanded  the  respect 
and  summoned  the  love  of  all  who  knew  him. 
If  young  in  years  he  was  manly  and  noble  in 
habit,  his  emotions  were  the  offspring  of  a^ 
reflective  mind,  and  in  thought  and  deed  his 
kindness  to  his  friends  and  associates,  his  purity 
of  life  and  his  obedience  to  duty  were  unfailing. 

II.   Celena  Mower,  b.  June  24.  1873. 

III.  Luella  Cushing,  b.  May,  4,  1875. 

IV.  miiel  Eloise,  b.  June  2,  1881. 
V.   Edith  Lillian,  b.  Jan.  1,  1883. 


*'  •'•ren 
■■'■  !^M. 
rasurer 
rv-lby 
ir.  Mr. 

.-•  m- 
'•'.  meo 
V  Id 
r.'litile 

>ll3S 

ib 
Emeliiie 

nh 


GENEALOGICAL    HEGLSTEH.  969 

Catt.  Lemuel  Whitney,  son  of  Gen.  Josiah  and  Sarah 
(Dwelly)  AVhitney,  was  b.  in  Harvard  Sept.  19,  1784. 
He  was  about  eleven  years  of  age  when  his  father 
removed  from  Harvard  to  Ashby.  He  md.  Dee.  4,  1804, 
Elizabeth  Hall,  dau.  of  Henry  Hall,  Jr.,  (/.  v.,  and  settled 
on  the  Hall  farm  in  the  northeast  part  of  this  town.  He 
was  a  captain  of  the  militia  and  an  officer  six  years.  He 
d.  July  9,  1853  ;  his  wife  d.  April  30,  1852. 

I.  Heriry  H.,  b.  June  11,  1805;  md.  Sept.  26,  1830, 
Caroline    F.    Bailey,    dau.   of   John   Bailey  of 
Lunenburg.     He  resides  at  East  Jaffrey,  N.  H. 
Six  children. 
II.  Dicell,  b.  Sept-  10,  1807. + 

III.  Otis,    b.    Nov.    14,    1809;    md.    May    3,     1840, 

Hannah  Parker.  He  was  a  farmer  on  the 
homestead  and  subsequently  in  New  Ipswich, 
where  he  d.  about  1884. 

IV.  Betsey,   b.   March  18,    1812 ;  md.   Josiah  Derby, 

q.  V. 
V.  Lemuel,  b.  Aug.  9,  1818. -|- 
VI.  Nancy,  b.  June  23,  1822. 


Dwell  Whitney,  son  of  Capt.  Lemuel,  md.  June   5, 
1829,  Emily  Derby,  dau.  of  Nathan  Derby,  q.  v.  ;  she  d. 

;  md.    (2d)  1874,  Rebecca  (Gilson)   Crouch,  widow 

of  Joel  Crouch.  He  resided  a  fanner  many  years  on  the 
farm  now  of  Walter  Lawrence.  He  d.  at  Ashburnham 
Centre  March  29,  1879. 

I.  Mary  Atm,  b.  July  13,  1831  ;  md.  John  R.  Hill. 

II.  George  0.,  b.  March  10,  1833  ;  served  in  the  Civil 

War  in  Fourth  Heavy  Artillery  ;  md.  1858,  Caro- 
line Emma  Willard,  dau.  of-George  A.  Willard, 
q.  V.     He  d.  in  Wincbendon. 

III.  Sarah  D.,  \>.  Sept.  8,  183- ;  md.  April  20,  1858, 

Thomas  W.  Whitcomb,  son  of  Silas  and  Louisa 
(Lincoln)  Whitcomb  of  Marlboro',  N.  H.  They 
reside  in  Ashby. 

IV.  Edwin,\i.ivmQQ>,  1836;  md.  1860,  Eliza  J.  Cross, 

b.  1842  ;  d.  in  Ashby  Sept.  27,  1867  ;  md.  (2d) 
June  16,  1868,  Elizabeth  E.  Wheeler,  dau.  of 
Oliver  Wheeler  of  Ashbj.  He  resides  in  Ashby 
and  has  been  a  merchant  in  Ashby  Centre. 
V.  Leivis,  b.  July  9,  1838  ;  md.  M.  Jane  Lawrence, 
dau.  of  Leonard  Lavprence,  q.  c.  He  is  a 
farmer  in  this  town. 


970 


HISTORY   OF    ASHBUHNHAM. 


151 

152 
153 

154 

(144) 

155 

156 

157 
158 
159 

160 

161 
162 
163 
164 

165 


VI.  LemueU  h.   Oct.   30,   1840;  rad.  March   19,   1868, 

Sarah  Isabel  Ward,  dau.  of  William  Ward,  q.  v. 
They  resided  in  Ashby  several  years  ;  now  live 
in  Providence,  R.  I.  He  served  two  years  in 
21st  Regiment. 

VII.  Emelive  A.,  b.  Oct.  28,  1843;  md.  Walter  Law- 

rence, sou  of  Leonard  Lawrence,  q.  v. 
VIII.  Augustus   G.,  b.    Sept.    26,   1845;  md.    May   12, 
1869,  Martha  S.  Robbins.     He  is  proprietor  of 
the  Ashburnham  and  Fitchbnrg  coaches. 
IX.  F.  Etta,  b.  Sept.  30,  1849. 


Lemuel  Whitney,  son  of  Capt.  Lemuel,  md.  AlmiraG. 
Pollard,  dau.  of  William  Pollard,  q.  v.  He  has  resided 
in  Ashburnham  and  in  Rindge  and  is  now  living  in  Athol. 

I.  Adeline  E.,h.  March  17,  1843  ;  md.  Jan.  7,  1867, 

Pliny  F.  Woodbury. 
II.  Laura  31.,  h.  Jan.  10,  1845;  md.  June  4,   1871, 
Henry  H.  Howard. 

III.  Abbie  i^/.,  b.  Aug.  30,  1847  ;  d.  Nov.  29,  1861. 

IV.  AuriUa  M.,  b.  Jan.  6,  1849. 

V.  Albert  L.^h.   Jan.    22,   1851;  md.   Dec.   9,   1875, 

Lucy  M.  Wyatt. 
VI.  Frank  W.,  b.  Nov.  3,  1852;  md.  Dec.  31,  1875, 

Mary  Emma  Bass. 
VII.  Susan  E.,  b.  Dec.  5,  1854. 

VIII.  3fyron  H.,  b.  Sept.  4,  1857  ;  d.  April  22,  1886. 
IX.  Nelson  C,  b.  Aug.  30,  1859. 

X.  IversE.,  b.  Jan.   16,  1863;  md.   Nov.   23,  1884, 
Martha  E.  Gardner. 


Levi  Whitney,  lineage  not  traced,  was  b.  in  Harvard 
June  23,  175l.  He  md.  Sept.  17,  1772,  Sarah  Lawrence, 
dau.  of  Benjamin  and  Jane  (Russell)  Lawrence  and  a 
sister  of  Amos  Lawrence,  q.  v.  He  was  a  roving  planet. 
After  a  brief  residence  in  Concord  he  removed  to  West- 
minster in  1775,  and  to  this  town  the  following  year. 
Soon  after  1780  he  removed  to  Rindge  and  there  he  did 
not  remain  to  gather  moss,  but  in  1785  he  removed  to 
Marlboro',  N.  H.,  where  death  overtook  him  the  following 
year.  His  wife  d.  in  Rindge  Oct.  19,  1783,  and  he  md. 
(2d)  Dec.  25,  1783,  Hepsibeth  Fay,  b.  in  Westboro'  Oct. 
1,  1759. 


106 
167 


Sarah,  b.  June  12,  1774. 
Lydia,  b.  May  20,  1776. 


(JKNKAI-OGKWL    UKCJISTKll. 

168 

III. 

Levi,  b.  May  12,  1778;  d.  Doc.  1 

,  1780 

169 

IV. 

John,  b.  Aug.  2(j,  1780. 

170 

V. 

Betsey,  b.  April  o,  1783. 

171 

VI. 

Levi,  b.  Sept.  28,  1784. 

172 

VII. 

Amos. 

971 


173 


174 
175 


Epiikaim  Whitney,    parentage    uot   known,    and   wife 

Sarah  removed  to  the  northeast  part  of  this  town   about 

1 1780.     He  d.  Nov.  17,  1784,  and  his  widow  remained  on 

the  homestead.     In  1792  the  farm,  with  other  lands,  was 

annexed  to  Ashby.     Three  children  were  b.  in  this  town. 


186 


I.  Lixfant,  b.  ;  d.  April  13,  1781. 

II.  Raclieh  b.  April  10,  1783. 


176  m.  Dolly,  b.  Jan.  10,  1785. 


177  I  Isaac  Whitney  and  wife  Susannah  removed  to  the 
northeast  part  of  this  town  1786.  In  1792  his  farm  was 
included  in  the  addition  to  Ashby  and  he  continued  a 
resident  of  that  town. 

178  I.  Isaac,  b.  Jan.  18,  1787;  md.  1809,  Sally  Brough- 
ton,  probably  a  dau.  of  AYait  Broughton. 

179  II.   David,  b.  March  14,  1789. 

180  !       III.  Svmnnali,  b.  March  14,  1791. 

181  IV.  Betsey,  b.  Oct.  30,  1792. 

182  V.   Polly,  b.  Feb.  3,  1796. 

183  VI.  Nahbv,  b.  March  12,  1798. 

184  VII.  Samuel,  b.  July  2,  1807. 

185  VIII.  Zimri  (twin),'b.  July  2,  1807:  md.  1834,  Nancy 
Lawrence,  dau.  of  Alethon  Lawrence,  7.  v.,  and 
resided  in  Ashby. 


Chester  F.  AViiitney,  b.  in  Clarendon,  Vt.,  Feb.  11, 
1820,  son  of  Noah  and  Mercy  (French)  AVhitney,  md. 
Sept.  10,  1848,  Persis  B.  Herrick,  b.  Jan.  26.  1823,  dau. 
of  Zimri  and  Mary  (Brigham)  Ilerrick  of  Chesterfield, 
N.  H.  At  the  time  of  their  marriage  they  removed  to 
Ashburnham,  where  he  d.  May  31,  1882. 

187  I.   Frederick   C,  b.  May  6,  1864;  resides   at  Troy, 

N.    Y.       He  md.    July    27.    1883.    Minnie   R. 
Scoville  of  Cambridge,  N.  Y. 

1         John  Wilcott    resided  on  the  farm  now  occupied  by 
Joseph  Cook,  near  the  line  of  Rindge,  from  about  1815 
I  until  his  death  in  May,   1841.     His  widow  d.  Aug.   19, 
1844. 


972 


HISTOHY    OF    ASHBUHNHAM. 


2 
3 
4 

I.  William,  b.  ;  rad.   182«i,  Lucy  Fairbanks   of 

Fitzwilliara,  N.  H.     Removed  to  Illinois. 

II.  Nathaidel,  b.  ;   d.  unmd  in  this  town,  June 

17,  1871,  aged  67. 
III.   Matilda,  b.  ;  md.   Jan.  7,  1817,  Rev.  Calvin 

5 

Cummings,  q.  c. 

IV.  Sarah,    b.  ;  md.   1816,  Elijah   T.    Smith  of 

Fitzwilliam,  N.  H. 

WILDER. 

No  name  is  more  frequently  met  and  none  was  more  potential  in  the  early- 
annals  of  Ashburnhain  than  that  of  Wilder.  Yet  no  descendant  of  the  early 
families  bearing  the  name  of  Wilder  has  resided  in  this  town  for  many  years. 
The  later  families  of  Wilder  in  this  town  are  descendants  of  other  branches 
of  the  general  family.  .Judge  .Joseph  Wilder  cf  Lancaster,  b.  .July  5,  1683, 
was  a  son  of  Thomas  Wilder  and  a  grandson  of  Thomas  Wilder  who  was  of 
Charlestown  1640  and  who  became  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Lancaster. 
Judge  Wilder  was  of  the  committee  to  locate  and  lay  out  the  township  and 
he  became  one  of  the  original  proprietors.  Caleb  and  Joseph  Wilder,  sons 
of  Judge  Joseph,  maintained  an  active  interest  in  the  settlement  and  are 
frequently  mentioned  in  the  early  chapters.  Both  were  large  land  owners 
and  two  sons  of  Caleb  Wilder  became  residents  of  this  town. 


Samuel  Wilder,  son  of  Col.  Caleb  and  Abigail  (Carter) 
Wilder,  was  b.  in  Lancaster,  May  7,  1739.  He  came 
hither  previous  to  the  date  of  incorporation,  and  with  the 
exception  of  a  few  months  in  1765,  he  remained  a  valued 
citizen  of  Ashburnham  until  his  death.  Vide  page  477. 
He  md.  Feb.  15,  1768,  Dorothy  Carter  of  Lancaster,  who 
d.  July  28,  1790.  The  funeral  discourse  by  Rev.  Dr. 
Cushing  was  printed.  He  md.  (2d)  March  9,  1791, 
Abigail  (Carter)  Fairbanks,  a  sister  of  the  former  wife. 
He  d.  suddenly  May  9,  1798  ;   his  widow  d. 

I.  Samuel,  b.  Oct.  18,  1769. 
II.   Caleb,  b.  Aug.  26,  1771  ;   d.  Aug.  30,  1771. 
m.   Caleb,  b.  March  22,  1773. -|- 
IV.  Nahum,  b.  March  1,  1775.-(- 
V.  Dorothy,  b,  March   14,  1777;   md.  Joseph  Stone, 

q.  V. 
VI.  Beulali,   b.  April   6,    1779;    d.   unmd.   in  Boston 

May  13.  1847. 
VII.  Ephraim,  b.  Jan.  26,  1781  ;  d.  Jan.  30,  1781. 
VIII.  Ephraim,  b.  June  7,  1782. 
IX.  Sarah,  b.  June  11,  1784. 

X.  Abel,  b.  June  24,  1786.  A  physician  in  Black- 
stone.  Vide  page  510.  He  md.  1816,  Fanny 
Richard-on  of  Winchendon,  who  d.  Feb.  23, 
1876,  aged  90.  He  d.  1866.  Ten  children 
who  have  been  distinguished  in  various  callings. 


<4) 


20 
21 

(5) 


22 
23 
24 
25 
26 
27 
28 
29 
30 


GENKALOCIIOAL    KECilSTEU.  973 

XI.    Thomas,  h.  July  7,  1788.-f 
XII.  Milton,  b.  June  30,  1790. 


Capt.  Caleb  Wilder  was  a  school  teacher  of  merited 
fame.  He  was  also  a  farmer  and  found  frequent  employ- 
ment as  a  land  survej'or.  He  was  a  captain  of  the 
Ashburnhani  Light  Infantry  and  was  often  chosen  to 
office  in  town  affairs.  He  md.  Nov.  27,  1800,  Sarah 
Whitney,  dau.  of  Silas  Whitney,  q.  v.  She  d.,  felo  de  se, 
June  14,  1820  ;   he  d.  Jan.  29,  1834. 

I.   Samuel,    b.   Dec.  30,    1801;  d.    June    11,    1817. 

This  was  a  suicide  at  an  unusual  age. 
II.  Sarah,  h.  May  7,  1803;  md.  May  4,   1826,   Silas 

Smith  of  Westminster  ;  removed  to  Farmington, 

Iowa. 

III.  Nancy,  b.    Nov.    19,   1806;  md.   April  24,   1828, 

David  Laws  of  Westminster. 

IV.  Silas   Whitney,   b.   Dec.    13,    1808;    d.   Oct.    31, 

1812. 
V.   Caleb,  b.  Oct.   28,    1810;  non  coynj).  ;  d.   in  this 
town. 

VI.  Silas  Whitney,  b.  July  26,  1814  ;  he  was  a  printer 
and  publisher ;  subsequently  he  was  of  the  firm 
of  Snow  and  Wilder,  publishers  of  the  popular 
railway  guide,  called  The  Pathfinder.  He  md. 
Caroline  Bishop  of  Medfield  and  d.  in  Toledo, 
Ohio,  Nov.  14,  1854. 

VII.  ^Ibel  Thomas,  b.  Oct.  19,  1816  ;  d.  unmd.  March 
14,  1839. 

'III.  Dorothy  Carter,  b.  June  16,  1819;  md.  Samuel 
Twombly  ;  resides  in  Iowa. 


Nahum  Wilder  md.  Oct.  15,  1800,  Hannah  Woods, 
dau.  of  Samuel  AYoods  of  Princeton,  q.  v.  He  was  a 
farmer  in  Princeton.     She  d.  Aug.  19,  1828. 

I.  Milton,  b.  Nov.  15,  1801. 
II.  Mary  Woods,  b.  May  18,  1803. 

III.  Caroline,  b.  Nov.  26,  1805. 

IV.  Lucy  B.,  b.  July  17,  1809. 

V.  Samuel  Woods,  b.  March  12,  1812. 

VI.  Harriet  Atwood,  b.  Nov.  8,  1815. 

VII.  Alden  Augustus,  b.  July  23,  1817. 

VIII.  Solon  Franklin,  b.  Aug.  11,  1819. 

IX.  Sarah  Fuller,  b.  Dec.  24,  1821. 


974 


HISTORY    OF    ASHBURNHAM. 


(12) 


31 
32 
33 

34 


35 


36 
37 


(43) 


44 


45 
46 


47 


Thomas  Wilder  md.  Marj^  Woods,  dau.  of  Samuel' 
Woods,  g.  V.  He  lived  in  Princeton  a  few  years  and 
removed  to  Ware.  He  was  a  representative  in  the 
Legislature  from  Ware.  He  d.  suddenly  at  a  meeting  of 
the  American  Board  of  Commissioners  of  Foreign  Mis- 
sions, May  31,  1867. 

I.   Thomas  Scott,  b.  Jan.  31,  1813. 

II.  Mary  Woods,  b.  May  17,  1816  ;  d.  Feb.  23,  1826. 

in.  Ahhie  Whitney,  b.  ;  md.  Charles  E.  Ryan. 

IV.  Rebecca  Kimball,  b.  . 


Caleb  Wilder,  brother  of  Samuel,  was  b.  in  Lancaster 
July  1,  1741.  He  md.  Elizabeth  Woodward  and  prob- 
ably did  not  remove  from  Lancaster  to  Ashburnham  until 
about  1780.  He  was  a  farmer.  His  wife  d.  June  6,. 
1799;  he  was  drowned  in  Douglas  March  25,  181G. 
The  children  may  not  be  arranged  in  order  of  age. 

I.  Deborah,  b.   1774  ;  md.  Capt.  John  Willard,  q.  v. 
II.   Betsey,  b.  1778;  d.  unmd.  Jan.  11,  1854. 

III.  Joseph,    b.   .     He   was   md.   and   resided    in 

Waterville,  Vt.,  where  he  d.  about  1823. 
Elmira  M.  Wilder,  wife  of  Charles  W.  Whitney, 
is  a  dau.  of  Joseph  Wilder. 

IV.  Abigail,  b.  Jan.   3,   1783  ;  md.    Samuel  Whitney,. 

q.  V. 
V,  Nancy,  b.  Oct.  23,  1786  ;  md.  Josiah  Lane,  q.  v. 
VI.  Rebecca,  bap.  Sept.  28,  1788. 
VII.   CaZeb,  bap.  May  10,  1789;  resided  in  Fitchburg,. 

where  he  d.  about  1840. 
VIII.   Charles  Woodward,  b.  Dec.  30,  1790.-f- 


Dr.  Charles  W.  Wilder  was  a  physician  in  Templeton 
and  subsequently  successful  in  business  and  an  honored 
citizen  of  Leominster.  Vide  page  511.  He  md.  1820, 
Myra  Lawrence  who  d.  1843  ;  md.  (2d)  1844,  Laura  S. 
(Wilder)  Kendall,  b.  Feb.  13,  1816,  dau.  of  Elisha  and 
Mehitabel  (Dresser)  Wilder.  He  d.  Feb.  12,  1851.  His 
widow  md.  Hon.  Charles  H.  Merriam. 

I.  Elizabeth,  b.   1822  ;  md.  Dr.  William  D.  Peck  of 

Sterling  ;  she  d.  1858. 
II.  Abigail,  b.  1824  ;  d.  1843. 

III.  Charles  W.,h.  1827;  md.  Emma  C.Wood.     He 

d.  . 

IV.  Rufus  L.,  b.  Aug.  31,  1843;  Harvard   College; 

M.  D. 


(JENEALOCxICAL   REGISTER.  975. 

•.  Joseph  ir.,  b.  Aug.  21,  1847  ;  Harvard  College  ;  a 
lawyer  in  Leominster. 


Joseph  Wilder,  son  of  Joseph,  Jr.,  and  Deborah  Joslin 
Wilder  and  a  first  cousin  of  Samuel  and  Caleb  Wilder, 
was  b.  in  Leominster  April  15,  1734.  The  "Book  of 
Wilders"  names  his  wife,  Susanna  Phelps.  Perhaps  he 
was  twice  md.  for  when  he  removed  to  this  town  in  1776, 
the  name  of  his  wife  was  Elizabeth.  The  family,  accord- 
ing to  tlie  custom,  was  warned  out,  and  ten  children  were 
named  as  follows  :  Willis,  Elizabeth,  Relief,  Dolly,  Peter, 
Esther,  Rebecca,  Lucy,  Nathan  and  Molly.  The  father 
was  styled  Capt.  Joseph  Wilder.  The  family  did  not 
remain  in  town  many  yeai's. 


John  Wilder,  brother  of  Capt.  Joseph,  was  b.  in 
Leominster  1750.  He  d.  in  this  town  of  small-pox 
Sept.  8,  1776.  It  is  said  he  had  recently  returned  from 
the  army.     I  find  no  record  of  his  marriage. 


JosiAii  Wilder,  son  of  Josiah  and  Miriam  Wilder,  was 
b.  in  Lancaster,  now  AVest  Boylston,  1750.  He  belonged 
to  the  same  general  family  but  was  far  removed  in  kin- 
ship from  the  foregoing  families.  He  was  a  descendant 
of  John  and  they  oi  Thomas,  sons  of  Thomas,  the  first  of 
the  name  in  Lancaster.  Josiah  Wilder  removed  to  this 
town  probably  in  1776.  He  was  chosen  to  office  in  1777 
and  succeeding  j'ears  while  he  remained  a  citizen  of  this 
town.  He  md.  Hezediah  Larkin  who  d.  July  4,  1782; 
he  md.  (2d)  Feb,  4,  1784,  Joanna  Baker.  At  the  incor- 
poration of  Gardner  his  farm  was  included  in  that  town 
where  he  d.  1826  ;  she  d.  1842. 

I.  Aziibah,  b.  March  23,   1777;  md.  Uriah  Clapp  ; 

d.  1852. 
II.  Katie,  b.  July  19,  1779  ;  md.  Abel  Burpee. 
III.  Hezediah,  b.  Nov.  2,  1784. 
lY.  Josiah,    b.   March  5,   1786;  md.   Mary  Wheeler ; 

removed  to  Fitzwilliam,  N.  H. 
V.  David,  b.  Nov.  10,  1787;  d.  by  accident  1818. 
VI.  Isaac,  b.  Nov.  23,  1789. 
VII.  Joanna,  b.  March  30,  1792  ;  md.  Persis  Jones. 


Jonathan  Prescott  Wilder  was  b.  in  Ashby  Feb.  19, 
1805.  He  is  a  son  of  Asa  and  Rebecca  (Emerson) 
Wilder  and  a  grandson   of  Rufus  and  Vashti  (Prescott) 


976 


HISTORY    OF    ASHBUHNHAM. 


Wilder  of  Ashby.     Rufus  Wilder  of  Ashhy  was  a  brother 
of  Josiah  Wilder  of  Ashburnham  and  Gardner. 

Jonathan  Prescott  Wilder  has  resided  in  this  town 
about  fifty  years.  He  is  a  cabinet  maker  and  lives  in 
Central  Village.  Me  md.  Feb.  12,1829,  Betsey  Town- 
send  of  Westminster,  who  d.  June  2,  1871  ;  md.  (2d) 
March  22,  1874,  Lucy  (Kinsman)  Hinds,  widow  of 
Francis  Hinds,  q.  c. 


11 


Jacob  Wilkek,  b.  in  Germany  1731,  emigrated  to 
Boston  in  early  life  and  there  resided  several  years.  He 
md.  in  Boston  Anna  Barbary  Roberts,  and  with  three 
children  removed  to  this  town  in  May,  177a.  He  settled 
in  the  east  part  of  the  town  on  land  still  owned  and  occu- 
pied by  his  descendants.  He  was  a  peaceable  citizen  and 
a  good  farmer.  His  full  name  was  Jacob  John  George 
Wilker,  but  he  is  known  in  the  records  as  Jacob  Wilker. 
He  d.  Nov.  3,  1816,  aged  85  years  ;  his  wife  d.  April  16, 
1803,  aged  70  years. 

I.  Elizabeth,  h.  Aug.    7,  1758;  md.   Dec.    25,  1786, 

Benjamin  Wallis,  b.  in  Lunenburg  April  15, 
1756,  son  of  Benoni  and  Rebecca  (Brown) 
Wallis  and  a  brother  of  David  Wallis  of  Ash- 
burnham. He  was  a  farmer  in  Ashby  where  he 
d.  May  11,  1826  ;  she  d.  Sept.  5,  1800. 

1.  Betsey,  b.  May  17,   1788;  d.   unmd.   July 

23, 1820. 

2.  Susan,  b.  Feb.  26,  1791  ;  md.  Asa  Woods, 

g.  V. 

3.  Rebecca,   b.    March   19,    1793 ;  md.    Asa 

Woods,  q.  V. 

4.  Benjamin,  b.  Aug.  17,  1795  ;  md.  July  22, 

1829,  Rebecca  Foster,  b.  June  29,  1808, 
dau.  of  John,  Jr.,  and  Dorcas  (Upton) 
Foster  of  Ashby.  He  d.  in  Ashbv  July 
23,  1876.  Their  children  were:  S. 
Augusta,  wife  of  Hon.  Amasa  Norcross, 
and  Benjamin  F.  now  of  Fitchburg. 

5.  Nancy,  b.  Jan.  27,  1798;  d.  unmd.   Oct. 

13,  1830. 

6.  Levi,  b.  July  28,  1800;  d.  Sept.  5,  1816. 

II.  George,  b.  May  14,  1761.+ 

III.  Susan,    b.    ;  md.    Feb.     15,    1794,   William 

Tuttle.     They  removed  to  Alstead,  N.  H. 

IV.  Catherine,):).  Oct.  8,  1775;  md.  Thomas  Bennett, 

q.  V. 


GENEALOGICAL   HEGISTEK.  977 

(9);  Geouge  WiLKER  was  a  farmer  on  the  homestead.  He 
was  a  man  of  ability  and  a  substantial  citizen.  In  1827 
j  he  was  one  of  the  thirteen  who  petitioned  the  Legislature 
to  be  annexed  with  their  estates  to  Ashby.  The  measure 
failed  and  his  friendly  relations  with  his  townsmen  were 
disturbed  by  the  result  of  the  issue.  He  md.  July  31, 
1787,  Martha  White  of  Lancaster.     He  d.  March  9,  1841. 

I.  Joseph^  b.  April  19,  1788;  d.  same  day. 
II.  James  (twin),  b.  April  19,  1788  ;  d.  May  6,  1788. 

III.  Martha,  b.  June  17,  1789;  md.  Dec.  29,  1842, 
Thomas  Gibson  of  Ashby;  she  d.  May  31, 
1846. 

IV.  George,  b.  Nov.  2,  1790;  d.  Dec.  31,  1791. 
V.   George,  b.  Dec.  20,  1791.-|- 

VI.  Anna,  b.    Feb.    17,   1793;  md.    Aug.,   1834,  Asa 

Stratton,  b.  July  25,  1778,  son  of  Ebenezer  and 

Tabitha  (Davis)  Stratton  of  Rindge.     It  was  his 

second  marriage  ;  she  d.  Oct.  26,  1840. 

vii.  Abigail,  b.  May  14,  1794;  md.   Nathan  Handley, 

q.  V. 
viii.  Srisan,h.  Jan.  2,  1796;  d.  Sept.  29,  1799. 
IX.  John,  b.  May  6,  1797;  d.  Sept.  24,  1799. 
X.  Jacob,  b.  Dec.  9,  1798.+ 
XI.  Sally,  b.  May  9,  1800  ;  d.  Aug.  29,  1822. 

XII.  Susan,  b.  April  23,  1802  ;  md.  Charles  F.  Crosby, 
q.  V. 

XIII.  John,  b.  April  23,  1805. -f- 


George  Wilker,  Jk.,  md.  July  12,  1814,  Eunice 
Marble,  dau.  of  Jabez  INIarble,  q.  v.  He  resided  on  the 
homestead,  where  he  d.  March  27,  1817.  The  sermon  by 
Mr.  Cushing  on  the  occasion  was  printed.  His  widow 
md.  (2d)  1819,  Josiah  Caswell  of  Fitchburg. 

I,  Mary,  b.  Nov.  24,  1815  ;  d.  Aug.  6,  1822. 
11.   George,  b.  April  7,  1817;  d.  Aug.  29,  1822. 


Jacob   Wilker,  son   of   George,   md.    Oct.   4,   1823, 

Emma  Richardson  of  Ashby,  dau.  of  Abel  Richardson. 

He   was   a   farmer  on   the  homestead.     He  d.  Nov.  17, 
1862. 

I.  Joseph  W.,  b.  June  14,  1824;  md.  Jan.  1,  1852, 
E.  Augusta  Willarct,  dau.  of  George  A.  Willard, 
q.  V.  He  resides  on  the  homestead.  His 
children  are  of  the  fifth  generation  of  his  family 
in  this  town. 
62 


978 


HISTORY    OF   ASHBUKNHAM. 


28 

29 

30 
31 

32 
33 
34 
35 

(24) 


36 


1.  Alice  S.,  I).  Sept.  25,  1852  ;  md.  Sept.  19, 

1875,  Hosea  A.  Hartwell  of  Ashl)y,  son 
of  Charles  Hartwell. 

2.  Mirie  A.,  b.  Oct.   11,   1858;  d.  April  ,'30, 

1872. 

3.  George  B.,  b.  May  4,  1862. 

4.  Abbie  M.,  b.  May  1,  1866. 

II.  Emma  J.,  b.  July  22,  1827  ;  md.  Newell  Marble, 

q.  V. 
in.  Mary  L.,  b.  May  1,   1832;   md.  Warren  Marble, 

q.  V. 
IV.  Elmira  B.,  b.  March  1,  1837;  md.  John  Billings, 

g.  V. 
V.  Elvira  R.  (twin),    b.   March  1,    1837;    md.   Dec. 

16,  1858,  John  H.  Jenkins  of  Barnstead,  N.  H. 


George,  md.  Oct.  30,  1834, 
ardner  Dec.  1,  1809,  dau.  of 
a  great-granddau.  of  Stephen 
He  was  a  farmer.     He  d.  Ang. 


John   Wilker,    son   of 
Phebe  Fairbanks,  1).   in  ( 
Levi  Fairbanks,  Jr.,  and 
Randall  of  Ashburnham. 
3,  1880. 

I.  Sally,  b.  Oct.  9,  1835  ;  md.  Jacob  P.  Gates,  son 
of  Everett  Gates,  q.  v. 

John  H.  Wilkins,  son  of  Jason  and  Lydia  C.  (Seward) 
Wilkins,  was  b.  in  Salem  Oct.  14,  1832.  He  resided 
several  years  in  his  native  city  and  was  a  member  of  the 
common  council.  In  18()2  he  removed  to  this  town  and 
is  employed  as  overseer  and  shipper  by  the  Boston  Chau* 
Manufacturing  Co.  He  is  efficient  in  public  affairs,  and 
the  rewards  of  good  citizenship  have  been  freely  tendered 
by  his  townsmen.  For  several  years  he  has  been  chief 
engineer  of  the  fire  department,  and  during  the  past  eleven 
years  he  has  presided  at  the  annual  March  meeting.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  present  Legislature  (1887).  Mr. 
Wilkins  md.  at  Salem  Aug.  2,  1856,  Lucy  A.  Luscomb, 
b.  in  Salem  Aug.  20,  1836,  dau.  of  Joseph  W.  and  Lucy 
A.  Luscomb  ;  she  d.  July  4,  1861.  He  md.  (2d)  Oct.  10, 
1865,  Mu-a  E.  Barrett,  dau.  of  Col.  Francis  J.  Barrett, 
q.  V. 

I.  Nellie  A.,  b.  March  2,  1858  ;  d.  April  19,  1864. 
II.   Clara  L.,  b.  Oct.  25,  1859  ;  a  teacher  in  this  town. 


WILLARD. 

Major    Simon   Willard,    whose   descendants   have   been   and   still    are 
numerous  in  this  town,  was  from  the  county  of  Kent,  England.     He  settled 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER. 


979 


in  Cambridge  Ui.U,  and  the  following  year  he  removed  to  Concord.  His 
career  was  honorable  and  eventful,  and  during  his  long  life  no  one  was  more 
prominently  connected  with  the  affairs  of  the  town  of  Concord  and  of  the 
colony.  He  was  a  representative  and  assistant  nearly  forty  years,  and  was  a 
leader  in  military  affairs.  He  rad.  jNIary  Sharpe,  dau.  of  Henry  Sharpe; 
rad.  (2d)  Elizabeth  Dunster;  md.  (3d)  Mary  Dunster.  He  d.  April  24,  1G76, 
aged  about  G8.  Vide  Willard  Memoir  for  an  account  of  the  life  and  service 
of  this  distinguished  man. 

Henry  Willard,  fourth  of  the  fourteen  children  of  Major  Simon  Willard, 
was  b.  in  Concord  June  4,  Ifioo.  He  md.  July  IS,  1674,  Mary  Lakin,  and 
settled  in  Groton.  Subsequently  he  removed  to  Lancaster.  His  wife  d. 
about  IGSS;  he  nid.  (2d)  Dorcas'Cutler.  He  d.  in  Lancaster  Aug.  27,  1726. 
There  were  five  children  of  the  first  and  three  of  the  second  marriage 

Henry  Willard,  son  of  Henry  and  Mary  (Lakin)  Willard,  b.  at  Groton 
April  11,  1675,  md.  July  21,  1G98,  Abigail  Temple;  md.  (2d)  previous  to 
1710,  Sarah  Nutting.  He  resided  in  Lancaster,  and  by  change  in  town  lines 
in  Harvard  after  1732. 

Henry  Willard,  son  of  Henry  and  Abigail  (Temple)  Willard,  b.  about 
1700,  "md.  May  24,  1726,  Abigail  Fairbanks  of  Lancaster.  After  1732  they 
resided  in  Harvard,  where  ten  or  eleven  children  were  born.  He  d.  Jan.  6, 
1774.  Among  their  children  were  sons  Oliver,  Timothy,  Jacob  and  John, 
who  were  residents  of  Ashburnham  and  are  named  in  the  following  register. 

Lucy  Willard,  wife  of  Oliver  Stone,  was  a  dau.  of  Tarbell  and  Rachel 
(Haskell)  Willard,  granddau.  of  Joseph  and  Elizabeth  (Tarbell)  ^Willard 
and  great-granddau.  of  Henry  and  Mary  (Lakin)  Willard. 


Hezekiah  Willard,  son  of  Hezekiah  Willard  of 
Harvard,  md.  March  25,  17GG,  Azubah  Wood  of  Stow. 
In  1768  he  removed  to  this, town  but  did  not  remain  many 
years.  The  following  fragment  of  a  family  record  may 
be  of  service  to  any  who  have  additional  information. 

I.  Lydia,  b.  in  Harvard  March  6,  1767. 
II.  Molly,  b.  in  Ashburnham  Dec.  11,  1768. 
III.  Infaiit,  b.  ;  d.  April  12,  1771. 


Peter  Willard,  wife  Mary  and  one  child  removed  to 
this  town  from  Lancaster  in  1778.  He  went  away 
previous  to  1787. 

I.  Betty. 

II.  Peter,  bap.  June  20,  1776. 
III.  JoeU  bap.  Aug.  7,  1779  ;  d.  Jan.  9,  1781. 


Oliver  Willard,  son  of  Henry  and  Abigail  (Faii-banks) 
Willard,  was  b.  in  Harvard  Oct.  13,  1741.  He  md.  May 
29,  1764,  Lucy  Haskell,  and  came  to  Ashburnham  1765. 
His  name  is  on  the  roll  of  Capt.  Davis'  company  in  1775, 
and  he  was  a  selectman  in  1776,  1778  and  1779.  His 
name  is  frequently  met  in  the  records  until  1783,  when  he 
removed  to  Vermont.  It  is  said  he  had  five  sons  and  five 
daughters,  and  the  names  of  seven  children  are  found  in 
the  records. 


980 


HISTORY   OF    ASHBURNHAM. 


17 


22 


I.  Oliver,  b.  Oct.  24,  ITG;"). 

11.  Peter,  b.  Nov.  5,  17(J7. 

III.  Lucy,  bap.  Dee.  3,  1709. 

IV.  Levi,  bap.  Jan.  27,  1773. 
V.  Betty,  bap.  Maj^  21,  1775. 

VI.  Simeon^  bap.  June  29,  1777 

VII.  Molly,  bap.  Sept.  5,  1779. 


Timothy  Willard,  son  of  Henry  and  Abigail  (Fair- 
banks) Willard,  was  b.  in  Harvard  Aug.  8,  1748.  He 
md.  1777,  Elizabeth  Farnsworth,  and  came  to  Ashburnham 
in  1781.  He  was  an  innholder  on  the  David  Russell 
farm  and  was  an  enterprising  citizen.  In  1795  or  a  year 
or  two  later,  he  removed  to  Vermont.  It  is  not  probable 
that  the  records  preserve  the  names  of  all  his  chilckeii. 

I.  Lncy,  b.  Sept.  24,  1784. 
II.  Susan,  b.  March  6,  1787. 

III.  Simeon,  1).  March  24,  1789. 

IV.  Polly  Collins,  bap.  Oct.  6,  1793. 


26 


Jacob  Willard,  son  of  Henry  and  Abigail  (Fairbanks) 
Willard,  was  b.  in  Harvard  July  20,  1734.  He  settled 
in  this  town  soon  afteii  the  removal  hither  of  his  brother, 
Dea.  John  Willard,  and  at  once  became  a  prominent 
citizen,  maintaining  a  commanding  influence  until  his 
death.  In  the  preceding  chapters  relating  to  the  events 
of  his  time  and  in  the  list  of  town  officers  his  name 
frequently  appears.  Vide  page  480.  He  md.  Rhoda 
Randall.     He  d.  Feb.  22,  1808  ;  his  widow  d.  Dec,  1832. 

I.  Philander  Jacob,  b.  Sept.  29,  1772. -j- 
II.  Alexander  Tarhell,  b.  Kov.  4,  1774.-)- 
III.  Emma,h.  Dec.  18,  1777;  md.  1808,  Rev.  Thomas 
Skelton,  b.  in  Billerica  Dec.  16,  1779,  son  of 
John  and  Joanna  (Johnson)  Skelton.  He 
graduated  at  Harvard  University  1806 ;  or- 
dained and  installed  over  church  in  Foxboro' 
Nov.  2,  1808,  where  he  was  pastor  until  Feb. 
25,  1815;  installed  at  Enosburg,  Vt.,  July  3, 
1822,  and  dismissed  March  25,  1825.  He 
resided  some  years  in  this  town,  where  he  d. 
May  8,  1838  ;  his  widow  d.,-  at  the  Home  for 
Aged  Women  in  Boston,  Nov.  3,  1881,  aged 
nearly  104  j'ears.     Five  children. 

1.  Thomas    Willard,    b.  Sept.    10,  1810;    d. 
young. 


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29 
30 

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33 

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35 


36 
37 


GENEALOGICAL    REGISTER.  981 

2.  Thomas    Willard,   b.    June    7,    1815;    il. 

young. 

3.  Daniel   Hardy,  b.    June   18,    1818 ;  com- 

pleted study  in  medicine  ;  d.  April  20, 
1841. 

4.  Charles  W.  H.,  b.  Dec.  20,   1820;  d.  by 

accident  Aug.  8,  1828. 

5.  Catherine  Emma,  b.  Dec.   27,   1823  ;  md. 

Oct.  12,  1834,  David  W.  Jewett ;  he  d. 
1844;  she  md.  (2d)  Nov.  10,  1857, 
J.  N.  Page,  who  d.  Aug.  9,  1859. 

IV.   Catherine,   b.    May   24,    1781  ;    md.    George    R. 
Cashing,  Esq.,  q.  v. 


Philander  Jacob  Willard  resided  in  this  town  until 
about  1825,  when  he  removed  to  Ashby.  He  was  a 
captain  of  the  Ashburnham  Light  Infantry  and  was 
engaged  in  this  town  and  in  Ashby  in  the  manufacture  of 
clocks.  He  md.  1796,  Rhoda  Wheeler,  b.  in  Ashby, 
Oct.  18,  1773,  dau.  of  Amos  Wheeler.  They  were 
divorced  and  he  md.  (2d)  1807,  Hannah  P.  Snow  of 
Dublin,  N.  H.  He  d.  in  Ashby  Dec.  26,  1840;  his 
widow  d.  Dec.  26,  1853. 

I.  Augustine  Horace,  b.  May  18,  1809. 
IT.  Julia,  b. ;  md.  Rufus  O.  Severance.     He  d. 

in  Ashby  Aug  5,   1873  ;    she  d.  June  24,  1874. 
III.  Horatio,  b.  Sept.  25,  1819  ;  md.  Sept.  9,  1846, 

Joanna  Robinson  of  West  Scituate.     He  resided 

at  Hingham  and  in  Boston.     Four  children.     He 

d.  Nov.  6,  1862. 


Alexander  Tarbell  Willard  removed  to  Ashby  in 
1801  and  for  many  years  was  an  enterprising  and 
influential  citizen.  He  was  postmaster  of  Ashby  1812-36. 
He  became  widely  known  as  a  manufacturer  of  clocks 
and  many  specimens  of  his  work  are  still  in  use.  In 
this  business  for  some  years  his  brother  was  associated 
with  him.  He  was  a  large  owner  in  the  North  Turnpike. 
He  md.  1800,  Tila  Oakes  of  Cohasset.  He  d.  in  Ashby 
Dec.  4,  1850. 

I.   Caroline  Cutler,  b.  April  11,  1801;  d.  Dec.  22, 

1822. 
II.   George  Augustus,  b.  Feb.  28,  1803. -|- 
III.   Catherine    Cushing,   b.    Oct.    15,    1805 ;    unmd.  ; 

resides  in  Cohasset. 


982 


HISTORY   OF    ASHBURNHAM. 


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44 
45 

46 

47 

48 
49 
50 
51 

52 


IV.  Laura    Sophia,    h.     Dec.    17,     1808 ;    md.    Isaac 

Lawrence  of  Ashby  ;  d.  iu  Lowell  July  10,  1841. 

V.  Emma  Augusta,  b.  Oct.  15,   1814  ;  md.  John  M. 

Whitney;  d.  in  Boston  Nov.  24,  1881. 
VI.  Alexander    Tarhell,    b.    Feb.    16,    1818;    he  is   a 

dentist  in  Chelsea. 
VII.  Lysander  Bascom,  b.  July  18,  1821,  resides  on  the 
homestead  in  Ashby.     He  md.  Charlotte  Conant 
of  Townsend. 
VIII.    Charles    Henry,    b.    May    26,     1823 ;    resides    iu 
Cohasset ;  md.  Maria  Lawrence  of  Cohasset. 


George  A.  Willard  is  a  farmer  in  Ashburnham  living 
on  the  farm  where  his  grandfather  settled.  He  md.  Oct. 
28,  1828,  Elvira  Hunt,  b.  in  Jaffrey,  N.  H.,  March  24, 
1808,  dau.  of  Nathan  and  Abigail  (Hale)  Hunt. 

I.  Elvira  Augusta,  b.  Feb.  4,  1830  ;  md.  Joseph  W. 

Wilker,  q.  v. 
II.  Maria  Smith,  b.  Sept.  1,  1831  ;  d.  April,  1843. 

III.  Catherine  Cashing,  b.  Nov.  1,  1833;  md.  Jan.  1, 

1854,  George  F.  Crosby,  son  of  Charles  Crosby, 
q.  V.  ;  reside  in  Fitchburg.- 

IV.  George  A.,  b.  Dec.  6,  1835;  md.  Dec.  16,  1858, 

Mary    E.    Martin,    dau.    of    Ephraim    Martin; 

resides  in  Rindge. 
V.   Caroline   Emma,    b.    Sept.    2,    1837 ;    md.    1858, 

George    O.    AYhitney ;    md.    (2d)    George  W. 

Milliken  of  Charlestown,  N.  H. 
VI.  Mary   Elizabeth,    b.    July   9,    1840 ;    md.    Robert 

Hraddocks  ;  d.  in  Fitchburg  July  27,  1869. 
vii.  Abbie   Jane,   b.    May   24,    1843;    md.    Immo   A. 

Morey  ;  reside  in  Easthampton. 
VIII.  An7i   3fnria,  b.   Jan.   13,  1845  ;  md.   July,   1863, 

Samuel  E.  Stone;  she  d.  July  13,  1866. 
IX.  Sarah  Frances,  b.  May  5,  1847;  md.  July,  1863, 

Noah  G.  Jackman  ;  d.  in  Alstead,  N.  H.,  April 

26,  1865. 


Dea.  John  Willakd,  son  of  Henry  and  Abigail  (Fair- 
banks) Willard,  was  b.  in  Harvard  July  26,  1739.  He 
md.  1765,  Sarah  Willard,  b.  Nov.  14,  1746.  He  was 
not  md.  in  Harvard  but  the  intentions  are  recorded  there 
under  date  of  Jan.  6,  1765.  He  removed  to  this  town 
1768  and  settled  on  the  farm  subsequently  owned  by  his 
son,  Silas  Willard,  Esq.  He  was  a  prominent  man  in 
town  affairs  until   failing  health  i)revented  a   continued 


GENKALOGICAL    KKCUSTER.  983 

service.  In  1772  lie  w;is  ehoseu  a  deacon  and  in  1788  he 
expressed  a  desire  to  be  relieved  from  the  (hities  of  the 
office.  The  esteem  of  his  brethren  is  retlecteil  in  their 
responsive  vote,  "  That  the  church  thank  him  foi-  his  past 
services  and  they  wish  him  better  health,  and  that  he 
would  officiate  as  often  as  his  health  will  admit."  After 
a  lingering  illness  he  d.  of  consumption  July  •>.  1703  ;  his 
widow  d.  Nov.  18,  1834. 

I.  John,  b.  Oct.  26,  1766.-I- 
II.  Silas,  b.  Oct.  8,  17(i8.-j- 
iii.  Simon,  b.  March  28,  1770.+ 
IV.  Sarah,   b.   Dec.    8,  1771  ;  md.   Abraham    Foster, 

q.  V. 
V.  Henry,  b.  Dec.  25,  1773.-f- 

VI.  Susannah,  h.  Jan.  13,  1776  ;  md.  Asa  Peirce,  q.  v. 
VII.  Abigail,    h.    April   17,   1780;   md.   Rev.    Leonard 

Bennett,  a  Methodist  clergyman. 
vTii.  Elijah,  b.  April  26,  1782  ;  a  ]VIethodist  clergyman  ; 
md.   Thankful  Gross ;    d.    at  Saugus   Sept.   5, 
1852.     Ten  children.      F^■de  page  510. 

IX.  Ezra,  b.  Oct.  11,  1784  ;  d.  nmmd.  at ,  1810. 

X.  Jonas,  b.  May  2,  1786.+ 


JoHN  WiLLART),  SOU  of  Dea.  John  Willard,  md.  April  5, 
1792,  Deborah  Wilder,  dau.  of  Caleb  Wilder,  q.  v.  He 
was  a  farmer  and  on  the  farm  now  of  Benjamin  E.  Weth- 
erbee.  He  was  a  captain  of  the  militia  and  a  selectman 
several  years.  He  d.  March  23,  1850,  aged  83  years  ; 
she  d.  Oct.  24,  1859,  aged  nearly  86  years. 

I.  John,  b.  Sept.  27,  1793.+ 

II.  Caleb,  b.  March  9,  1796 ;  d.  in  New  Orleans 
unmd.  Dec.  20,  1819. 

III.  Deborah,  b.  April  13,  1798  ;  d.  Oct.  15,  1805. 

IV.  Emery,  b.  Nov.  24,  1800  ;  md.  Irene  Benjamin, 
dau.  of  Daniel  Benjamin,  q.  v.  f^leven  chil- 
dren.    They  lived  in  Brighton. 

V.  Nelson,  b.  Feb.  15,  1803  ;  md.  Caroline  Dwelley. 
Seven  children.     Thev  removed  to  Leominster. 

Yi.  Elizabeth    W.,    b.    .July  •20,    1805;    md.     Josiah 

Locke,  q.  r. 
VII.  Merrick,  b.  Sept.  10,  1807. -f- 
VIII.  Deborah,  b.  Sept.  11,  1810  ;  md.  Levi  Rice,  q.  v. 
IX.  Susan,  b.  Oct.  1,  1812;  md.  Oct.  30,   1834,  Ben- 
jamin E.  Lvndes  ;  she  d.  Jan.  18,  1835. 

72  I         X.  Abigail,  b.  —^  ;  d.  March  9,  1837. 

73  1       XI.  Infant,  b. ;  d.'Mav  16,  1816. 


984 


HISTORY    OF    ASHBUHNHAM. 


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83 


(55) 


84 


85 


Silas  Willard,  Esq.,  sou  of  Dea.  John,  resided  on  the 
homestead.  Vide  page  481.  He  was  a  captain  of  the 
Light  Infantry  and  a  member  of  the  boards  of  selectmen 
and  assessors  twenty  years,  and  in  his  influence  in  the 
dii'ection  of  public  affairs  he  has  left  the  impress  of  char- 
acter and  ability.  He  md.  .July  18,  1793,  Mary  .Jones, 
dau.  of  Enos  Jones,  g.  v.  She  d.  Feb.  11,  1837;  he  d. 
June  14,  1855. 

I.  Mary,  b.  Oct.   1(5,   1794;  md.   Humphrey  Harris, 

q.  V. 
II.  Cynthia,  b.  Feb.  1,  1796;  md.  Sept.  17,  1816, 
Jonathan  Y.  Gross,  b.  in  Wellfleet  Oct.  15, 
1792,  sou  of  Thomas  and  Abigail  (Young) 
Gross.  They  resided  a  few  years  in  this  town 
and  subsequently  in  Duxbury.  She  d.  April  3, 
1870. 

III.  Sylvia,  b.  May  1,   1798;  md.  .Jonathan  AVinches- 

ter,  q.  v. 

IV.  Clarissa,  b.  June  30,  1800  ;  md.  Col.  Enoch  Whit- 

more,  q.  V. 
V.  Lucy,  b.  July  4,  1802;  md.  Feb.  11,  1824, 
Ephraim  Stearns,  b.  July  19,  1798,  son  of 
Samuel  and  Lydia  (Clement)  Stearns.  They 
resided  in  Montague,  Templeton,  Ashburnham, 
Rindge  and  Winchendon.  Ten  children. 
VI.  Silas,  b.  Dec.  8,  1804.-f- 

VII.   Catherine,  b.  Feb.  23,  1807;  md.  Dec.    22,   1835, 
Rev.    Frederick    P.    Stuart,    b.    in    Claremont, 
N.  H.,  Aug.   15,   1805,  son  of  Samuel  Stuart. 
She  d.  Nov.  7,  1850.     One  child  d.  3'oung. 
VIII.  Lewis  Lincoln,  b.  July  24,  1809. -|- 
IX.  Harriet,  b.    Dec.    10,    1811;  md.   June    1,  1851, 
Rev.  Frederick  P.  Stuart ;  she  d.  in  Fitchburg 
Dec.  4,  1877  ;  he  d.  1878. 
X.  Louisa,  b.  Jan.  2,  1816  ;  d.  Aug.  3.  1816. 


Simon  Willard,  son  of  Dea.  John,  was  a  farmer  in 
this  town.  He  md.  Feb.  23,  1792,  Nancy  Cutting,  dau. 
of  Samuel  Cutting,  q.  v.  He  d.  July  20,  1854  ;  she  d. 
Jan.  29,  1860. 

I.  Abel,  b.  June  22,  1792  ;  d.  unmd.  in  Cambridge 
where  he  was  engaged  in  hotel  and  stage  busi- 
ness. 

II.  Anna,  b.   Dec.    16,   1794;  md.  Farrington  ; 

resided  in  Boston  and  at  the  South. 


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98 
99 
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101 
102 


103 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  98o 

1.  Mary  Ann,  b.  April  4,  1823  ;  md.  Stephen 
Ward,  q.  V. 

III.  Samuel,  b.  Oct.  15,  1796;  md.  Charlotte  Lincoln 

and  resided  in  this  town  until  1821,  when  he 
removed  to  Dighton. 

IV.  Charles,    b.    Dec.    15,    1798-;    was   a    printer    in 

Cambridge. 
V.  Bromley,  b.  Dec.  31,  1801. 

VI.  Lyman,  b. ;  conducted  a  hotel  in  Cambridge, 

where  he  d.  of  small-pox. 

VII.  Hannah,  b.  ;  unmd.  ;  resides  in  Cambridge. 

VIII.   Oren,  b. ;  md.  March  11,  1828,  Susan  Wyeth, 

b.  in  Cambridge  Ma}'  6,  1798,  dau.  of  Jonas 
and  Elizabeth  (Smith)  Wyeth ;  resided  in 
Ashby,  Ashburnham  and  in  Leominster. 
Several  children. 

Henry  Willard,  son  of  Dea.  John,  md.  1804,  Martha 
Humphrey  of  Orange.  He  was  a  captain  of  the  Light 
Infantry  and  is  frequently  named  in  the  records.  For 
several  years  he  was  a  blacksmith  at  North  Ashburnham, 
and  late  in  life  he  removed  to  Winchester,  N.  H.  The 
records  and  a  ()rolonged  search  elsewhere  furnish  the 
briefest  record. 


I. 

Thomas  Jefferson, 

b. 

Nov. 

28, 

1805. 

II. 

Francis  Alexander 

,b 

.  Nov 

•  4, 

1807. 

III. 

Ezra. 

IV. 

Henry. 

V. 

Martha. 

VI. 

Lydia. 

VII. 

Lois. 

VIII. 

Samantha. 

Jonas  Willahi>,  son  of  Dea.  John,  md.  Ruth  Lincoln 
and  resided  a  few  years  in  Dighton,  where  his  eldest  son 
was  b.  About  1814  he  returned  to  Ashburnham.  He 
was  a  farmer  at  North  Ashburnham.  He  d.  April  17, 
1854  ;  his  widow  d.  July  20,  1857. 

I.  AlonzoL.,  b.  June  1,  1812.+ 

II.  Charlotte  A.,  b.  Jan.  '2Q,  1815;  md.  March  11, 
1835,  Hiram  Dwinuell ;  she  d.  Jan.  21,  1854. 
He  md.  (2d)  1855,  Zurilla  Stone  of  Oxford  ;  he 
d.  March  21,  1874. 

1.  Jonas  Willard,    1».   1830.     Served   in   the 
21st  Kegiment ;  lost  an  arm.     Has  been 


986 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


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112 


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114 
115 

116 
117 


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postmaster  and  station  agent  at  Bur- 
rageville.  He  md.  Nov.  19,  1867,  Sarah 
E.  Pierce;  she  d.  Not.  2,  1880;  md. 
(2d)  Sept.  17,  1886,  Mary  E.  Casey. 

2.  Waldo,    b.    1842.      Enlisted   in   the '21st 

Eegiment ;  d.  in  Anderson ville  prison, 
Sept.,  1864. 

3.  Minerva,  b.   Sept.   3,   1847;  d.  April  16, 

1862. 

III.  Marcus  M.,  b.  March  17,  1817  ;  d.  Dec.  4,  1841. 

IV.  Alfred  B.,  b.  April  26,  1819  ;  d.  Sept.  11,  1825. 
V.  Fannie  M.,   b.  April  4,   1822;  d.  in  Leominster, 

unmd.,  Ang.  21,  1877. 
VI.  Alfred  L.,  b.  Dec.  11,  1825  ;  d.  young. 

VII.  Almeda,  b.  Ma}'  2,  1829,  d.  young. 

VIII.  Elizabeth,  b.  July  3,   1832  ;  md.  Frank  N.  Bout- 
well  of  Leominster. 


John  "Willard,  son  of  Capt.  John,  md.  July  4,  1820, 
Polly  Corey,  dau.  of  Stephen  Corey.  He  was  a  farmer 
on  the  homestead,  now  of  Benjamin  E.  Wetherbee.  He 
was  a  man  of  good  al)ility.  He  d.  Aug.  5,  1853  ;  she  d. 
April  30,  1856. 

I.  Mary  Ann,  b.  April  18,  1821  ;  md.  Franklin  B. 
Stoddard,  b.  Oct.  19,. 1823,  sou  of  Charles  and 
Lovisa  (Brigham)  Stoddard  of  Chesterfield,  N. 

H.  ;  she  d.  . 

II.  Infant,  b.  Aug.,  1823;  d.  Oct.  2,  1823. 
in.  John  Merrick,  b.  March  24,  1825  ;  d.  unmd.  1849. 
IV.  3Iel>nda  Corey,  b.  March  22,  1828  ;  md.  Nathaniel 
Pierce,  q.  v. 

V.   Infant,  b.  ;  d.  Sept.  21,  1830. 

VI.  JaneAlmira,  b.  Aug.  6,  1832  ;  md.  Oct.  23,  1856, 
Charles  G.  Cushiug,  sou  of  I^aban  Cushing, 
q.  V. 
VII.  David  E.,  h.  Sept.  28,  1839  ;  md.  June  12,  1876, 
Francena  J.  Whitney,  dau.  of  Merrick  Whitney, 
q.  V.  He  is  in  the  livery  business  in  F'itchburg. 
Two  children. 


Merrick  Willard,  son  of  Capt.  John,  was  a  farmer  in 
this  town.  He  md.  May  30,  1830,  Mary  (I.  Smith,  who 
d.  May  2,  1837  ;  md.  (2d)  Oct.  9,  1837,  Theda  Stoddard, 
b.  May  10.  1813,  dau.  of  Charles  and  Lovisa  (Brigham) 
Stoddard  of  CliesterHeld,  N.  H.  He  d.  Aug.  21,  1877; 
his  widow  resides  in  tliis  town. 


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134 
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137 


GENEALOGICAL    KEGISTEK.  987 

I.  Edward  T.,  b.  May  23,  1831  ;  d.  June  1,  1850. 
II.   Charles  M.,   h.   June   30,    1832  ;    resides  in  Cali- 
fornia ;  unmd. 

III.  Mary  Jane,  b.  Fel),  16,  1836  ;  md.  Austin  Brooks, 

q.  V. 

IV.  Francis  S.,  1>.  Jan.  9,  1842;  enlisted  in  Company 

A,    30tli   Kegiment ;    d.  in  the  service  Feb.  8, 

1863. 
V.  Jidia   A.,   b.    July   8,     1845;     md.    Charles    W. 

Kendall ;  reside  in  Fitchburg, 
VI.  Ellen  M.,  h.  Oct.  7,  1847  ;  d.  July  17,  1870. 
VII.  John   Quiiicy,  b.  Sept.  10,    1849 ;    md.   Dec.   24, 

1873,  INlartha  A.  Puffer,  dan.  of  Reuben  Puffer, 

q.  V.  ;  resides  in  this  town. 
VIII.  Frederic  E.,  b.  Jan.  3,  1852;  md.  Feb.  20,  1878, 

Almira  A.  AVailiams,  b.  Oct.  31,  1858,  dan.  of 

David  W.  AVilliams  of  Richmond,  N.  H.     She 

d.  Oct.  17,  1881  ;  he  d.  Nov.  20,  1882. 
IS.  Eva  J.,  b.  April  4,  1854  ;  unmd.  ;  resides  at  home. 
X.  Royal  Ellis,  b.  June  23,  1857  ;  md.  Nov.  27,  1878, 

Annette  Wallace  ;  md.  (2d)  Oct.  3,  1883,  Ida 

Ripley  ;  resides  in  this  town. 


Silas  Willard,  son  of  Silas,  md.  May  27,  1830, 
Sabrina  Lawrence,  dau.  of  Capt.  Moses  Lawrence,  g.  v., 
and  has  remained  a  resident  of  this  town  r  his  wife  d. 
March  30,  1886. 

I.  Ellen,  b.   Feb.  19,  1831  ;  md.  Solomon  H.  Stod- 
dard, q.  V. 
II.   Charles  Albert,    b.   Aug.    16,    1832;  md.  Oct.  6, 
1858,  Sarah  L.  Baldwin  of  Hinsdale,  N.  H. 

III.  Augtistine,  b.  May  15,   1834;  md.  July  20,  1860, 

Mary  E.  Dix.     He  is  a  manufacturer  of  furni- 
ture in  Buchanan,  Mich. 

IV.  George  F.,h.  May  30,  1836;  md.  Oct.  29,  1859, 

Ann  31.  Collins,     lie  d.  in  Ashburnham  Aug. 
15,  1865. 
V.  Austin,  b.  Sept.  12,  1838  ;  d.  Oct.  3,  1840. 
VI.  Esther,  b.  March  ll',  1841  ;  d.  April  29,  1841. 
VII.  Esther  Jane,  b.  L'eb.  21,  1842  ;  md.  Feb.  26,  1866, 
Major  Josiah  W.  Bride,  b.  in  Berlin  Nov.  23, 
1845,  son  of  Amos  and  Abigail  (Smith)  Bride. 
He  was  an  officer   of  Company  E,  and  major  of 
the  Sixth  Regiment,  from  1875  to  1884. 
VIII.  Henrietta,  b.  June  26,  1844  ;  d.  April  28,  1846. 
IX.   Clement  Edgar,  b.  Aug.  30,   1847;  md.  Dec.  31, 
1874,    Harriet   Clementine    Whitney,    dau.    of 


988 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


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139 
140 


(101) 

141 
142 

143 
144 

1 


Merrick  Whitney,  q-  v.  He  resides  at  Central 
Village,  and,  with  Luther  B.  Adams  in  firm  of 
Adams  &  AMllard,  is  manufacturing  chairs  at 
South  Village. 
Flora  Emma,  b.  Feb.  7,  1850  ;  md.  Feb.  23,  1871, 
Frank  B.  Gilson,  b.  in  Chesterfield,  N.  H., 
June  '2'2,  184!),  son  of  Luke  H.  and  Caroline 
(Walton)  Gilson.  He  is  of  the  firm  of  Marble 
&  Gilson,  dealers  in  stoves,  hardware  and 
groceries. 


Lewis  L,  Willaku,  son  of  Silas,  md.  Dec.  13,  1832, 
Lydia  Clark,  dau.  of  David  Clark,  q.  v.  He  resided  in 
this  town  and  in  Leominster.     He  d.  in  Somerville. 

I.  Elizabeth  Ann,  b.  March  8,  183o. 
11.   Cyntliia,  b.  Aug.  25,  1838. 


Alonzo  L.  Willard,  son  of  Jonas,  md.  May  7,  1837, 
Lucy  Whitney,  dau.  of  William  Whitney,  q.'v.  He  is  an 
intelligent  farmer,  living  on  the  William  Whitney  farm. 

I.  Albert  T.,  b.  Feb.  22,   1838;  md.  May  23,   1801, 

Wealthy  Kendall,  dau.  of  Alvin  Kendall,  q.  r. 

They  reside  in  Bethel,  Vt.     Two  children, 
n.    William   Henry,  b.    March    4,    1842 ;    resides   at 

South  Village.     He   md.  May  17,  1870,  Mary 

€,.  Birrell,  dau.  of  Andrew  Birrell,  q.  v.     Two 

children. 
HI.  Herbert  A.,  b.  Dec.  1,  1844  ;  he  is  a  machinist  in 
*  Ansonia,    Conn.  ;    md.    Julia   Brown,    dau.    of 

William  and  Catherine  (Whitney)  Brown, 
iv.  Lucy  C,  b.  Sept.  9,  1850  ;  md.  George  E.  Newton 

of  Waltham. 


John  Wilson,  b.  in  Bradford,  England,  July,  1779, 
was  pressed  into  the  English  Navy  in  the  War  of  1812. 
He  deserted  the  service  in  the  harbor  of  Halifax  and  in  a 
small  boat  he  made  a  successful  voyage  to  Boston.  He 
md.  at  Sudbuiy,  May  8,  1816,  Susannah  Davis,  dau.  of 
Amos  Davis,  q.  v.,  and  the  same  year  he  came  to  this 
town.  He  was  a  farmer  and  lived  near  the  Dea.  Ja(ol> 
Harris  farm.     He  d.  May  9,  1859. 

I.  Levi,  b.  May  15,  1817;  md.  May  28,  1843,  Mary 
Pickering  of  Durham,  N.  H.,  and  removed  to 
Peoria,  111. 


GENEALOCJKWL    UKGISTKK. 


989 


(7) 


10 


11 


II.  Jane,  h.  Ma}'  4,   1819  ;   d.  uiuikI.  in  Winchendon 
Oct.  27,  1878. 

III.  Abigail  T.,  b.  Nov.,  1820;   d.  Aug.  23,  1825. 

IV.  Barbara    W.,  b.  Maj^  8,  1823;  d.  Dec.  23,  1833. 
V.  Amos,  b.  May  7,  1825  ;  md.  Nov.  7,  1847,  Susan 

Spauldiug  of  Groton  and  removed  to  Marshall, 

Michigan. 
VI.  John  r.,  b.  May  4,  1827.-1- 
vii.  Hannah  C,  b.  Dec.  24,  1829  ;  md.  Nov.  23,  1853, 

Levi  Barrett  of  New  Ipswich. 
VIII.  Sarah  E.,  b.   May  10,    1833;    md.  Jeremiah    T. 

Stowell,  q.  V. 


John  T.  Wilson  is  a  farmer  and  a  painter,  residing  on 
the  Peter  Hunt  farm.  He  md.  Nov.  17,  1852,  Ellen  E. 
Godfrey,  b.  Jan.  30,  1835,  dau.  of  Aaron  P.  and  Mary 
Jane  Godfrey  of  Chelsea,  Vt. 

I.  Albert  M.,h.  Oct.  2,  1854;  a  locomotive  engineer, 
residing  in    Jackson,    Mich.     He  md.  Oct.    3, 
1878,  Frances  Waldron  of  Homer,  Mich. 
II.  John  E.,  b.  Jan.   16,   1863;  md.  Nov.  18,  1886, 
Josie  A.  Munroe,  q.  v. 

III.  Walter  H.,  b.  May  7,  1864. 

IV.  Carrie  E.,  b.  May  3,  1866. 


WINCHESTER. 

Rev.  .Joxathan  Winchester  of  Ashburnham  was  of  the  fourth  jjeneration 
of  his  family  in  this  country.  The  Unease  is  briefly  stated.  John  Win- 
chester, aged  19  years,  embarked  in  ship  Elizabeth  in  1635.  He  settled  in 
Hingham  and  was  admitted  freeman  1637.  He  md.  Oct.  15,  1638,  Hannah 
Sealis,  dau.  of  Dea.  Richard  Sealis  of  Scituate.  In  1650,  he  removed  to 
Muddy  River,  now  Brookline,  where  he  d.  April  25,  1694.  His  widow  d. 
Sept.  18,  1697.  John  Winchester,  eldest  son  of  John  the  emigrant,  was  bap. 
in  Hingham  June  2,  1644.  He  lived  at  Muddy  River  and  the  records  name  a 
wife  Hannah  and  subsequently  a  wife  Joanna.  He  d.  Feb.  1,  1717-18.  The 
sixth  of  his  ten  children  was  Henry  Winchester,  who  md.  Oct.  5,  1705, 
Frances  White.  They  resided  in  Brookline  where  their  seven  children  were 
born:  she  d.  Nov.  21,  1765,  aged  86.  I  have  found  no  record  of  his  death, 
but  it  was  before  Dec.  11,  1750,  when  mention  of  his  estate  is  found  in  Pro- 
bate records.  In  the  preparation  of  this  register  I  am  under  obligations  to 
William  A.  Amee  of  Cambridge. 


Rev.  Jonathan  Winchester,  the  first  minister  of 
Ashburnham,  a  son  of  Henry  and  Frances  Winchester, 
was  b.  in  Brookline  April  21,  1717.  An  account  of  his 
ministry  is  found  in  Chap.  VIII.  He  md.  May  5,  1748, 
Sarah  Crofts.  He  d.  Nov.  26,  1767;  his  widow  d.  July 
27,  1794.  Six  children  were  b.  in  Brookline  and  four  in 
Ashburnham. 


990 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


11 


(4) 


(5) 


1.  Samuel,  b.  May  5,  1749  ;  d.  July  18,  1750. 
II.  Elizabeth,    b.    June  20,    1751  ;    rad.    Dea.  Jacob 
Han-is,  q.  v. 

III.  Henry,  b.  Ma^^  25,  1753.-f- 

IV.  Jonathan,  b.  July  31,  1755.-f- 
V.  Samuel,  b,  July  15,  1757.-f- 

VI.  Sarah,  b.  Dec.  29,  1758  ;   nid.  Thaddeus  Brooks, 

q.  V. 
Yii.  Mehitable,  b.  Aug.   13,  1762;  d.  in  Ashburnham, 

unmd.,  March  22,  1815. 
vm.    William,  b.  Sept.  13,  1764.+ 
IX.  Mary,    b.    Sept.    2,  1766 ;  md.    in    Ashburnham, 
April  26,  1796,  Lemuel  Jenkins,  Jr.,  of  Town- 
send. 
X.  Ichabocl,  b.  July  30,  1768  ;  posthumous. 


Henry  Winchester  resided  in  this  town  until  about 
1800,  when  he  removed  to  Malone,  N.  Y.  His  letter  of 
dismissal  and  recommendation  from  the  church  is  dated 
Dec.  16,  1810,  but  he  had  been  absent  several  years  at 
that  date.  He  was  a  soldier  in  Capt.  Gates'  compan}' 
and  remained  at  the  siege  of  Boston  in  Capt.  AYilder's 
company  until  the  close  of  the  year.  He  md.  in  Lan- 
caster, April  30,  '1780,  Lois  Phelps.  Eight  children 
were  b.  in  this  town. 

I.  Jonathan  David,  b.  April  28,  1781. -f- 
II.  Sarah,  b.  Jan.  17,  1783  ;  d.  1800. 

III.  Lucy,  b.  Feb.  1,  1785;  md.  Feb.   10,  1809,  Rev. 

Ashbel  Parmelee. 

IV.  Henry,  b.  March  20,  1787.+ 

V.  Infajd,  b.  ;  d.  July  21,  1789. 

VI.  Infant,  b.  ;  d.  July  24,  1790. 

VII.  Folly,  bap.  June  24,  1792  ;  md.  Barnaby  Barnum. 

VIII.  Susanna    Crofts,   bap.  Oct.    4,    1795 ;    md.   

Fisher. 


Jonathan  Winchester  was  in  Capt.  Gates'  company 
1775  and  served  an  enlistment  in  Rhode  Island  1779. 
He  md.  Feb.  13,  1783,  Persis  Whitmore,  dau.  of  Joseph 
Whitmore,  q.  v.  He  was  a  farmer  in  the  southeast  part 
of  the  town  and  was  one  of  the  builders  of  the  Lord's 
Barn.  He  was  a  man  of  unblemished  character,  modest 
and  unassuming.  His  life  was  a  sermon  of  peace  and 
good  will  to  his  fellow-men.  He  d.  Jan.  16,  1837,  aged 
81  ;  his  widow  d.  July  17,  1837,  aged  82. 


20 

21 
22 
23 

24 


25 
26 


27 


28 


(6) 


GENEALOGICAL   KEGISTER.  991 

1.   7^0%.  b.  Feb.    10,   1784;  rnd.    Euos   Keltou,   sou 

of  Capt.  Samuel  Keltou,  7.  v. 
II.  Samuel,  b.  Sept.  13,  1785.-}- 

III.  Jonathan,  b.  Oct.  9,  1787. -|- 

IV.  Infant,  b.  1789;  d.  Dec.  30,  1790. 

V.  Fersis,  b.  Feb.  6,  1791  ;  md.  Jan.  4,  1843,  Dea. 
Ezra  Hemenway,  b.  Sept.  13,  1779,  son  of 
Samuel  and  Hannah  (Rice)  Hemenway.  He 
was  a  deacon  of  the  HoUis  Evangelical  church 
in  Framingbam.  He  d.  June  26,  1847;  she  d. 
Feb.  24,  1873. 
VI.   Caleb,  b.  March  12,  1793.+ 

VII.  Betsey,  b.  July  18,  1796  ;  md.  Nov.  2,  1819,  Abiel 

Holt,  son  of   Abiel  and Holt ;  resided   in 

Milford,  N.  H.,  where    she    d.    June    9,  1869. 
No  children. 

vui.  William,  b.  Oct.  19,  1798;  md.  June  10,  1824, 
Sophronia  Holt,  b.  in  Milford,  N.  H.,  Dec.  6, 
1803.  They  resided  a  few  years  in  Boston 
where  he  was  engaged  in  business.  While  tem- 
porarily sojourning  in  quest  of  health  he  d.  in 
New  Ipswich  April  *,  1828;  she  md.  (2d) 
Daniel  F.  Stevens  of  Amherst,  N.  H,  These 
are  the  parents  of  George  F.  Stevens  of  Ash- 
burnham.  Of  William  and  Sophronia  (Holt) 
Winchester  there  was  one  child. 

1.  Alma  Yj.,  b.  Aug.  b,  1825  ;  d.  in  Amherst, 
N.  H.,  unmd.,  May  13,  1866. 


Samuel  Winchester  resided  in  Brookline  and  in 
Boston.  He  md.  July  11,  1782,  Martha  Reed,  b.  Oct. 
15,  1759;  d.  Sept.  11,  1791;  he  md.  (2d)  1792,  Theo- 
dora Wales,  b.  1767,  dau.  of  Nathaniel  and  Sarah  Wales 
of  Randolph;  she  d.  Oct.  6,  1795;  md.  (3d)  Dec.  10, 
1801,    Hannah   Bates   of   Abington.     He   d.   in   Boston 

April   3,   1811.     His  widow  md.    (2d)  Richardson 

and  d.  in  Philadelphia. 

I.  Samuel,  b.  April  25,  1783  ;  d.  May  7,  1807. 
II.  Martha,  h.  June  12,  1785;  md.  March  8,  1810, 
Abel  Hubbard  of  Groton. 

III.  William,  h.  Nov.   21,  1787;  unmd.;  d.  iu  Balti- 

more, Md.,  1829. 

IV.  Jonathan  Meed,  b.   March  28,  1790;  d.  Oct.  18, 

1793. 
V.   George,  b.  Aug.   1,    1793.     He  was  a   Methodist 
clergyman;    d.    in    Middleborough    Nov.     18, 


992 


HISTOKY  OF  ASHBURNHAM. 


39 


(12) 


1862  ;  md.  May  30,  1816,  Betsey  Curtis,  b.  in 
East  Stoughton  June  4,  1795,  dau.  of  William 
and  Hannah  (Linfield)  Curtis;  she  d.  Feb.  2, 
1879. 

VI.  Sarah    Wales,   b.    Dec.    30,    1794;    md.     Royal 

Johnson. 
VII.  3fary  Ann,  b.   Oct.  3,   1802  ;  md.  Oct.  3,  1818, 

Cyrus  Brett, 
vm.  Abigail  Crocker,  b.  Jan.  21,  1805;  d.  Nov.   26, 
1806. 

IX.  Augustus,  b.  Nov.  29,  1806.  He  was  a  merchant 
in  Philadelphia.  He  md.  Oct.  5,  1828,  Abigail 
Hutchinson,  b.  in  Boston  May  23,  1805,  dau. 
of  James  and  Sarah  (Withington)  Hutchinson. 
He  d.  April  7,  1869. 
X.  Samuel  Croft,  b.  Nov.  30,  1810;  md.  Dec.  1, 
1831,  Ruth  Elizabeth  Gridley,  b.  in  Boston 
Aug.  30,  1807,  dau.  of  Samuel  and  Ruth  (Stud- 
ley)  Gridley.  She  d.  in  Baltimore,  Md.,  July 
27,  1846.  He  md.  (2d)  May  17,  1848,  Julia 
A.  Hancock,  b.  in  Narrows,  Md.,  May  30, 
1828,  4iau.  of  Benjamin  F.  and  Mary  A. 
Hancock.  He  was  a  merchant  in  Baltimore, 
Maryland. 

XI.  Oliver  Fisher  (twin),  b.  Nov.  30,  1810.  Hon. 
Oliver  Fisher  Winchester  was  Lieut.  Governor 
of  Connecticut  1866,  and  honorably  filled  other 
positions  of  trust  in  State  and  municipal  affairs. 
In  early  life  he  was  a  carpenter  and  contractor 
in  Baltimore.  He  removed  in  1847  to  New 
Haven,  Conn.,  and  became  identified  with  sev- 
eral successful  business  enterprises  and  was  the 
founder  of  the  Winchester  Arms  Company  of 
New  Haven,  He  md.  Feb.  20,  1834,  Jane 
Ellen  Hope,  b.  in  Portland,  Me.,  Dec.  28, 
1809,  dau.  of  Robert  Hope,  a  native  of  Eng- 
land. 


Rev.  Jonathan  David  Winchester  was  a  Presby- 
terian minister  of  some  celebrity.  Vide  page  495.  He 
preached  in  Madrid  and  Waddington,  N.  Y.,  1811-21  ; 
in  Brighton,  N.  Y.,  1821-25  ;  and  in  Ohio  several  years. 
He  d.  at  Madison,  Ohio,  Aug.  17,  1835.  He  md. 
Hannah  M.  Bunn,  b.  in  Norfolk,  Conn.,  May  11,  1784, 
dau.  of  John  and  Bethiah  (Fields)  Bunn ;  she  md.  (2d) 
May  2,  1842,  Joseph  B.  Cowles,  who  d.  1854 ;  she  d.  at 
Staceyville,  Iowa,  Jan.  23,  1876. 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  993 

I.  Philander^  b.  Oct.  4,  1812  ;  was  by  occupation  a 
civil  engineer.  He  was  a  pioneer  in  the  anti- 
slavery  and  temperance  reforms  and  his  life  was 
devoted  to  philanthropy.  He  md.  April  9, 
1838,  Elizabeth  Oilman  Calkins,  b.  in  Water- 
bury,  Vt.,  Aug.  16,  1814,  dau.  of  Charles  and 
Maria  (Gilraan)  Calkins.  He  resided  many 
years  in  Ohio  and  d.  at  Detroit,  Mich.,  April 
24,  1878.     Nine  children. 

II.  Dilectus,  b.  Jan.  17,  1814;  d.  Sept.  10,  1814. 

III.  Darius,  b.  Sept.  29,  1815  ;  d.  Sept.  23,  1821. 

IV.  Electus,  b.    Nov.    15,    1817;    unmd.  ;    resides   in 

Staceyville,  Iowa. 
V.  Mary  D.,  b.  March  20,  1822  ;  d.  Feb.  2,  1839. 

VI.  3felana,  b.  July  19,  1824;  rad.  Sept.  14,  1861, 
Orran  Orcutt.  He  was  postmaster  at  Stacey- 
ville, Iowa,  where  he  d.  Feb.  5,  1882 ;  his 
widow  was  appointed  his  successor.  Two 
daughters:  Edith  Melana,  b.  Jan.  11,  1865; 
Orpha  E.,  b.  Aug.  25,  1866. 

VII.  Amaridus,  b.  June  25,  1827  ;  md.  June  6,  1855, 
Margaret  Patton.  He  resides  at  St.  Joseph, 
Michigan. 


Henry  Winchester,  son  of  Henry,  was  a  farmer  in 
Madrid,  N.  Y.,  where  he  d.  Oct.  22,  1836.  He  md.  1808, 
SybinVliipple,  b.  in  Malone,  N.  Y.,  May  16,  1791  ;  d. 
Jan.  13,  1813;  md.  (2d)  Aug.  22,  1814,  Isabel  O. 
Foster,  b.  in  Middlebury,  Vt.,  Jan.  9,  1785  ;  d.  Sept.  8, 
1868. 

I.  David,  b.  Oct.  10,  1810  ;  md.  Oct.  19,  1837,  Mrs. 
Elvira  (Blanchard)  Spring.     He  d.  in  Malone, 
N.  Y.,  April  1,  1845. 
II.  Holland,  b.  May  5,  1812  ;  md.  Sarah  Sparhawk. 

III.  Infant,  d.  young. 

IV.  Orpha  Maria,  b.    May,    1817;    md.    Edward   S. 

Barrett ;  md.  (2d)  Dea.  Harlow  Perry. 
V.    William    Henry,    b.    Oct.    10,    1820;    md.    1840, 
Eliza  Sparhawk,  who  d.   1842  ;  md.   (2d)  Jane 
R.  Keese3\     He  resides  at  River  Falls,  Wis. 
VI.    Warren  TF.,  b.  April  22,  1823.     Middlebury  Col- 
lege   1842 ;     is    a    Congregational     clergyman 
at     Williamstowu.      He    md.    July    26,    1848, 
Catherine  M.  Seaverance. 
VII.   Oliver  W.,  b.  April  18,  1826.     Middlebury  College 
1849.      A    missionary  in    Turkey    under    the 
auspices  of  the  A.  B.  C.  F.  M.     He  now  resides 
at  Reedsburg,  Wis.     He  md.  Aug.    10,    1852, 


994 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


(21) 


54 
55 

56 

57 

58 
59 


(22) 


3IaryAbMe  Learned;  md.  (2d)  Oct.  9,  1856, 
Janette  S.  Jones. 


Sa3ixel  Winchester,  son  of  Jonathan,  Jr.,  was  a 
successful  farmer  and  influential  citizen  of  Sullivan,  N. 
H.,  where  he  d.  Oct.  20,  1865.  He  md.  May  7,  1813, 
Sarah  Foster,  b.  in  Roxbury,  N.  H.,  June  21,  1794,  dau. 
of  Enoch  and  Rebecca  (French)  Foster.  He  md.  (2d) 
Chloe  F.  Boyntou,  dau.  of  David  Boyuton ;  md.  (3d) 
Eusebia  Fames,  who  d.  June  12,  1880.  One  child  by 
first,  eight  by  second  and  one  by  third  marriage. 

I.  Sarah  F.,  b.  Jan.  27,  1814  ;  md.  John  Thompson  ; 

md.  (2d)  Levi  Barrett  of  Gilsum. 
II.  Enoch  Whitmore,  b.  April  28,  1816  ;  md.  Dec.  3, 
1841,  Mary  E.  Petts  ;  md.  (2d)  March  9,  1846, 
Martha  Kingsbury. 

III.  E^nory  (twin),  b.  April  28, 1816  ;  d.  Dec.  12, 1816. 

IV.  Mary  M.,  b.  Nov.  22,  1817  ;  md.  Jan.  6,  1840,  C. 

C.  Comstock ;  she  d.  Dec,  1863. 
V.  Harriet  Eliza,  b.  July  2,  1819  ;  md.  May  4,  1842, 
Jacob  Staples. 

VI,  Samxiel  Alexander,  b.  May  24,  1823  ;  is  a  merchant 
at  Grand  Rapids,  Mich.  ;  md.  April  1,  1847, 
Mary  Elizabeth  Gibbs,  dau.  of  Matthew  Gibbs 
of  Framing-ham;  she  d.  1848;  md.  (2d)  1851, 
Rebecca  Bailey,  b.  in  Swanzey,  N.  H.,  1825  ; 
d.  July  21,  1877;  md.  (3d)  Oct.  26,  1881, 
Martha  (Gibbs)  Bailey. 
VII.  Alphens  Boynton,  b.  March  19,  1825  ;  d.  1872. 
VIII.    William  Warren,  b.  Sept.  4,  1827. 

IX.   Chloe  Augusta,  b.  Oct.  17,  1830  ;  d.  Feb.  15,  1851. 

X.  Elliot  C,  b.  Oct.  2,  1832;  md.  March  17,  1857, 
Annie  E.  Rawson.  He  represented  Sullivan  in 
the  Legislature  1871-1872,  and  has  recently 
removed  to  Grand  Rapids,  Mich. 


JoxATiiAX  WixciiESTEK,  SOU  of  Jonathan,  Jr.,  md.  June 
22,  1815,  Sylvia  Willard,  dau.  of  Silas  Willard,  Esq., 
g.  V.  ;  she  d.  Oct.  3,  1832  ;  he  md.  (2d)  Dec.  31,  1834, 
Mary  (Rice)  "Ward,  widow  of  Caleb  AVard,  q.  v.  He  was 
a  farmer  in  this  town  where  he  d.  Oct.  24,  1870  ;  his  wife 
d.  Nov.  26,  1858. 

I.  Albert  Norris,  b.  Jan.  27,  1816  ;  md.  March  12, 
1848,  Adaline  Lewis  ;  removed  to  Fitchburg. 

II.  Harriet  Amelia,  b.  March  10,  1818  ;  md.  Dec.  8, 
1837,  Joseph  Plaistridge  of  Cornish,  N.  H. 


G6 


68 


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73 
74 

(69) 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  995 

III.  Silas  Willard,  h.  July  28,   1820  ;   md.  April    12, 

1842,  Mary  A.  Gipson,  dau.  of  Heury  (iipsou, 
q.  V.     She  d.  Dec.  ID,  1857  ;  he  d.  Jau  22,  185i». 

IV.  Laura  Augukta,  b.  Fel).   12,   1822;   d.    Jiiiio    12, 

1837. 
V.  Sylvia  TF.,  b.  July  5,   1832;  md.  Sept.  21,   1851, 
Frederick  W.  llaskins. 


Caleb  Winchester,  son  of  Jouathau,  Jr.,  md.  May 
26,  1817,  Lydia  Sanderson,  dau.  of  Moses  Sanderson, 
q.  V.  He  removed  to  Brighton  and  was  actively  engaged 
in  the  cattle  and  meat  trade.  He  d.  April  8,  182.S  ;  his 
widow  d.  Feb.  20,  1844. 

I.   Charles,  b.  May  24,  1819.+ 
II.  Susa7i,  b.  April  22,  1821  ;  md.  May  4,  1843,  John 

M.  Whitney,  who  d.  May  23,  1861  ;  she  resides 

in  this  town. 

III.  George  Otis,  b.  July  27,  1823  ;  d.  May  2,  1824. 

IV.  Lydia  Ann,  b.  Jan.  29,  1825  ;  md.  April  27,  1846, 

Joseph  M.  Whitman,  who  is  liA^ing  in  Chicago, 
111.     She  d.  Sept  16,  1848,  leaving  one  sou. 

1.  Frederick,    b.    June    30,     1848;    resides, 
uumd.,  in  Chicago,  111. 

V.   George  Caleb,  b.  April  23,  1828.-}- 


CiiARLEs  WixcHESTER  was  boru  in  Brighton,  but  his 
parents  were  natives  of  this  town  and  substantial  repre- 
sentatives of  Ashburnham  families.  His  father  died 
before  he  had  completed  his  ninth  year,  and  the  widowed 
mother  with  four  children  removed  to  this  town.  At  the 
age  of  twenty  years  he  opened  a  store  on  Water  street  and 
at  once  manifested  an  aptitude  for  lousiness,  which  has 
distinguished  his  subsequent  career.  After  three  years  he 
removed  to  a  store  on  Main  street,  on  the  site  of  the 
present  "Brick  Store,"  and  here  he  continued  in  trade 
alone  and  with  his  brother  nearly  thirty  years.  In  1842 
he  purchased  of  Philip  R.  Merriam  a  small  chair  factory, 
which  stood  below  the  bridge  on  Main  street.  Under  his 
sagacious  management  this  business  was  rapidly  developed 
and  the  store  became  an  adjunct  to  an  important  and 
growing  industry.  In  Chap.  XVII,  reference  is  made 
to  the  growth  of  the  chair  business  in  this  town,  and  in 
this  connection  the  details  are  not  repeated.  Since  his 
retirement  from  an  active  participation  in  the  business 
affairs  of  this  town,  Mr.  Winchester  has  remained  a 
resident   of   Ashburnham.      He   has   been   interested   in 


996 


1II8TOKY  OF  ASHBUliNHAAI. 


KESIDEXCE    OF    CliAKLES    WINCHESTER. 


75 


several  commercial  and  manufacturing  enterprises  in 
lioston  and  at  the  West,  and  has  made  liberal  investments 
in  western  and  southern  lands. 

He  has  been  a  director  of  the  Rollstone  National  Bank 
of  Fitchburg  since  its  organization,  and  was  a  du-ector  of 
the  Eollstone  Bank  under  its  former  charter,  and  for 
manj'  years  he  has  Ijeen  a  trustee  of  the  Worcester  North 
Savings  Institution.  He  is  a  trustee  of  the  Cushing 
Academy  and  of  the  Weslej'an  Academy  at  Wilbraham. 
Yet,  through  the  years  of  an  active  life,  Mr.  Winchester 
has  never  sought  office  nor  desired  positions  in  corporate 
and  monetary  institutions. 

As  a  citizen  he  has  constantly  manifested  a  commend- 
able interest  in  the  growth  and  prosperity  of  Ashburnham. 
He  was  a  generous  contributor  to  the  building  fund  of  the 
Methodist  church  and  to  a  substantial  support  of  the 
society  he  has  supplemented  the  gift  of  a  commodious 
l)arsonage.  The  pipe  organ  in  the  church  edifice  w^as 
presented  by  Mrs.  Winchester.  He  md.  Feb.  28,  1844, 
Nancy  E.  Maynai'd,  dau.  of  Antipas  Maynard,  q.  v. 

I.  Lizzie  C,  b.  Nov.  1,  1847;  md.  Nov.  29,  1866, 
Herbert  F.  Whiting,  son  of  Francis  D.  and 
Olive  (Carpenter)  Whiting.  .  They  reside  in 
this  town. 


GENEALOGICAL    KE(iISTER.  9<:)7 

1.  Frederick  C,   1).   -Tune   1,  1S68  ;  d.    Nov. 

17,  1871. 

2.  Edith  E.,  b.  Dec.  2:>,  1H70. 

3.  Mahel  L.,  1).  Dec.  30,  1874. 

II.   Frederick   C,   b.   July   13,    1852 ;    nid.   .Time    23, 
1873,  Ardella  A.  Pike. 


Geou(;e  C.  Winchester  was  born  in  Brighton  a  few 
days  after  the  death  of  his  father.  He  came  to  Ashburn- 
ham  in  childhood.  In  1848  he  was  admitted  to  an  equal 
partnership  in  the  store  and  chair  business  in  the  firm  of 
C.  and  G.  C.  Winchester.  In  1870,  by  purchase,  he 
became  the  sole  proprietor  of  an  extensive  business,  and 
after  a  few  years  of  able  and  sagacious  management  his 
mental  forces  failed  and  his  business  became  seriously 
complicated.  At  mid-age  he  had  performed  the  labor  of 
a' lifetime,  and  the  brain  of  the  master  refused  to  obey 
the  commands  of  courage  unimpaired.  With  failing 
energy  he  struggled  for  continued  supremacy,  yet  all 
escaped  from  his  nerveless  grasp.  If,  in  his  methods  in 
an  hour  of  severest  trial,  he  did  not  secure  the  approba- 
tion of  his  friends,  he  received  their  tearful  sympathy  as 
he  left  a  fortune  he  had  made,  a  business  he  had  founded, 
a  town  he  had  enriched,  a  village  he  had  improved  and 
beautified,  to  the  enjoymeut  of  his  QUvXy  and  later  friends 
and  associates. 

In  former  pages,  referring  to  the  business  interests  of 
this  town,  reference  was  made  to  the  foundations  he  laid 
and  the  edifice  he  reared.  The  architect  in  his  personal 
habit  remains,  as  yet,  unnoticed.  George  C.  Winchester 
was  unlike  all  other  men,  and  his  severest  critics  will  be 
those  who  knew  him  least  —  those  who  never  were  invited 
within  the  inner  warmth  and  light  of  a  sympathetic  and 
responsive  nature.  In  his  daily  life,  when  free  for  a 
moment  from  the  Innxlens  of  an  exacting  business,  his 
affections  were  warm  and  his  impulses  glowed  with  the 
light  of  spontaneous  kindness.  If  his  numerous  and 
thoughtful  charities  were  not  measured  by  the  even  and 
sometimes  icy  hand  of  method,  the  sick  were  the  recipients 
of  generous  donations,  and  the  fading  hours  of  many  of 
his  neighbors  were  cheered  and  brightened  by  his  kind 
and  substantial  remembrance. 

If,  in  his  business  life,  he  was  swift  to  reap  the  fruits 
of  his  own  sagacity  and  lil)eral  in  the  interpretation  to  his 
own  advantage  of  any  ambiguous  conditions  of  a  contract, 
he  is  still  seen  as  an  apt  pupil  in  the  business  methods  of 
his  time,  and  in  the  disciplines  of  his  life  he  finds  many 


998 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


(3) 


(5) 


precedents.  And  if  in  the  supreme  passage  of  his  life, 
when  he  beheld  his  fortune,  the  fruit  of  continued  toil 
and  ceaseless  activity,  fleeing  from  his  grasp,  when 
accumulating  trials  met  him  at  every  hand  and  the  removal 
of  embarrassment  was  the  open  door  to  disaster,  if,  in  an 
hour  of  frenzy  he  overstepped  the  formulated  rules  of 
law  and  order,  charity  proffers  the  suggestion  that  he 
struggled  for  supremacy  iu  a  business  once  his  own,  and 
fought  for  a  kingdom  when  exile,  as  time  has  proved,  was 
the  alternative  of  defeat. 

He  md.  Dec.  16,  1849,  Sarah  W.  Handley,  dau.  of 
Nathan  Handley,  q.  v.  Only  one  of  their  four  children  is 
living. 

I.  Herbert  H.,  b.  Nov.  29,  1858  ;  md.  Jan.  31,  1884, 

Carrie  W.  Sessions.     He  d.  Aug.  29,  1885. 
II.  Edward  G.,  b.  Dec.  30,   1861  ;    resides   in  Ash- 
burnham. 

III.  Waldo,  b.  Feb.  24,  1869  ;  d.  same  day.    . 

IV.  Willie  (twin),  b.  Feb.  24,  1869  ;  d.  same  day. 


Andrew  Winter,  a  German,  with  wife  Mary  and  two 
children  settled  in  this  town  in  1758.  The  name  is 
written  Windrow  in  the  earlier  records.  He  d.  Nov.  22, 
1792,  aged  70  ;  his  widow  d.  March  14,  1814,  aged  91. 

I.  Philip,  b.  JVI^rch  22,  1754;  d.,  in  the  army,  1776. 
II.  John,  b.  March  1,  1756.-f- 

III.  Jacob,  b.  Oct.  21,  1758  ;  be  was  in  Capt.  Wilder's 

company  in  the  siege  of  Boston  1775,  and   d. 
a  prisoner  at  Halifax  in  Nov.,  1777. 

IV.  Avdrew,  b.  March  28,  1761. -f- 
V.  3fary,  b.  Aug.  24,  1763. 

VI,  Margaret,  b,  April  19,  1766, 

VII,   Catherine,  b,  July  19,  1769;  md,  June  22,  1792, 
William  Cair  of  Westminster,  Vt. 


John  Winter  md,  Nov.  10,  1781,  Phebe  Wright  of 
Lancaster,  He  served  three  years  in  the  Revolution. 
He  was  a  farmer  in  this  town  where  he  d.  June  19,  1811  ; 
she  md.  (2d)  Levi  Mayuaid,  q.  v.  ;  md.  (3d)  Benjamin 
Hawks.     She  d.  Dec.  27,  1847,  aged  84. 

I.  Johv,  b.  June  18,  1783. 

II.  Btith,  b.  April  11.  1785  ;  md.  William  Broughton, 
son  of  Wait  Broughton,  q.  v. 


Andrew  Winter,  Jr.,  was  in  the  army  in  1780,  and 
was   subsequently  a.  farmer  in  this  town.     In    1792  his 


GENEALOGICAL    KEGISTEIJ 


999 


farm  was  annexed  to  Asliby.  He  md.  Ma}'  G,  1785, 
Abigail  Lewis.  Five  children  were  born  in  this  town  and 
one  in  Ashby. 

I.  Jacob,  b.  Feb.  10,   1786. 
II.  Jonas,  b.  Sept.  21,  1787. 

III.  Levi,  b.  March  30,  1789. 

IV.  Asa,  b.  Sept.  4,  1791  ;  d.  March  2,  1793. 
V.  Amos,  b.  June  24,  1793. 

VI.  Asa,  b.  June  3,  1795. 


WOOD. 

There  have  been  several  families  of  Wood  in  this  town  and  very  few  ties 
of  kinship  are  found  among  them.  The  first  of  the  name  in  Asliburnham 
were  the  brothers  Timothy  and  Ebenezer  Wood  who  were  grandsons  of 
Jeremiah  Wood  of  Stow  and  Littleton.  They  did  not  remain  here  many 
yejirs,  but  both  were  among  the  men  from  this  town  who  responded  to  the 
alarm  at  Lexington  and  one  of  them  remained  in  the  service  until  the  close 
of  the  year. 

Jonathan  Wood,  a  later  arrival,  was  from  Rindge.  Among  his  ancestors 
were  Michael  Wood  of  Lunenburg,  Michael  Wood  of  Concord,  son  of 
William  Wood,  tlie  emigrant  ancestor  of  one  famiy  of  Wood  in  this  country. 

Nathan  and  his  son,  Nahum  AVood,  are  also  descendants  of  William  Wood 
of  Concord.  Michael  Wood,  the  only  son  of  William  Wood,  the  emigrant 
ancestor,  d.  in  Concord  May  13,  1G74.  Abraham  Wood,  son  of  Michael, 
settled  in  Sudbury.  His  youngest  son  was  Dea.  Nathan  Wood,  b.  March  24, 
1723;  md.  May  2,  1750,  Kebecca  Haynes.  After  a  brief  residence  in  Stow 
he  removed  in  1756  to  Westminster,  where  he  d.  June  17,  1777.  His  fifteen 
children  were  living  at  his  decease.  Nathan' Wood,  son  of  Nathan,  was  b.  in 
Stow  Nov.  7,  1752,  and  was  nearly  four  years  of  age  when  his  parents 
removed  to  Westminster.  He  md.  Polly  Cowee  and  (2d)  Margaret  Hadley; 
d.  Jan.  1,  1841.  Nathan  Wood  of  Ashburnham  was  a  son  of  Nathan  and 
Margaret  (Hadley)  Wood. 

Stephen  Wood,  who  has  resided  in  this  town  forty  years,  is  a  son  of  Joshua 
Wood  of  Hancock,  N.  H.,  wiio  was  a  descendant  of  one  branch  of  the 
Leominster  families  of  Wood. 


Timothy  Wood,  son  of  John  and  Lydia  (Davis)  Wood 
and  grandson  of  Jeremiah  ard  Doroth}'  Wood,  was  b.  in 
Littleton  July  29,  1749.  He  came  to  Ashburnham 
previous  to  1770.  He  was  taxed  here  1771,  and  in  1775 
he  was  a  member  of  Capt.  Davis'  company  of  minute- 
men.  About  this  time  he  removed  to  Rindge,  where  he 
lived  about  ten  years  when  he  removed  to  Harvard  where 
he  d.  July  18,  1801.  He  md.  in  Ashburnham  Nov.  20, 
1770,  Elizabeth  Cheney,  dan.  of  Dea.  Tristram  Cheney, 
q.  V.  She  d.  Sept.  10,  1796.  Three  children  were 
baptized  here. 

I.  John,  b.  March  24,  1772. 
II.  Betsey,  b.  June  7,  17  <  7. 


1000 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


Snsanyia,  b.  Sept.  2,  1779.  This  child  was  bora 
in  Rindge  and  baptized  in  Ashburnham  when 
three  days  old. 


Ebenezer  Wood,  a  brother  of  Timothy  Wood,  was  b. 
in  Littleton  Jan.  20,  1754.  He  removed  to  Ashburnham 
previous  to  April,  1775,  when  his  name  appears  on  the 
roll  of  Capt.  Gates'  company  of  minute-men.  He  served 
the  remainder  of  the  year  in  the  siege  of  Boston  in  Capt. 
Wilder's  company.  He  md.  April  7,  1776,  Phebe  Brooks, 
and  they  united  with  the  church  in  Ashburnham  1777. 
The  third  child  was  baptized  here  Sept  24,  1780,  and 
about  that  date  the  family  removed  to  Washington, 
N.  H.  ;  he  d.  Dec.  28,  1840  ;  she  d.  Jan.  2,  1844. 

I.  Lydia,  b.  April  9,  1777. 
II.  Ebenezer,  b.  Sept.  25,  1778. 

III.  Jonas  Davis,  b.  Sept.  13,  1780. 

IV.  Asa,  b.  July  18,  1782. 
V.  3Iary,  b.  1784;   d.  1784. 

VI.  Phebe,  b.  May  4,  1787. 
VII.  Sophia,  b.  Dec.  27,  1788. 


Jonathan  Wood,  son  of  Isaac  and  Elizabeth  (Hart- 
well)  Wood  of  Rindge,  grandson  of  Michael  and  Mary 
(Platts)  Wood  of  Lunenburg,  was  b.  in  Rindge  April 
17,  1773.  He  md.  April  10,  1799,  Dolly  Jones,  dau.  of 
Enos  Jones,  q.  v.,  and  settled  in  the  north  part  of  this 
town.  His  wife  d.  Jan.  8,  1818;  he  md.  (2d)  Dec.  21, 
1820,  Sarah  (Lake)  Robinson,  widow  of  Ezra  Robinson 
and  dau.  of  Henry  and  Prudence  Lake  of  Rindge.  He 
d.  Sept.  1,  1825  {vide  page  546).  She  md.  (3d)  Amos 
Stearns;  md.  (4th)  May  19,  1842,  Josiah  Hartwell  of 
Fitchburg.  There  were  ten  children  by  the  first  and  two 
by  the  second  marriage. 

I.   Zulina,  b.  Nov.  30,  1799;  md.  1823,  Asa  Dunu 

of  Fitchburg. 
II.  Laura,  b.  June  20,  1801  ;  md.  April  22,  1823,  John 
Vose  of  Leominster. 

III.  Dolly,    b     Feb.    3,    1803;    md.    April   8,     1823, 

Zachariah  Parker,  Jr.,  of  New  Ipswich. 

IV.  Elnathan,  b.  Sept.  20,  1804;  d.  July  29,  1829. 
V.   George,   b.  Sept.  29,  1806;  md.   Sept.   16,    1827, 

Luana  Lawrence. 
VI.  Betsey,    b.    June    25.    1808  ;  md.    Feb.    6,    1827, 

Luther  Perkins  of  Weathersfield,  Vt. 
VII.  Zoa,  b.  Jan.  24,  1810;  d.  Sept.  7,  1822. 


21 
22 
23 

24 
25 

(25) 


26 

27 
28 


29 

30 

31 
32 

33 
34 


85 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER.  1001 

VIII.  Lurena^h.  Dec.  12,    1812;    md.    Jan.   16,    1831, 

Freeman  "Walcott. 

IX.  Harttcell,    b.  Oct.    27,    1815;    md.    1841,    Laura 

Snell.     She  d.  Jan.  1,  1843  ;  he  d.  July  26,  1846. 

X.  Jonas  J.,  b.  Jan.  1,  1818  ;  md.  1852,  Lucj^  Wood 

of  Mason,  N.  H.     She  d.  Nov.  4,  1853  ;  md. 

(2d)  1854,  Lydia  Parker  of  Lawrence,  who  d. 

Aug.  12,  1859.     He  removed  1860  to  Winchen- 

don,  where  he  d.  Oct.  13,  1863. 

XI.  Eunice  K.,  b.  March  22,  1824  ;  md.    George   P. 

Ward,  son  of  Alvan  Ward,  q.  v. 
XII.  Eliphalet  S.,  b.  Feb.  2,  1825.+ 


Eliphalet  S.  Wood  resided  in  this  town  until  1866, 
when  he  removed  to  Winchendon.  He  has  been  constable 
many  years  and  an  overseer  of  the  poor,  and  a  deputy- 
sheriff  since  1870.  From  1866  to  1886  he  was  express 
agent  at  Winchendon.  He  md.  Sept.  20,  1846,  Susan  H. 
Farrar,  dau.  of  John  Farrar,  g.  v. 

I.  Ella  Modina,  b.    Sept.    23,   1847;  md.  May  20, 
1876,  John  E.  Wakefield  ;  reside  in  Worcester. 
II.  Frank  A.,  b.  May  9,  1850  ;  d.  March  2,  1851. 

III.  George  Farrar,  b.  Aug.  21,   1851  :  md.  Aug.  25, 

1874,  Alice  H.  Merrill,  dau.  of  E.  S.  Merrill, 
Esq.  He  is  a  dealer  in  furniture  in  Winchen- 
don. 

IV.  CallaA.,  b.  July  30,   1855;    md  Jan.   20,   1876, 

John  W.  Beaman,  son  of  William   Beaman  of 
Winchendon. 
V.   Oliver  B.,  b.  Feb.   7,   1857;  md.  Oct.   19,   1882, 

Jennie  C.  Flagg  ;  resides  in  Worcester. 
VI.    Walter  L.,  b.  Oct.  17,  1859  ;  d.  June  25,  1864. 
VII.  Ernest    Freeman,    b.    June    18,   1863 ;   is  express 

agent  at  Winchendon. 
VIII.   Cora  Etta,  b.  April  4,  1867. 


Nathan  Wood,  sou  of  Nathan  Wood  of  Westminster, 
b.  Feb.  16,  1802,  md.  May  17,  1827,  Maria  Barrel!,  dau. 
of  William  and  Deborah  (Chittenden)  Barrell,  q.  v.  In 
1835  he  removed  to  this  town.  He  resided  in  the  house 
in  Central  Village  formerly  of  Capt.  David  Cushiug,  and 
now  of  his  son  Nahum  Wood.  After  a  brief  residence 
here  he  d.  Nov.  25,  1836. 

I.  Nahum,  b.  Dec.  14,  1827;  md.  Sept.  28,  1852, 
Dorothy  M.  Clark,  dau.  of  Levi  Clark,  q.  v. 
He  is  a  farmer  in  this  town. 


1002 


HISTORY    OF    ASHBURNHAM. 


36 


39 


40 


41 


II.  Lucy  M.,  b.  Jan.  23,  1830  ;  md.  Chcarles  E.  Locke, 

q.  V. 
III.  Arvilla,  b.  Feb.  16,  1834  ;  d.  uumd.  Sept.  8,  1854. 


Stephen  Wood,  b.  in  Hancock,  N.  H.,  Dec.  16,  1818, 
came  to  this  town  1846.  He  was  a  farmer.  He  md. 
Dec.  12,  1848,  Mary  Ward,  dau.  of  Nathaniel  D.  Ward, 
q.  V.     He  d.  Sept.  29,  1886. 

I.   Charles  S.,  b.  Feb.  24,  1855  ;  md.  Sept.  20, 1881, 
Hattie  F.  Barrell,  dau.  of  Josepli  Benson  Bar- 

rell,  q.  r. 


Makshall  p.  Wood,  1).  in  Eindge  Nov.  19,  1837,  son 
of  Addison  M.  and  Ann  (Plummer)  Wood,  md.  1861, 
Julia  A.  Hunt,  b.  Jul}^  1,  1839,  dau.  of  Joshua  and  Lucia 
(Todd)  Huut.  He  served  three  years  in  the  Ninth  New 
Hampshire  Volunteers,  and  removed  to  this  town  soon 
after  his  discharge  from  an  honorable  service. 

I.    Willie  3/.,  b.  1868  ;  d.  June  9,  1884. 


WOODS. 

Samuel  Woods,  b.  in  England  16S6,  came  to  this  country  soon  after  the 
year  1700.  He  settled  in  Chelmsford,  where  hemd.  1717.  Mary  Parker,  dau. 
of  .Tohn  Parker.  He  owned  a  farm  and  was  taxed  in  Chelmsford  from  1720 
to  1743.     He  d.,  leaving  one  son  and  two  daughters,  in  17()3. 

Samuel  Woods,  son  of  Samuel,  was  b.  in  Chelmsford  June  10,  1722; 
resided  in  Rutland  some  years  and  removed  to  Princeton  in  1761.  He  pur- 
chased of  Moses  Gill  a  tract  of  land,  where  he  built  his  house  and  where  he 
resided  until  his  death.  He  was  an  intelligent,  enterprising  citizen,  and  fre- 
quently employed  in  town  affairs.  In  his  house  he  taught  the  first  school  in 
Princeton.  Subsequently  he  taught  many  terms  of  school  and  acquired  the 
reputation  of  a  skilful  and  successful  teacher.  The  measure  of  his  character 
and  intellect  has  been  reflected  in  the  inheritance  of  his  sons,  and  probably 
their  scholarly  attainments  were  reared  on  the  solid  foundation  of  his  instruc- 
tion. He  md.  Tabitha  Eveleth.  b.  April  4,  1731,  by  whom  he  had  ten 
children.  She  d.  Oct.  22,  1770;  he  md.  (2d)  1772,  Abigail  (Whitney) 
Underwood,  b.  March  13,  1741,  widow  of  Israel  Underwood:  she  d.  Jan. 
31,  1826.     By  this  marriage  there  were  five  children.     He  d.  Nov.  18,  1808. 

Of  the  children  of  Samuel  and  Tabitha  Woods.  Lydia,  b.  Aug.  4,  1759, 
was  the  wife  of  Daniel  Gibbs,  q.  v. ;  Anna,  b.  June  30,  1761,  was  the  wife  of 
Capt.  Charles  Hastings,  q.  v.;  Sarah,  b.  July  6,  1763,  was  the  wife  of  Col. 
Joseph  Jewett,  q.  v. ;  John,  b.  Dec.  24,  1768.  is  No.  1  in  the  following 
register.  Asa  Woods,  son  of  Samuel  and  Abigail  Woods,  b.  April  30,  1776, 
is  No.  15  in  the  following  register.  Hannah,  another  child  of  the  second 
wife,  b.  May  13,  1778,  md.  Nahum  Wilder,  q.  v.,  and  Mary,  b.  Feb.  15, 
1783,  md.  Thomas  Wilder,  q.  v. 

Rev.  Dr.  Leonard  Woods,  b.  June  19,  1774,  md.  Oct.  8,  1799,  Abigail 
Wheeler  of  Worcester,  and  was  the  eminent  Professor  of  Theology  and  an 
important  factor  in  the  foundation  of  the  Andover  Theological  Seminary. 
Among  his  children  was  Samuel  Woods,  No.  33  in  the  following  register. 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER. 


1003 


Another  son  of  Samuel  Woods  by  first  marriage  was  Rev.  Abel  Woods,  b. 
Aug.  15,  17G5.  He  was  not  immediately  associated  with  the  people  of 
Ashburnham,  and  yet,  through  his  many  relatives,  his  name  is  familiar  to 
them,  and  no  notice  of  this  distinguished  family  would  be  complete  without 
mention  of  a  useful  life.  He  was  a  Baptist  clergyman  of  marked  ability  in 
Shoreham.  Vt.  He  d.  in  Hamilton,  N.  Y.,  Aug.  11,  1850.  Of  his  venerable 
son,  Rev.  Alva  Woods,  D.  D.,  who  is  living  at  Providence,  R.  I.,  a  recent 
publication,  "  Providence  Plantations,"  contains  a  portrait  and  the  following 
notice : 

"The  Rev.  Alva  Woods,  I).  D.,  the  oldest  surviving  professor  of  Brown 
University,  was  b.  in  Shoreham,  Vt.,  Aug.  13,  1704.  He  was  graduated  at 
Harvard  College  in  1817,  and  at  the  Andover  Theological  Seminary  in  1821. 
He  served  as  professor  of  mathematics  and  natural  philosophy  in  the 
Columbian  University,  Washington,  D.  C.,  and  in  Brown  University,  aggre- 
gating seven  years.  He  served  as  president  and  professor  of  moral  and 
intellectual  philosophy  in  the  State  University  of  Kentucky,  Lexington,  and 
in  the  University  of  the  State  of  Alabama,  Tuscaloosa,  aggregating  ten  years. 
His  son,  Marshall  Woods,  is  a  trustee  of  Brown  University,  and  for  some 
sixteen  years  rendered  very  important  services  to  the  college  as  its  treasurer. 
His  grandson,  John  Carter  Brown  Woods,  is  also  a  trustee  of  the  same 
institution.  In  his  various  relations  with  Brown  University  as  a  professor, 
as  president  pro  tempore,  as  a  trustee,  and  as  a  fellow,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Alva 
Woods  has  been  connected  with  this  university  nearly  fifty  years." 


John  Woods,  son  of  Samuel  and  Tabitha  Woods,  b.  in 
Princeton  Dec  24,  1768.  He  was  in  the  employ  of  Col. 
Jewett  in  farming  and  in  the  manufacture  of  potash  sev- 
eral years  and  subsequently  was  a  farmer  living  on  the 
old  road  to  Winchendon.  He  md.  July  5,  1792,  Betsey 
Petts,  who  d.  Dec.  4,  1824;  md.  (2d)  Sept.  5,  1826, 
Mrs.  Eunice  Whitney  of  Cambridge  who  d.  Nov.  8, 
1827;  md.  (3d)  June  1.  1831,  Mrs.  Rebecca  Draper  of 
Ware.  In  old  age  he  removed  to  Crown  Point,  N.  Y., 
where  he  d.  June  25,  1863,  aged  94;  another  record 
says  1869. 

I.  Ahel,  b.  Dec.  20,  1792. 
II.  Betsey,  b.  Nov.  13,  1794. 

4  III.  Dolly  S.,  b.  Dec.  25,  1796. 

5  IV.  John,h.  June    12,   1799;  d.   at  Savannah,   Ga., 
Sept.  15,  1820. 

6  V.  Melissa,  b.  June  4,  1801. 

7  VI.   iSaraJi,  b.  June  19,  1803. 

8  VII.  ^sa  6?.,  b.  Sept.  28,  1805;  d.unmd   June  3,  1867. 

9  VIII.  Mary  J.,  b.  Julv  24, 1807  ;  md.  Henrv  Kibling,  q.  v. 

10  IX.  Samuel,  b.  Aug.  8,  1809  ;  d.  May  2"'7,  1810. 

11  X.  Infant,  b.  ;  d.  June  15,  1811. 

12  XI.  Samuel,  b.  July  27,  1812. 

13  XII.  Betsey  B.,  b.  Aug.  7,  1817. 

14  XIII.  John    Stillman,  b.  Aug.  2,  1827;  md.  March  21, 

1874,    Martha   Jane    Hastings,    dau.    of    John 
Hastings,  q.  v.     She  d.  April  17,  1885. 


1004 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


15 


(19) 


32 


Asa  Woods,  son  of  Samuel  and  Abigail  Woods,  was  b. 
in  Princeton  April  30,  1776.  He  was  a  farmer  in  the  east 
part  of  the  town.  He  was  a  prominent  oitizen  and  was 
frequently  chosen  to  office.  He  md.  in  Trinceton  April 
16,  1799,  Permelia  Mirick,  b.  Sept.  19,  1776,  dau.  of 
James  and  Dorothy  (Fairbanks)  Mirick.  With  three 
children  they  removed  to  this  town  in  1804  or  early  in 
1805.  His  wife  d.  Sept.  12,  1814;  md.  1815,  Rebecca 
Wallis  (Wilker  register)  who  d.  Aug.  4,  1826  ;  md.  (3d) 
Jan.  18,  1827,  Susan  Wallis,  a  sister  of  second  wife  ;  she 
d.  April  30,  1827;  md.  (4th)  Mrs.  Peggy  (Russell) 
Adams,  widow  of  Ebenezer  Adams,  q.  v.  He  d.  April, 
28,  1844;  she  d.  March  29,  1865. 

I.  Leonard,  b.  March  25,  1800. 
II.    William,  b.  P'eb.  14,  1802. 

III.  Adaline,  b.  March  25,  1804  ;  md.  Joseph  B.  Hast- 

ings, q.  V. 

IV.  Darwin,  b.  April  19,  1807. -j- 

V.  Mary,  b.  March  30,  1809  ;  d.  Feb.  17,  1827. 
VI.  Permelia,  b.  June  14,  1811. 
VII.  Dorothy,  b.  July  30,  1813. 
vm.  Levi  Wallis,  b.  May  31,  1816. 
IX.  Joseph  B.,  b.  May  25,  1819  ;  md.  Mercy  Elizabeth 

Fairbanks,  dau.  of  Jacob  Fairbanks,  q.  v. 
X.  Betsey  Sarah,  b.  April  17,  1822. 
XI.  Lysander   Lowe,   b.   Dec.   28,    1824 ;  d.   Sept.    7, 

1825. 
XII.  Lysander,  b.  July  27;  d.  Sept.  26,  1826. 

XIII.  Charles,  b.  July  28,  1829. 

XIV.  Catherine,  b.  May  23,  1831  ;  md.   1848,  Julius  C. 

Aldrich  of  Winchendon ;  md.  (2d)  Silas  H. 
Fairbanks,  q.  v.  ;  md.  (3d)  George  Howard, 
q.  V. 


Darwin  Woods  md.  1828,  Dolly  G.  Adams,  dau.  of 
Ensign  John  Adams,  q.  v.  ;  she  d.  Feb.  22,  1842  ;  rad. 
(2d)  April  9,  1844,  Julia  King,  widow  of  Hiram  N.  King. 
He  d.  July  24,  1872.  Hiram  N.  King  d.  in  this  town 
Oct.  19,  1840,  leaving  daughters:  Julia  Frances,  b.  April 

24,  1834,  md. Woodward  of  Lowell ;  Mary  Amanda, 

b.  March  31,  1841.     Of  Darwin  and  Dolly  Woods  there 
were  three  children. 

I.  Mary  A.,  b.  Sept.  13,  1829  ;  d.  June  15,  1881. 
II.   Cinderilla,  b.  July  19,  1831  ;  md.  Oct.   10,  1867, 

F.  A.  Burnap  ;  residence  Jersey  City,  N.  J. 
III.  Edioin,  b.  March  13,  1834  ;  resides  in  Leominsler. 


GENEALOGICAL    KEGISTER.  1005 

Samuel  Woods,  eldest  son  of  Rev.  Leonard  Woods, 
D.  D.,  was  b.  in  West  Newbury  Oct.  26,  1800.  He  was 
a  student  some  j^ears  at  Phillips  Academy,  and  at  fifteen 
years  of  age  he  came  to  Ashburnham  and  during  his 
minority  was  a  clerk  in  tbe  "  Jewett  Store."  He  at- 
tended the  winter  terms  of  the  public  schools  of  this 
town  and  one  term  at  New  Ipswich  Academy.  In  1824 
he  formed  a  partnership  with  Gen.  I  vers  Jewett.  They 
soon  became  proprietors  of  a  store  and  cotton  mill  in 
Fitchburg  and  the  mill  at  Factory  Village.  In  1828  the 
partnership  was  dissolved.  By  a  division  of  the  property 
and  repurchase  of  the  store  in  this  town,  which  had  been 
sold  to  Samuel  Barrett,  Mr.  Woods  acquired  possession 
of  the  store  and  the  mill  at  Factory  Village.  In  the  suc- 
ceeding years  he  was  associated  in  business  with  George 
H.  Lowe,  Samuel  S.  Stevens  and  others.  In  1843  he 
removed  to  Ashby,  and  in  1857  to  Maiden.  During  the 
last  3'ears  of  his  life  he  lived  with  his  son.  Dr.  Leonard 
Woods,  in  Pittsford,  Vt.  While  a  resident  of  this  town 
and  through  life  he  was  an  earnest  advocate  of  temper- 
ance, and  every  reform  of  his  time  found  in  him  a  firm 
and  willing  support.  He  was  a  man  of  unfailing  integ- 
rity, and  his  impulses  were  pure  and  philanthropic.  He 
md.  May  4,  1825,  Mary  H.  Lowe,  dau.  of  Dr.  Abraham 
Lowe,  q.  v.  ;  she  d.  Dec.  23,  1838  ;  md.  (2d)  Sept.  5, 
1839,  Mary  Caldwell,  dau.  of  John  Caldwell,  q.  v.  ;  she  d. 
Aug.  18,  1873  ;  he  d.  in  Pittsford,  Vt.,  Nov.  27,  1884. 

I.  Samuel  Hale,  b.  July  15,  1827;  md.    March   18, 

1857,  Julia  A.  Carsley.  He  was  an  apothecary 
in  Boston,  living  in  Maiden,  where  he  d.  March 
6,  1869. 

II.  Joseph   Wheeler,  b.  July   17,  1829  ;  md.   Sept.   1, 

1858,  Caroline  F.  Fitz  of  Ipswich.  He  is  a 
merchant  in  Boston  ;  residence  Boston. 

III.  Mary  Greenleaf,  b.  Aug.  31,  1831  ;  she  d.  in 
Gambier,  Ohio,  July  12,  1854. 

IV.  Abbie  Wieeler,  b.  Nov.  7,  1834  :  md.  Jan.  5,  1869, 
Rev.  Frederick  A.  Fiske,  pastor  of  Congrega- 
tional church  in  Ashburnham  1851-4,  vide 
page  274  ;  he  d.  Dec.  15,  1878  ;  she  resides  in 
Boston  with  her  brother,  Joseph  W.  Woods. 

V.  Leonard,    b.    July   5,    1840 ;    a   physician,    vide 

page    516  ;    md.    April    13,     1868,     Mary  E. 

Thompson  of  Waltham.     He  d.  Dec.  12,  1884. 

VI.  Frederick  Caldwell,  b.  Jan.  23,  1848  ;  d.  Sept.  3, 

1849. 


1006 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


John  G.  Woodward,  son  of  John  and  Mar}-  (Ward) 
Woodward,  was  b.  in  Westminster.  Vide  register  of 
John  Ward  family.  He  is  a  farmer  residing  on  the  farm 
former]}'  of  John  Ward,  and  has  served  the  town  as 
assessor  and  selectman.  He  is  justly  held  in  high  esteem 
by  his  townsmen.  He  md.  Nov.  24,  1835,  Mary  Ward, 
dau.  of  John  Ward,  q.  v. 

I.  John,  b.  1840;  d.  Aug.  10,1842. 
II.  Charles  Edicard,  b.  April  23,  1842  ;  md.  Oct.  2, 
1864,  Flora  E.  Ward,  dau.  of  Isaac  D.  Ward, 
q.  V.  ;  she  d.  Nov.  3,  1867  ;  md.  (2d)  1872, 
Susan  Augusta  Fairbanks,  dau.  of  Emory 
Fairbanks,  q.  v.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
school  committee  several  years  and  a  deacon 
of  the  Congregational  church.  In  1885  he 
removed  to  Leominster. 


James  L.  Worcester,  son  of  Ai  Worcester,  was  b.  in 
Grafton,  Vt.,  July  27,  1821.  He  md.  Jan.  18,  1844, 
Sarah  Aldrich,  b.  in  Richmond,  N.  H.,  Aug.  13,  1821. 
He  removed  to  this  town  about  1848,  and  is  a  farmer  at 
the  South  Village. 

I.  Esther  Elizabeth,  b.  Jan.  30,  1846  ;  md.  Oct.  9, 

1870,  I.  R.  Wilson  of  Gardner. 
II.   George  Levi,  b.  Aug.   18,   1849,   a  railroad    con- 
ductor,  residing  in  Fitchburg ;    md.   May    17, 
1883,  Carrie  Williams. 

III.  Ella  Adalaide,  b.  July   26,  1853;  md.    July  24, 

1870,  Charles  A.  Smith  ;  resides  in  Winchendon. 

IV.  Alfred   Miller,    b.    March    18,    1856;    md.    1881, 

Etta  Dunn  ;  resides  in  Gardner. 
V.  Sarah   Jane,  b.   April  28,    1858  ;    md.   Nov.   23, 

1879,  L.  R.  Hodgman  ;   resides  in  Ashburnham. 
VI.  Ahhie  Eugenia,  b.  April  20,  1862. 


WRIGHT. 

Families  of  Wright  were  numerous  at  an  early  date  in  several  towns  in  this 
vicinity,  but  the  name  seldom  appears  in  the  records  of  Ashburnham  until  a 
more  recent  date.  Laban  W.  Wright  is  a  descendant  in  the  seventh 
generation  of  Dea.  John  Wright  who  with  wife  Priscilla  is  found  in  Charles- 
town  in  1640.  At  that  time  he  was  one  of  the  subscribers  to  the  conditions 
or  town  orders  for  the  settlement  of  Woburn,  where  he  subsequently  resided. 
He  was  a  deacon  of  the  church  and  a  selectman  many  years.  He  d.  June  21, 
1688,  aged  87.  His  wife  d.  April  10,  1687.  John  Wright,  a  son  of  Dea. 
John  Wright,  was  b.  1630,  probably  in  England.  He  md.  Abigail  Warren 
and  was  one  of  the  first  settlers  of  Chelmsford,  where  his  nine  children  were 
born.  He  d.  probably  in  Woburn,  April  30,  1714,  aged  84;  his  widow  d. 
April  6,  1726,  aged  84.     John  Wright,  his  son,  b.  in  Chelmsford  1662,  md. 


GENEALOGICAL   REGISTER. 


1007 


Mary  Stevens ;  md.  (2d)  about  1702,  Hannah  Fletcher.  He  d.  Oct.  1:5,  IToO. 
Among  the  children  of  John  and  Mary  (Stevens)  Wright  was  Henry  Wright, 
b.  1700;  md.  Esther  Adams,  and  about  the  date  of  his  marriage  the  town  of 
Westford  which  included  his  homestead  was  severed  from  Chelmsford. 
He  was  a  selectmen  and  treasurer  of  Westford  and  for  many  years  a  deacon 
of  the  church.  He  d.  April  13,  1771.  Among  his  eleven  children  was 
Henry  Wright,  Jr.,  b.  1732.  In  1770  he  was  one  of  the  committee  of 
arrangements  for  raising  the  new  meeting-house  in  Westford,  and  his  son 
Elijah  was  the  first  child  baptized  in  it.  He  was  town  treasurer  and  during 
the  Revolution  one  of  the  committee  of  correspondence.  About  1780  he 
removed  to  Ashby  where  his  descendants  are  numerous.     He  md.  Jan.,  1753, 

Sarah  Spalding,  who  d.   March  8,  1784;  md.  (2d)  Mercy ,  who  d.  Dec. 

11,  1789;  md.  (3d)  1790,  Hannah  Bounton.     He  d.  Oct.  12,  180G. 

Abel  Wright,  son  of  Henry  and  Sarah  (Spalding)  Wright,  b.  in  Westford 
April,  1770,  came  to  Ashby  in  childhood;  md.  1792,  Sybel  Howard,  who  d. 
Sept.  12,  1803;  md.  (2d)  Aug.,  1804,  Zilpah  Rice,  dau.  of  Jonas  Rice, 
q.  V.  He  was  a  farmer  in  Ashby  where  he  d.  March  15,  1852;  his  widow  d. 
Oct.  22,  1862.  Among  the  children  of  Abel  and  Zilpah  (Rice)  Wright  were 
Laban  W.  Wright  of  this  town  and  Eliza,  wife  of  Asahel  Wheeler. 


Laban  "W.  Wright,  son  of  Abel  and  Zilpah  (Rice) 
Wright,  was  b.  in  Ashby  Aug.  30,  1827.  He  md. 
March  15,  1854,  Susan  Adaline  Sawin,  dau.  of  Abram 
Sawin,  q.  v.  He  resided  in  Ashby  until  1868,  when  he 
removecl  to  the  farm  now  of  Alden  B.  Marble.  In  1876 
he  removed  to  the  AVilliam  Ward  farm.  He  is  a  suc- 
cessful farmer. 

I.  Alfred    Warran,  b.  May  14,  1859;  d.    April  19, 

1861. 
II.  Hattie  Adella,  b.  April  1,  1862;  md.  Sept.  15, 
1881,  Herbert  D.  Wellington,  b.  in  Rindge 
Sept.  18,  1856,  son  of  Joel  and  Harriet 
Elizabeth  (Ramsdell)  WelUngton.  They  reside 
at  East  Rindge. 

III.  John  Allison,  b.  Jan.  28,  1866. 

IV.  Charles  FranMin,  b.  Jan.  11,  1869. 
V.  Mabel  Josephine^  b.  Sept.  26,  1872. 


INDEX  OF  NAMES 


The  names  in  the  Genealogical  Registers  and  lists  of  names  on 
pages,  333-340,  457,  545-555,  do  not  appear  in  this  index.  All 
titles  are  omitted  and  persons  of  the  same  name  are  included  in 
one  list  of  references. 


ABBOTT,  Jeremiah,  364  367 

John,  231  364  365  367  425 
Abercrombie,  Dr.  Otis,  469  530 
Adams,  Andrew  J.,  423 

Rev.  Daniel  E.,  280  281 
Ebenezer,  428  430  432 
Ebenezer  Thomas,  434 
Henry,  228  371  475 
Ivers,  222  228  238  423  534 
James,  328  423  428  430 
Joseph,  421 

John,  34  126  142  151  153  154 
165  230-3  293  300  326   333 
341  347  369  391  434  481 
Levi,  421 

Luther  B.,  413  423 
Melvin   O.,   228   241   347  507 

508 
Nathaniel,  137 
Samuel,  34 
Stephen,  431 
Thomas,  423 

Walter  R.,    241   242   328  387 
392  397  428  430  432  534  535 
Allard,  Charles  W.,  454 
Ames,  Augusta,  329 

Stephen,  92  102  114  126  252 
William,  128 
Andrews,   Albert  H.,   222    228    348 
475 
John, 53  63 
Thomas,  53  458 
Appleton,  Nathaniel,  248 

Samuel,  343  393 
Archambeau,  Peter,  446 
64 


Ashburnham,  Earl  of.  111 
Atherton,  Consider,  53 

Ezra,  136  141 

Humphrey,  53 

James,  55 

Joseph,  55 

BAKER,  Josiah,  54 

William,  54 
Balcom,  Francis  S.,  455 

Horace,  321 
Baldwin,  John,  405 
JohnM.,  458 
Ballard,  Benjamin,  67 
Bancroft,    Harvey  M.,  307  328   329 
409 
Jonathan  O.,  394 
Barber,  Hezekiah,  54  55  56  59  66  70 

81 
Barkhardst,  Jacob,  94 
Barnes,  Asa,  318 
Barrel!,  Luther,  313 
William,  370 
Barrett,  Benjamin,  235  266  328  430 
Charles,   221  235  237  280  299 
307  328  371  407  432  433  538 
Francis     J.,    329  398  432  433 

452 
George   H.,  222  329   359  386 
387  407  436  437  455  456  534 

James,  392 
Lizzie  F.,  320 
Mary  S.,  349  534 
Oliver,  430 

1009 


1010 


HISTORY    OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


Barrett,  Samuel,  394  420  537 
Bates,  John,  91  102  114  115  118  229 

243  251  287 
Beals,  Charles  L.,  406  416 

George  L.,  406  415  416  532 
Beetle,  F.  T.,  347 
Belcher,  J.,  30  31  43  46  48 
Bellows,  Benjamin,  37  38  50  90  153 

194  196 
Bemis,  Albert  T.,  573 

Charles  A.,  517 

Frank  W.,  460 

Justin  W. ,  385 
Benjamin,  Jonas,  169 

Jonathan,  158  159 

William,  115  126  142  161  230 
326 
Bennett,  James,  364  367 

John,  30  41 

Moses,  126 

Thomas,  235  348  406 
Bent,  Joseph,  63 

Roderick,  223 
Bernard,  Francis,  109  120 
Berry,  Thomas,  46 
Bigelow,  Benjamin,  127 

John,  126  257 

Luther,  430 

Nathan,  126  257  297 
Billings,  James,  430 

Joshua,  34  126  369 
Bird,  Benjamin,  55  57  58  59  61  65 

Thomas,  55 
Biron,  Frederick,  454 
Bishop,  James,  63 
Bixby,  Aaron  B.,  462 
Black,  Sumner,  453 
Blackburn,  George,  420 
Blair,  Henry  W.,  183 
Blake,  George  H.,  318 

Samuel,  55 

William,  53  55 
Blodget,  Abraham,  126 

Elias,  430  545 

Isaac,  126  142  144 
Blodgett,  James,  403  409  414 

Mary,  400 
Blood,  Hiram  A.,  387 
Bond,  Daniel,  163  190 
Bourne,  Marshall  H.,  455 
Boutelle,  Thomas,  222  276  277 
Bowdoin.  James,  215 
Bowles,  John,  45 
Bowman,  John,  182  210 
Boynton,  Hilkiah,  37  50 
Bradlee,  Samuel  J.,  228 
Breed,  Nathaniel,  166 
Bride,  Josiah  W.,  439 
Bridge,  Jeremiah,  93  126 


1  Brigham,  Charles  W.,  461 
I  Francis  E.,  461 

Joseph  L.,  461 
Broadhead,  John, 312 
Brocklebank,  Asa,  137  182 
Brooks,  Amos,  364  367 

Dickerson,  428  430 

Elijah,  307  336  407  430 

Harvey,  237  283  307 

Harvey  P.,  459 

Ira,  403 

Irving,  460 

Judith,  266 

Joel,  307  407 

Mary,  545 

Newton,  463  . 

Pascal,  453 

Peter,  126  464  521 

Simeon,  403 

Thaddeus,  395 

William,  395  418 
Brown,  Catherine,  545 

Daniel,  364  367 

Joseph  B.,  446 

Octavius  W.,  442 

Josiah,  318 

Unity,  91  243  251  252  287 

William  H.,  223 
Bullock,  Alexander  H.,  354'356  358 
359 

Samuel  J.,  347 
Burch,  Samuel,  56  59 
Burgess,  Ebenezer,  141 

Joseph  F. ,  427  430  523    ' 

Joshua,  313  406  409  414 

Josiah,  364 
Burke,  James,  458 
Burnham,  Edwin  L.,  223 
Burr,  Pyam,  238  407 
Burrage,    Charles  W.,   228   348   416 
532 

George  S.,  239  415  416 

William     F.,    228     240     416 
532 
Bush,  C.  Webster,  223 
Butler,  Adam,  430 

Leroy  A.,  406  419 

Nathaniel  R.,  842 

William,  461 
Butt,  Richard,  54 

Samuel,  54 
Buttrick,  Aaron  G.,  445 

Charles,  403 
Buzzell,  Reuben  A.,  463 

CAIN,  John,  545 
Caldwell,  John,  302  3U6  422  524 
Oliver  G.,  417  422 
I  Call,  Isaac,  460 


INDEX. 


1011 


Capron,  William  1).,  io:> 

Carlisle,  David,  200 

Carter,  Nathaniel,  70  155 

Case,  John  W.,  315  ;54« 

Cassidy,  John,  459 

Castle,  Alfred,  453 

Causey,  L.  P.,  315 

Chaffin,  David.  155  150  1G3  IfiG  189 

197  198 
Chamberlain,  Charles  T.,  460 

John,  159  161 
Chandler,  Jonathan,  53  59 

Samuel,  53 
Chaplin,  David,  137 

Joseph,  55  59 

Levi,  137 

Moses,  55 

Timothy,  137 
Charhore,  John,  55 
Chase,  Richard  C,  460 
Cheney,  Benjamin,  53  59 

Harrison  C.  439  445 

Harvey  A.,  441 

Mary,  258 

Tristram,    92  114-29  126    130 
229  252  254  283  291  524 

William,  53 
Choate,  John,  45 
Church,  Benjamin,  88  246  248 

Charles,  45 
Clapp,  Edward,  54 

Nehemiah,  54 
Clark,  Benjamin,  158  159  170 

Daniel,  520  521 

David,    102  126  142-4  154-69 
172  189  210 

Harvey,  452 

Jonas  M.,  315 

Joseph  E.,  573 

Luther,  452 

Thomas  H.,  387 

Walter  C,  460 

Wilder  P.,  223 
Coderre,  Louis,  460 
Coffin,  George,  267 
Cole,  Samuel,  317 

Coleman,  James,  89  90  102  114  118 
229  243  251  287  375  390 

Job,  126  252 
Conant,  Ebenezer,   93   102    125   126 
135  142  147  162  281  257  297 
403  425 

Lyman,  409 

Ruth,  520 
Conn,  John,  119  126  136  142  151  158 

161  163  230  232  238  283  409 
John  A.,  239  329  348 

Constantine,  Jacob,  95  142  153  154 

162  233  257  297 


Constantine,  Widow,  95 
Converse,  James,  39  50 
Josiah,  40  50 
Robert,  39  50 
Conway,  John,  323 
Cook,  John  L.,  63  532 
Robert,  55 
William,  55  315 
Coolidge,    Elisha.  84  88  90  102   106 
109  115  117  126  134  146  229 
251  257  286  289  291  297  390 
404 
F.  S.,413 
Henry,  81  106 
John,  169 
Jonathan,  152 
Cooper,  William,  54  106 
Corey,  Asahel,  221   222  235  305  395 
398  430  432  523 
George  F.,  421  535 
Hezekiah,  168  231-5  300  313 

379 
Jonas,  398  405  432 
Levi,  395  545 

Stephen,  221  228  234  236  421 
Coughlin,  Bartholomew,  453 
Crane,  Ebenezer,  53 
Crehore,  Horace  C,  396 

Timothy,    333    336    347     428 

430-3 

Crocker,  Alvah,  354  359 

Crosby,  Elvira  W.,  356 

Fitch,  299  419 

Henry,  496 

Josiah   D.,    222   229   318   348 
354-9  499  563 
Cummings,  Ariel  I.,  514  515 
Calvin,  511 

JohnL.,  228  240-2  535  573 
Cunningham,  Ephraim  M.,  475 
Curtice,  Joseph,  56 
Cushing,  Amelia  J.,  432 
Benjamin,  82 
David,  232  233  302  379  391  421 

533  539 
David  M.,  455 
Doddridge,   267   299   302    395 

533  543 
Edward  J.,  223 
Edwin  J.,  455 
George  R.,  227  234-6  300  303 

307  333  348  370  434 
Henry  E.,  408  409 
Jacob,  255 
Job,  263 

John,  28  67  99  101  123  124 
125  127  136  151  165  254  266 
288  303  348  355  362  372  429 
533  542  556  559 


1012 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


Gushing,  Laban,  430 

Stephen,  222  311313  513 
Thomas  Parkman,351  354  358 
489-92 
Cutler,  Asher,  72  73  90 

William  H.,  307  398  469 
Cutter,  Nathaniel  F.,  330  430-2 
Cutting,    Samuel,    137    142    168   233 
434 

DAMON,  Joseph,  364  367 

Dana,  Caleb,  81  84  105  106  109  110 

246  287 

Ezra,  347  403 

Francis,  106 

George,  105  134  136   137   141 

151  231 
Richard.    81   88    106    109    110 

287  404 
Richard  H.,  106 
Davenport,  William  G.,  461 
Davis,  Alonzo  P.,  432  435  436   437 
445 
Charles,  236  409  434 
Charles  E.,  505 
Deliverance,    93   114  117  126 
135    136    139    140  142    165 
167  230  252  390 
Ebenezer  B.,  148  154  190  193 

194 
Elnathan,  273  274  348  568  573 
Frank  A.,  452  462 
George  E.,    240   241   439   445 

448  461 
George  V.,  359 
John  C,  140  237  321  405  409 

434 
John,  399  408 
Joseph,  405 
Lucy,  308 
Oliver,  130  505 
Day,  John  B.,  399  432 
Dennis,  Nathan,  84  91  102 
Derby,  Samuel,  118 
Dickerson,    Amos,   126   135   141   163 
165  230  231  326 
David,  126 
Francis,  291 
George,  93  117 
Sarah  252 
Dodge,  Josiah,  520 

Theodore  A.,  459 
DonnoVan,  Timothy,  447 
Doolan,  Patrick,  459 

William,  460  461 
Dow,  Lorenzo,  312 
Duane,  Bernard,  415 
Dudley,  William,  46 
Duncan,  George  N.,  454 


Dunham,  Howard  C,  315 

Jerusha,  545 
Dunster,  Samuel,  235  406  419  420 
Dutton,  Salmon,  126  136 

Thomas,  126  144 
Dwight,  Jonathan,  59  65  68  70  71  72 

81  84 
Dwinnell,  Jonas  W.,  446  532 

Waldo,  447  449 

EASTMAN,  Cyrus,  315 
Eaton,  Danforth  L.,  503  504 

Francis,  400 

John, 409 

Josiah,  409 

Nathan,  330  349  534 

Nathaniel  L.,  239  240  313  418 
Eddy,  Eliphalet,  405 

George  W.,  223  228  283  534 
535 
Edgell,  John  D.,  223 
Edson,  Daniel,  142  144 

Elijah,  126  130  142 
Edwards,  Thomas,  538 
Elliot.  Robert  J.,  442 
Ellis,  Daniels,  228  239   242  398  405 
418 

Jesse,  410  434 

William  P.,  228  239  240  283 
308  348  386  387  417  419  571 
572 
Emory,  Enos,  404 
Esty,  Jonathan  L.,  315 
Evans,  Ermina  L.,  531 

Matthias,  53  63 

Richard,  53 

Thomas,  53 

FAIRBANKS   Cyrus,  149    180    207 
210  533 

Emory,  237 

Europe  H.,  240,  406,  570 

Francis  J.,  506 

Ithamar,  434 

Jacob,  296  434 

J.  H.,  356' 

Jonathan,  56 

Joseph  W.,  506  507 

Seth  P.,  73  381 
Fargo,  James,  460 
Farley,  Timothy,  119 
Farmer,  John,  144 
Farrar,  David,  39,  50 
Farwell,  George  G.,  453 

Merrill,  446 
Fay,  Benjamin  F.,  441 

John  B.,  223 

John  W.,  348  532 
Fellows,  Samuel,  88  92  102  109  114 


INDEX. 


1013 


Pellows,  Samuel,  117  126  130  229  252 

254  283  2i)l  557 
Fenno,  James  W.,  316 
Fessenden,  Josiah,  15+ 
Finan,  John,  442 
Finney,  John  L.,  454 
Fish,  Charles  I.,  454 
Fisher,  George  E.,  222  277  278 

Timothy,  101,  16.s 
Fiske,  Ebenezer,  30 

Frederick  A.,  274  275 

Martin  H.,  347 

Nathaniel  B.,  314  31G 
Fitch,  John,  70  110  373 
Fitzgibbon,  Michael,  431)  452  402 
Fitzgerald,  John,  458 

Patrick,  403 
Fletcher  Brothers,  4 lit 

Ebenezer,  34 

Joshua,  149  182  208  20!» 
Flint,  Ebenezer,  307  430 

Edward  S.,  222  242  348  400 
414 

Eleazer,  341 

LeviE.,  95 
Foster,  Andrew,  154 

George  C,  228  241  535  572 
573 

Jeremiah,  91  117  120  252  280 
372 

Jerome  W.,  228  237-40  308 
348  354  355  359  485  531  570 

Job,  460  401 

Joel,  234 

Leonard,  239  406  418 

Moses,  82  88  90  91  101  102  119 
126  243  247  251  254  286  287 
291  390  402 

Nathaniel,  400  434 

Samuel,  115  117  120  137  151 
231  232  293  295  328  404  432 

Waldo  A.,  454 
Foot,  Horatio,  270 
Franklin,  Susan,  521 
Fregean,  John,  400 
Frobisher,  Benjamin,  99 
Frost,  Ebenezer,  236  237  303  304  344 
348  407  523 

JohnM.,  432 

Spencer,  455 
Frye,  James,  392 
Fuller,  Nathan,  201 
Fullford,  Alva  S..  439 

GALE,  Chester  B.,  454 
Galliver,  John,  55 
Gallop,  Antil,  34 

Samuel,  44,  45 
Gamble,  Thomas,  OS,  90 


Gardner,  James  W.,  437 

Garfield,  Elisha,  430 

Garlick,  Alfred  E.,  400 

Garnet,  James  M.,  439  446  448  462 

Gates,  Henry,  126  141 

Hezekiah,  40  62  05  08  69  70  84 
402 

John,  142  144  154  103  184  232 
380  427  430  432  539 

Jonathan,  102  100  114  117  126, 
passim,  105  184  193  194  197 
229  230  287  425 

Paul,  116 

Samuel,  233,  234  432 

William,  201 
George,  Joshua,  55 

Nathan,  316 

William,  55 
Gibbs,  Benjamin,  407  434 

Daniel,  403 
.Joseph,  206  341  369 
Gibson,  Abraham,  148 

Stephen,  321,  322 

Stillman,  404 

Thomas,  ISO  199  203  207  210 
2(i9 
Gilbert,  Lorenzo  H.,  445  448  461 
Gill,  Moses,  559 
Gilson,  Frank  B.,  397 
Gipson,  Henry,  430 
Glazier,  John  C.  222  236  237  283  306 
348  409  415 

Lewis,  455 

Thomas  E.,  409 
Goddard,  Edward.  46 
Godding,  Philip,  52  56 
Gold,  Bartholanie,  55 
Goodale,  Peter,  364 
Goodyear,  George,  270  271  272  348 

538 
Gookin,  Daniel,  69 
Greenwood,  Georgie  S.,  329 

John,  42 

Moses  P.,  397  407  534 

Theodore,  240  241  407  460 
Green,  Asa,  497 

Hosea,  237  306  307  344  348 

Oliver,  302,  494 

Thomas,  31 

Timothy,  59  05  09  .s4 
Grimes,  Martin  V.  B.,  441  454  401 
Gross,  Elijah,  403  417  573 

Peeks,  403 

Sarah  W.,  573 

HADLEY,  Gamaliel,  91 

George  G.,  44(;  400  402 
John, 407 
Merrick,  39s  401 


1014 


HISTORY    OF    ASHBURNHAM. 


Hall,  Henry,  i)4  Or.  DP,  110    12(;  141 
143  3C.r,  407 

John,  142  14s  1(;0  1S7  :mi  ;5G4 
367 
Hanies,  Joseph,  454 
Hammond,  Frederick,  4(;ii 

Thomas,  401 
Hanwart,  Joseph,  460 
Hare,  James  P.,  446 

John, 453 

Patrick  J.,  461 
Harper,  Daniel,  119 
Harrington,  Timothy,  24s 
Harris,  Benjamin,  70 

Heman,  431 

Humphrey,  430  512 

Jacob,  126  135  164-S  222  230-4 
2s3  291  348 

Joseph,  573 

Nathaniel,  142  103 

Samuel,  509  510 
Hart,  Ebenezer,  460 
Hartwell,  E.  A.,  347 

Edward,.  57  59  61-S  72  7S  si 
375 

Thomas,  199 
Harty,  John  B.,  454 
Harwood,  Kilburn,  222  22S   236  237 

305  432  433 
Hastings,  Charles,  49   79   ss  96  205 
210  303  330  336  356  393  395 
427  432  527  530 

Ezra,  545 

J.  Newton,  283 

John,  428  431  528 

Nathaniel,  142 

Stephen  C,  452 
Hayden,  Newton,  240  241  397 
Hayward,  Edwin,  405 

Samuel,  65 
Hazen,  Richard.  7i) 
Heald,  Charles  H.,  441  440 
Hemenway,    Ebenezer,    93    126    230 
252 

Joshua.  142  144 
Henshaw,  Phineas,  168 

Joshua,  89  106  109  110  536 
Herbert,  Joseph,  63  64 
Herrick,  Austin  F.,  315 

Austin  H.,  316 

Noyes  B.,  462 
Hewins,  Benjamin,  54 

Joseph,  54 
Hewitt,  George,  119 
Heywood,  Nathan,  32  33  50  56  81  88 
98  246  248 

Zimri,  89  91  102  118  119  402 
Hill,  Ann,  521 

Isaac,  488  489 


Hill,  John,  311 

Maverick,  363 
Hills,  William,  317 
Hinshua,  Daniel,  54 

Samuel,  54 
Hix,  Samuel,  55  78 
Hobart,  Daniel,  141  149 

Harrison  C,  501  502  503 

Shebuel,  142 

Thomas,    233-5    266   307'  370 
434  524 
Hobson,  John,  45 
Hodge,  J.  F.  and  E.  L.,  406,  416 
Hodgman,  Lucius  R.,  439 
Hoffman,  Max,  454 
Holbrook,  Horatio  J.,  307 
Holden,  Jonas,  427  430 

Joseph,  126 

Joshua,  142  154  214  297 
Holt,  Joshua,  142  143 

Liberty,  403 

Samuel  D.,  453 

Uriah,  142  144  14S 
Horrigan,  Michitel,  460 
Hosley,  Hosea,  399 
Houghton,  Jonas,  47  50 

Levi,  118 

Lewis  G.,  432 

Oliver,  231 
Houston,  Grant,  302 

Horace  W.,  92  405 
Howard,  Emery  A.,  316 

Lewis,  432 

Samuel,  317  348  385 

Thomas,  430 

Thomas  M.,  455 
Howe,  Isaac,  56  57 

Leroy  A.,  453 

Orange  E.,  455 

Perley,  239  240 
Hubbard,  Eli,  356  359 
Hudson,  Melzar,  435 
Hunt,  Peter  T.,  504 

Samuel,  247 

Sherebiali,  267  283 

JACKSON,  Elisha,  153 
Isaac,  327 
Joseph,  248 
Jagodynsky,  August,  545 
Jaquith,  Andrew,  513  514 
Jefts,  Cyrus  A.,  343  407 
Jennison,  Edwin,  272  273 
Jewett,  Amory,  473 

Ivers,  100  221  226  234  235  299 

300  348  393  394  427-33  479 

533 

Joseph,  100  178  200  210  221 

228  232-5  266  299  300  302 


INDEX. 


lOlf) 


Jewett,  Joseph,  ;107  o2i;  ;U7  ;5r,9-94 
425  427  432  4Sa  478  523  530 
533  539 

Merrick  A.,  498 

Nathaniel,  474 

Sarah,  2(58 
Jillson,  Harvey  1)..  240  348  472 
Johnson,  Moses,  i2() 

Timothy,  154  15G  194  520 
Jones,  Charles  B.,  455 

Daniel,  39  73  283  321 

David,  54  59 

Enos,  73  91  117  12G  142  151 
168  230  231  232  347  409 

Oilman,  237  321  348  417  432 

John,  54  118  229 

William,  39 
Joslin,  Abijah,  12r,  135  147  151  230 

James,  126 

John,  32 

Peter,  126  141  143  149  291 

Samuel,  141  291 
Joyner,  Hannah,  252 

William,  92  114  115  117  229 
289 

KEEP,  Jabez,  200 
Kelley,  James,  460 

Peter,  55 
Kelton,  Edward,  54 

Samuel,  128  178  363 

Thomas.  54 
Kemp,  Benjamin,  126 
Kendall,  Alvin,  415  432 

Amos,  136  137  138  141  230 

Caleb,  293  427  432 

Charles  W.,  441  461 

Francis,  192 

Nathaniel,  163  197 
Keyes,  Gershom,  40 
Kibling,  Catherine,  327 

Francis,  404  418 

Frank  G.,  447 

George  W.,  398 

Jacob,  141  143  231  232  297 
327 

John,  94  96  97  114  126  136 
147  148  151  153  162  229  230 
251  297  313  404  524 

Joseph  W.,  329  398 

Henry,  432  434  435 

HobartF.,  391  392 
Kilburn,  Daniel,  315 
King,  Rodney,  458 
Kinsman,  Alfred  D.,  395 
Kneeland,  Samuel,  54  70 
Knight,  Israel  W.,  392  531 

James  M. ,  392 
Knowlton,  Charles,  474 


LANE,  Benjamin,  169 

Elias,  85,  235  237  299  404  434 
523 

Francis,  141  143  151  164  165 
167  175  195  230  231  232  293 
297  347  379  404  425  434  558 

Francis  W..  508 

Fred.  D.,  349  508 

Henry  T.,  460 

Hosea  F.,  348 

Josiah,  407 

Martin  B.,  241  397  573 

Milton,  404  418 

Sewell  S.,  400 

Willard,  421  432 
Lansing,  John  A.,  316 
Larby,  Mitchell,  454 
Lawrence,  Amos,  141  167  175 

Charles  G.,  446  448  461 

Ezra,  405 

George,  328 

George  W. ,  446  448  461 

Henry,  238  403  417 

John  C,  454 
Lawrence,  Moses,  405  432  524 

William  J.,  234  266   283   421 
422  434  524  533 
Laws,  David,  283 

James,  427  430 

Walter  H.,  495  535 
Leads,  Joseph,  53  59 
Learned.  Frank  S.,  454 

James,  394 
Leathers,  Charles  F.,  453 

John,  434 
Lechuga,  Etiene,  460 
Ledget,  James,  169 
Lee,  Francis,  154 

Joseph,  34 
Lepond,  Charles,  45S 
Lesure,  Samuel  C,  43!»  445  448  461 
Lewis,  Joseph,  316 

William  T.,  319 

Washburn,  446 
Libbey,  Leander  W. .  439 
Litch.  Charles  T.,  242,  535 

Frank  J.,  446 

George  H.,  461 

Joel  H.,  222  238  239  240 

Theresa,  329 
Little,  Elbridge  G.,  275  276 
Lincoln,  Heman,  353  395 

I.  Sumner,  270 

James  F..  455 
Lindley,  William  H.,  439 
Locke.  Jacob,  154  157  172 
James,  96  116 
John,  144 
Philip,  141  143  403 


1016 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


Lombard,  GeorsieW.,  414 
Long,  James  H.,  400 
Longley,  Artemas,  244 
Loring'  Charles  G.,  353  354 
Loud,  Charles  A.,  222 
Lovell,  Asa,  SOS 

Lowe,  Abraham,  149  153  178  199  226 
227  232  267  299  300  333  347 
348  3G5  370  379  380  434  465 
533 

Abraham  T.,  221  302  348  354 
356  359  435  466  534  563 

Charlotte,  210 

George  H.,  329  394 
Lumerzette,  Frank,  449 
Lyon,  Eliab,  55 

Ht-nrv,  53 

Nathaniel,  55 

Thomas,  53  61  63 

Waitstill,  55  59 

Zachariah,  55 

MAHAX,  Thomas,  461 
Mansfield,  Benjamin,  55 

Horace  O.,  455 

John  H.,  316 
Marble,  Alden  B  ,  422 

Henry  A.,  455 

Jabez,  149  181  203  210  431 

Joel,  430 

Joel  P.,  397 

Luke,  240  407 

Newell,  342 

Oliver,  149  181  203  235  299 

Stephen.  371  430 

Walter  H. ,  509 

Warren  E..  95  341  407 
Marcy,  Ichahod,  316 
Marsh,  Charles,  209 
Martin.  John,  93  252  257 
Martindale,  H.  H.,  446  448  463 
Marvin,  A.  P.,  854  350  359 
Mason,  Elijah,  166  198 

Joseph,  45 

Orlando,  222  359 

Samuel,  142  154  157  172 
Matthews,  Hezekiah,  399  410  461 

Lewis  G.,  399 
Mattoon,  John  O.,  471 
May,  Augustine,  455 

Charles  S.,  415 

Sumner,  410  415 
Maynard,  Antipas,  223  238  330   529 
570 

Edward,  431 
McCoolif,  Patrick,  442 
Mclntire,  James.  447 

Parley,  452 

Robert  W.,  3,'i5  405 


Mcintosh,  Augustus,  441  461 

Erastus,  446  448  462 
McMahon,  Archibald,  479 
Mead,  Jason,  403 
Mears,  James,  59 
Melvin,  Nathan,  102  115  117  126  142 

229,  390 
Menott,  George,  54 
Merriam,  Asa,  432  434 

Benjamin,  397 

David,    148    153    154    163  192 
193 

Edward  B.,  445 

Francis  H.,  455 

Henry,  403 

Isaac,  142  103  100  167  191  198 
230 

Jonathan,  108  434 

Joseph,  182  209  210 

Philip  R.,  307  396  410 

William,  333 
Merrill,  Daniel,  119  126  252 

John  W.,  315 
Merritt,  Ezra  M.,  447 

Simeon,  219  223  239  240-2  385 
387  571 
Metcalf,  Emily,  510 

Eunice.  187 

Ezekiel  S.,  147  154  159  187 

George  J.,  532 

George  0.,  403 

JoelF.,  240 

John,  45 

Joseph,  120  141  147  151  230 

Otis,  392  454 

Samuel,  152  155  106  188  198 
Miller,  Alfred,  228  229  348  437  470 

Ernest  P.,  508 

Henry  J.,  223 

Joseph,  427  430 

Stephen  A.,  329  570 
Modsley,  Thomas,  54 

Yonnite,  54 
Moffat,  John,  si  120  240  248  287 
Monk,  Elias,  53 
Moore,  Asher,  348 
j  Elliot,  238  239  248  397  398 

i  Epliraim  W.,  463 

Morey,  James,  53 
Morse,  Ebenezer,  255 

Jonas,  430  437 
Morton,  Francis  H..  452  402 

Orin.  392  452 
Mossman,  John  W.,  432 

Matthias,  233 

Timothy,  55  50  71-3  78-90  285 
Moulton,  Horace,  315 
Mulloy,  Michael,  401 
Munroe,  Charles,  409  415  428  430 


INDEX. 


10] 


Munroe,  Ebenezer,   177  178  232  2:];5 
234  293  3f<0 

Francis  A.,  455 

George  M.,  462  534 

Jonas,  399  434 
Murdock,  Isaac  M.,  354  355) 

William,  222 
Murphy,  Dennis,  454 

Mitchell,  461 

NEVINS,  David,  387 
Newell,  Henry  C,  242 

Samuel,  44  45 
Newton,  Samuel,  J.,  228 

Sereno,  460 
Nichols,  Samuel,  92  109  110  115  117 

126  134-6 
Nickerson,  Cyrus  W.,  454 
Nims,  Silas,  437 
Noble,  Charles,  315 
Norcross,  Amasa,  344  354  356  359 
Noyes,  Samuel  N.,  419 
Nutting,  Allen  A.,  441 

George  P. ,  441 

Jonas,  302  434 

Simeon,  126  137 

OAKS,  Joseph,  454 
Oberlock,  John,  94  126  251  291 

Philip,  403 
O'Brien,  Alexander,  460 

Patrick,  461 
Olds,  William,  315 
Oliver,  Sylvester  F.,  447  449 
O'Neill,  Dennis,  460 
Osborn,  Luther,  399 
Osgood,  Jacob,  394 

James,  415 

Peter,  142 

PACKARD  Brothers,  86  404 
Page.  George  E.,  447 
Paine,  Thomas,  119 
Park,  Thomas,  414 
Parker,  Alden  W.,  462 

Charles  H.,  445 

Frank  H.,  397 

George  G.,    222   228   237   238 
306  307  336  348  475  568 

Jesse,  239  240  241  385 

Leonard  S.,  279  280  349  359 

Nathaniel,  141 

Walter  O.,  223   397   439   453 
535  573 
Parkman,  Ebenezer,  255  266 

Sarah,  266 
Payson,  John,  255 
Peabody,  Charles,  319 
Peckham,  Samuel,  318 


Peirce,  Amos,  233  236 

Nathaniel,    221,    228   236   241 
303  304  307  348  419  468  523 
Pelkey,  Frederick,  461 
Pentecost,  William,  316 
Perkins,  Elisha,  269 

Francis  H.,  454 

George,    266-70  298    299   348 
543 

Henry  C,  449 

J.  Douglas,  269 
Perry,  Joseph,  119,  126  129  130  142 

Peter,  94  96 
Petts,  Ferdinand,  392 

John,  228  474  568 
Pfaffle,  William,  461 
Phelps,  Edward,  70 
Phillips,  Asia,  431 

I vers,  406 

Sally,  329 
Phipps,  William,  106 
Pierce,  B.  K.,  359 

Charles  L.,  473 

Edwin,  357 
Pindar,  Calvin,  447  448 
Piper,  Alfred,  446 

Hobart  W.,  455  460  402 

Jonathan  H.,  414  529 
Plaisted,  Thomas,  79 
Platts,  Irving  E.,  403  413  415 

John  v.,  382 
Poland,  David  E.,  532 
Pollard,  Edwin  A.,  459 

James,  364  367 

William,  231,  232  347 
Policy,  Joseph,  430  431 
Pope,  Ebenezer,  54 

John,  53 

Ralph,  54 

AVilliam,  199 
Potter,  Geo.  F.,  459 
Pratt,  Aaron,  462 

Charles  H.,  242  439 

JohnM.,  242  382  418  529- 

Otis,  462 

Thomas,  154 

William,  447 
Prentice,  John,  263 
Prescott,  Ebenezer,  36  50 
Priest,  Daniel,  126  291 
Proctor,  Clarence  D.,  462 

Clarence  M.,  431  432  532 

Simeon,  34 
Puffer,  Charles  H  ,  446  448  462 

Eugene  A.,  439  462 

George  F..  446  448  462 

James,  313 

Reuben,  313  403  419  529 
Putnam,  Daniel.  148  168  214  425 


1018 


HISTORY    OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


Putnam,  John,  137  142  423 
Nathan,  257 
Salmon  W.,  423 

QUINCY,  J.,  46 

RAND,  Ananias,  148  19G 

Asa,  354  358 
Randall,  Ezra,  239 

Jonas,  403 

Phinehas,  432  497 

Stephen,  167  259  347  509 
Raymond,  Ari,  514 

Oliver  A.,  399 

William,  500 
Rebel,  John,  461 
Redman,  Robert,  54  65 

Charles,  54 
Reed,  William,  36 
Rice,  Aaron,  461 

Asaph,  255 

Charles  H.,  517 

Charles  J.,  223 

Eliakim,  181  199  201  202 

Emery,  432 

Harvey  J.,  455 

Homer  T.,  329 

Jonas,    149    180   181   201    206 
328.  545 

Joseph,  222  299  409  430  432 

Joseph   P.,    238   329   432   436 
437  438  449  450  476 

Levi,  307 

Reuben,  149  166  181  198  199 
201  204  206  369  395  430  432 

Salmon,  395 

Samuel,  118 

Sawyer,  330 

Susan  C.  432 

Walter,  505 

Zebulon,  201 

Zilpah,  210 
Rich,  John,  94  96  97  114  126  130  229 

251 
Richardson,  Jonas,  363 

William  H.,  462 
Rideout,  Frank  H.,  419 
Robinson,  David,  141  143 

James,  53 

John,  53 
Rockwood,  Charles  F.,  240  242  349 

George,  228  239  398  417  568 

George  G. ,  387  421  423  461  572 

S.  Augustus,  452 
Rodamel,  Simon,  94  96  97  119  126 

159  166  198 
Rodiman,  Adam,  154  161 

Jacob,  148  151  166  198 

Peter,  170  171 


Rolfe,  Benjamin,  40  41 
Rollins,  Edward  B.,  317 
Ross,  Moses,  409 

Thomas,  148  154  194 
Royall,  William,  45  47  56 
Ruggles,  Otis  T.,  387 
Russell,  David,  390 

Eliakim  T.,  418 

Franklin,  240  241  387  422 

Fred.  W.,  347 

Levi  W.,  348  515  51(; 

Moses,  141 

M.  Thomas,  445 

Samuel,  34 

Thomas,  422 

Walter,  237  238  299  422 

Ward,  422 
Ryan,  Daniel  F.,  439 

Thomas  H.,  454 

SABIN,  Lewis,  330 
Sackett,  Francis,  442  459  461  545 
Salter,  Samuel,  119  126  141  143 
Samson,  Aaron,  126  141  143 

David,  163  197 

Henry  K.,  452 

J.  Horace,  329 

Jonathan,  88  92  102  109  114 
126  134  135  137  147  148 
151-4  160  164  166  167  186 
193  197  206  210  287  428  430 

Oliver,  300  313 
Sanders,  Hopestill,  56 

John, 56 

Samuel,  56 
Sanderson,  Simeon,  510  511 
Sawtell,  Frank  B.,  460 

Warren  F.,  419 
Sawyer,  Edward,  307  573 

Mannassah,  148  193 

Mary  A.,  347 

Paul,  154 
SchofEe,  Jacob,  94  95  97  114  116  126 

251 
Scollay,  George  W.,  514 

Grover,  299  432 

John, 432 

Samuel,  495 
Selham,  Henry,  115  118  119 

Jacob,  94  96 

Senter,  Dr. ,  134  465 

Shaffer,  John,  458 
Shattuck,  Job,  214 

John,  364  367 

Rinaldo,  455 
Shaw,  Robert  N.,  447 
Sheldon,  Josiah,  69 
Sheperd,  John,  56 
Sherbert,  Charles,  454 


INDEX. 


1019 


Shipman,  Thomas  L.,  2fiit 
Sibley,  EdwaH,  4.14 
Sinclair,  Albert  G.,  22l' 
Skelton,  Emma,  280 
Skinner.  H.  B.,  :".l.'. 
Small,  Joseph  H.,  40.", 
Smeddv.  Morris,  4(>0 
Smith,  Abraham,  92  2.32 

Andreu-  J.,  313 

Charles  E.,  4.-)2 

John  W.,  141 

Joseph,  144 

Joshua,  227  231   295  347  380 
.524 

William  H.,  4G0 
Sohier,  William  D.,3.i3 
Sparhawk,  Thomas,  34 
Spaulding,  Benjamin.  91  118  124  126 

James,  102  366 

John  A.,  4.J2 

Miles,  474 

Nathan,  312 

Newell.  31.-) 

William  S..  500  .JOl 
Stack.  Henrv,  94  96 
Starkey,  Charles  L.,  460 
Starr,  Benjamin.  30  31 

Thomas,  29  31  40 
Stearns,  Alice.  545 

Asa,  494 

Charles,  228  236-8  305  328  329 
348  434  531  568 

Clement  C,  329 

David,  248 

George  H.,  462 

Isaac,  34  106  149  165   179  215 


Stimson.  Mirick,  :)0S  407 

Reuben,  431 
Stoddard,  John  H.,  439 
Stone,  Amos,  430 

Charles.  463 

Ephraim,  126  229  230  289  557 

George  A.,  461 

Hosea.  221    228    235  236    271 
394  432  433 

John,  36 

John  C. ,  392 

Joseph,  141  163  185  379  380 

Oliver,  126  135  136  152  230 

Peter,  283 

William,  315 

William  P.,  348  469 
Stowe,  Mortimer  M.,  283  534 
Stowell,  Jeremiah,  420 

Joshua,  420 

Joshua  T.,  452 

Moses,  420 

Ransom  G.,  447  455  462 
Stratton.  Herbert  S.,  223 
Sumneit  Benjamin,  55  57 

Ebenezer,  55 

Edward,  55 

Increase,  55 

Joseph,  255 

Josianiah,  53 

Samuel,  54  55  57  61 

Seth,  53  88  105 

William,  53  55 
Swift,  James,  54 

John,  53  116  248 

Obadiah,  54 

William,  53  106 


Jesse,  341  348  565 

Jesse  G.  D.,  499  500 

John,  106  497  498 

Josiah  M. ,  503 

Leonard,  395 

Thomas,  59  118  134 

Timothy,  235  434 

William,  149  179  232  347 
Stedman,  David,  149  160  231 

Ebenezer,  34 
Stevens,  George  F.,  241  242  359  534 
535 

Moody  A.,  278  279 

Samuel  S.,  307  394  410  415 
Stewart,  Luther  E.,  449 
Stickney,  Alonzo  L.,  473 
Stimson,  Charles,  420  430 

Charles  L. ,  462 

Elbridge,  239  240  394  417  422 
423  534  573 

Lemuel,  181  201  210  233  311 
313  333  395 


TAYLOR,  Amos,  283  329 

David,  102  118  148 

Ephraim,  430 

Jonathan,  126  134  135  137  142 
147  151  230  297 

Nathan,  341 

Oliver,  341 

Samuel  A.,  437  445  460  461 

Thaddeus,  558 
Temple,  Theron,  348,  472 
Tenney,  Hartwell.  461 

Josephine,  329 

Mabel  W.,  330 

Samuel  J.,  403  417 

Timothy,  461 

William,  403,  417 
Thayer,  F.  C  L.  W.,  448 
Thomas,  Henry  E.,  441 

Josiah,  460 
Thompson,  Charles  O.,  356  359 

JolinB.,  240 

Michael,  452 


1020 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


Thurston,  Lyman  F.,  44S 
Tileston,  Cornelius,  54 

Elisha,  77  81 

Thomas,  44  45  47  55-'J  G(]  70 
77  105  lOG 

Timothy,  54  57  77  81 
Tilton,  Abraham,  44  45 
Tolman,  John,  53 
Torrey,  Ebenezer,  354  355  35!t 
Tottingham,  Moses,  164  341 
Townsend,  Abraham,  181 

Isaac,  35 

Joseph,  430 

Joshua,  299  348  410  411» 

Margaret,  187  194  210 

Reuben,   179  200  201  219  222 
228    235-7  242  206    307  328 
430  570 
Trask,  John,  521 
Trescott,  Elizabeth,  55 
Joseph,  53  59 
Samuel,  55 
Tuckerman,  Albert  H.,  460 

Henry,  343  348  • 

Turner,  Amasa,  119 

John,  269 
Tyler,  Henry  M.,  359 

UPHAM,  Sumner  H.,  400 

VALENTINE,  John  E.,  44s 
Vanness,  Henry,  494 
Vincent,  Hebron,  315 
Vorback,  Philip,  94  126  251 
Vose,  James  E.,  349  358 

WADE,  Nathaniel,  56 
Wales,  Eleazer.  56 
Waliant,  John  E.,  461 
Walker,  Addison  A.,  239  240  308  329 
387  417  436  437  441  444  451 
534  535 
James,  461 
James  L.,  452 
JohnK.,  442 
Rebecca,  229  330 
Wallace,  Frank  W.,  407 
Hosea  C,  448 
John  W.,  545 
Lincoln,  452 
Merrick,  42  470 
Webster  W.,  463 
William,  455 
Wallis,  David,  149  180  206  207 

Ebenezer,  180  204  206 
Ward,  Alvan,  405  409  418 

Caleb,  126  142  194  232  233  348 

533 
Carlos  P.,  452 


Ward,  George  P.,  463 

Harlem  E.,  460  462 

Isaac  D..  239  320  342  405  41i» 

Jacob,  42S  431 

John,  369  370 

Marcus  L.,  453 

Martin  N.,  461 

Rebecca,  266 

Samuel,  283  306 

William,    148    152-4    158  160- 
163  187  194  197  206  210 

W.  L.  G.,405 
Ware,  Stephen  N.,  399  400 
Warren,  Joseph,  53 
Washburn,  Seth,  171 

William  B.,  344 
Watkins,  Jehiel,  236,  434 
Wayland,  Francis,  353  354  358  359 
Webster,  Moses,  315 
Weeks,  Ammiel,  54 

George,  54 

Joseph,  53  54  63 
Wellington,  Amos,  118 
Wenneg,  Jacob,  126 
West,  Julia  Houston,  329 
Wetherbee,  Amos,  347 

Benjamin  E.,  241  242  399  415 

Ephraim,  35  39  50  142 

George  M.,  447 

Joseph,  321 

Josiah  L.,  434 

Marshall,  228  239-41  349  398 
437  534  571 

Oliver.  119  126 

Phineas,  126  136 
Wheeler,   Asahel,    432  437  439   445 
460  461 

Ephraim,  39  72  90 

Samuel,  56 

Thomas,  91    115  243  251  287 
390 
Wheelock,  Joseph,  30  41  56  61  62  68. 
70  72  81  106 

Timothy,  56 
Wheildon,  W.  G.,  413 
Whipple,  Charles  H.,  460 

Frederick  R.,  455 

James  E.,  447-9  462 

Russell,  455 
Whitcomb,  Asa,  142 

Benjamin,  126 

Oliver,  126  142 

William,   92    114  127  137  142 
147  150  163  l(i8  171  21.S  220 
229  230  252  557 
White,  Abner,  415 

Charles   H.,  439  447   448  462 
544 

Elisha,  221  228  232-4  283  299' 


INDEX. 


1021 


White,  Elisha,  :):{(;  ;U7  ;'.7o  5:5;'. 
Ivers,  307  5;il 
John,  154  160  1G7  ;5(U 
Josiah,  430 
Josiah  E.,  321) 
Lorenzo,  315 
Nelson  D.,  222 
William,  59 
William  P.,  315 
AVilliam  S.,  4G1 
Windsor  N.,  222 
Whiteman,    Christian  W.,   94-7  115 

119  12(:  251 
Henry,  434 
Jacob,  407 
John,  252  347 
Newton  B.,  4r.l 
Nicholas,  149  153   154  160  197 

207 
Whitmore,  Alfred.  228 

Alfred  A.,  318  320 

Edward,    163    166  179  197  198 

Enoch,  222  235  237  238  319  336 

348  417  419  430  432  483  485 

565  568 
Frank  B.,  447 
Isaac,  179  198  210  347  434 
Joseph,  230  393 
Lorenzo  Locke,  348  471  573 
Orange  S.,  45l 
Whitney,   Austin,    222  228   240   241 

386  387  398  423 
Charles  H.,  385 
Charles  M.,  463 
CharlesW.,242  385  454 
Ephraim,  367 
Francis  A.,  240   242  347   348 

359  535 
George  O.,460 
Giles  H.,  222 
Isaac,  364 
John,  143  413 
Joseph  H.,  441  445  460  461 
Josiah,  148  151  205 
Judah,  867 
Lemuel,  95   100   313  366   434 

448 
Levi,  167  326 
Merrick,  391  392  447 
Milton,  492  493 
Moses,  393 
Ohio,  222  228  237-41  308  317 

348  384  358  359  386  387  397 

420  486  523  534  570 
Orange,  242  414  415 
Samuel  V.,  392  398   422   432 

531 
Silas,  869  891  434  562 
Stephen  C,  455 


387 


125 
333 


56 
114 


291 

134 
226 
347 
545 


Whitney,  Walton  B.,  535 

Wilbur  F.,  222    228    349 

406  413  414  532  534 
William,  512 
Whittemore,  Samuel,  34 
Wight,  ])aniel,  318-21  349 
Wiat,  Edward,  55 
Wilder,  Abel,  510 

Andrew,  59  60  63  66  72  87, 
Caleb,  70  81  88  98  100  104 

233  234  246-8  286  290 

348  403  432  434 
Charles  W.,  511 
David,  143  147 
Gardner,  70 
Joseph,  30  32  40  41  46  47 

57  59  60  77  81   104  113 

137  142 
Josiah,  102  363 
Oliver,  56  61  62  65  68  105 
Oliver  D.,  452  460  462 
Samuel,  88  104  114  124-6 

136  151  158  164  167  220 
'  229-32  283  289  293  295 

365  369  377-9    477  539 

557 
Sarah,  545 
Thomas,  53  105 
William,  141  151  230 
Willard,  Alonzo  L.,  405  418 
AmosF.,  461 
Caleb,  430 
C.  Edgar,  439 
Elijah,  510 
Francis  S.,  453 
Frederick  E.,  385 
George,  463 
George  A.,  95 
Henry,  482 
Hezekiah,  126 
Jacob,  127  136  142  213  214 

220  221  226  227   230-3 

297  365  369  480 
James  H.,  448 
John,  126  136  147  151  280 

235  283  300  313  333  347 

434  480  524  583 
Jonas,  386  348 
Josiah,  38  40  50 
Moses,  37  50 
Oliver,   126    142    147    158   161 

163  195  230 
Peter,  137 
Philander  J.,  434 
Samuel,  141  143 
Silas,  219  228  233-5  300-4 

432  481  523  524 
Timothy,  390 
Williams,  David  O.,  460 


234 
432 


313 


1022 


HISTORY   OF   ASHBURNHAM. 


Williams,  Eleazer,  Si 
Willis,  John,  56 
Wilker,  George,  370  430 
Jacob,  94  137 
Joseph  W.,  95 
Wilkie,  Walter,  316 
Wilkins,  John  H.,  228  241  242  572 
Wilson,  Charles,  458 

George  W.,  447 
Winchester,  C.  and  G.  C.  86  404  406 
407  410 
Charles,  239  314  359  395  396 

410-13  573 
George   C,  222  308  :  54   359 
386-8  396  398  410-13  442  531 
534  570-2 
Henry,  141  143  168 
Jonathan,  102  120  121  127  142 
163  243  246  248    251-4   355 
369  521 
Jonathan  David,  495  496 
Joseph,  248 
William,  163 
Winter,  Andrew,  94  96  126  166    193 
206  376  521 
Jacob.  144  172 
John,  154  193  194 


Winter,  Philip,  142  143  149 
Withington,  Edward,  101 

John,  52  54  57  59 

Richard,  54 
Wood,  Charles,  453 

Ebenezer,  143  326. 

George,  432 

Nahum,  391  421 

Pliny,  315  316 

Solomon,  558 

Stephen,  382  385 

Timothy,  126  142 
Woodell,  James  M.,  455 
Woodcock,  William  L.,  222' 
Woodman,  Henry,  63  64 
Woods,  Asa,  234  299  336 

John,  100 

Leonard,  516 

Samuel,  307  394  530  533  538 
Woodward,  Charles  E.,  242  283  34T 
34S  531  535 

JohnG.,  31  239  240 
Worcester,  Abijah,  126 

James  L.,  529 
Wyman,  Stephen,  344 

YOUNG,  AVilliam  M.,  455, 


5      88  9  3 


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JUL   V  i   i. 

UUO 

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FORM  NO.  DD6                         UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA,  BERKELEY        , 
50  M  3-08                                                     Berkeley,  California  94720-6000 

GENERAL  LIBRARY -U.C.  BERKELEY 

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